For Now, the World's Little Warriors Can Fight On

Gunnell, Barbara, New Statesman (1996)

A charter to stop children becoming soldiers sounds good. But the US is not keen, reports Barbara Gunnell

Nobody could be against a charter that aimed to protect children from the consequences of war, could they? And who would be so churlish as to ignore a passionate appeal by Graca Machel, the wife of Nelson Mandela and former first lady of Mozambique and South Africa, nations that have both seen far too many innocent victims of conflict?

Last month, Machel chaired an international conference in Winnipeg, Canada, on war-affected children -- the first of its kind -- and presented the results of her four-year study on child soldiers and victims of conflict. Foreign ministers and representatives of around 130 countries discussed the findings and agreed a programme of action to take to a United Nations Special Session on Children in September next year.

The worthy and -- as long as war exists -- almost unachievable aim of the programme of action is to protect millions of affected youngsters around the globe. They include 800 children killed …

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Publication information: Article title: For Now, the World's Little Warriors Can Fight On. Contributors: Gunnell, Barbara - Author. Magazine title: New Statesman (1996). Volume: 129. Issue: 4507 Publication date: October 9, 2000. Page number: 23. © Not available. COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group.

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