CIDA Photo: Roger LeMoyne

-- Mark, ex-child soldier, Liberia

Every war-torn society faces a huge task when it comes to rebuilding. Conflicts destroy more than just buildings and bridges; they also shatter laws, families and communities. After a war, it is essential to provide a safe, nurturing environment for children and create a society that protects them.

After the fighting is over, the memories of atrocities and injustices live on, and must be dealt with. Some countries have used truth and reconciliation commissions, where victims can tell their stories and the people who abused them have a chance to make amends for their actions. However, few of these commissions address crimes against children. One of the most important steps to building a peaceful society is ensuring education. In school, children can learn about peace, tolerance, social justice, human rights and responsibility. War-affected children can learn skills such as negotiation, problem solving, critical thinking and communication, which can help them end the cycle of violence.

Involving children in rebuilding is very important. Once children are involved, they are no longer seen as problems or victims, but as members of the community who can contribute to planning and creating long term solutions.

• In 1970, the world agreed upon an aid target for war-torn countries of 0.7% of the donor countries' Gross National Product (GNP). This means that each country agree to donate 0.7% of the total money it earns each year to aid war-torn countries. However, this target has not been met; in fact it has fallen short by $100 billion.
• Development assistance received by sub-Saharan Africa, the region most scarred by war, declined nearly 30% between 1994 and 1998.
• In 1998, Bosnia and Herzegovina received $236 per person in assistance. In the same year, Burundi received $12 per person, Afghanistan received $7 per person, and the Democratic Republic of Congo received $3 per person. Children in need, wherever they are, have equal rights to assistance, but there are no standards to ensure that assistance.

1. The United Nations, NGOs and other international organizations should work to ensure that different countries receive equivalent funding for rebuilding and helping war-affected children and women.
2. The United Nations, developing countries and NGOs should work together to ensure that the rights of children are considered during rebuilding, planning and policy making.
3. Those responsible for genocide and war crimes against children must be brought to justice. This should be done through truth and reconciliation commissions and rebuilding justice systems, paying special attention to justice for children.

Psychosocial Effects = a combination of the psychological and social effects of a situation on an individual; in this case, the effect of armed conflict. Psychological factors affect our emotions, behaviour, thoughts, memory, learning ability, perceptions and understanding. Social factors affect relationships with other people.
NGO = NGO stands for Non-Governmental Organization. An NGO is a private group or organization that provides humanitarian aid. They may work with government agencies, but they are not part of the government.