|
|
Leaders
in Action for Education
|
| 
|
"Massive
and gross violations of child rights continue unabated. Murder,
rape, mutilation, forced recruitment, displacement, injury and malnourishment
are just some of the most visible examples. These atrocities must
not be tolerated as either inevitable or acceptable side effects
of war."
—
Graça Machel, UN-appointed author of The Impact of War
on Children
"Education
is the centerpiece of a child's life. A school gives a sense of
place, confidence and worth. Our only salvation is the strength
of our education system."
— Stephen Lewis, UN Special Envoy for AIDS
in Africa
Today,
children are the innocent victims of armed conflict in more than
36 countries around the world.
Two million children died in armed conflict in the 1990s. More than
three times this number were permanently disabled or seriously injured.
War has uprooted more than 20 million children from their homes
all over the world. Now they are either refugees or displaced persons
in their own countries. At any given time, more than 300,000 children
are used in hostilities as soldiers.
Children
need intellectual growth, as well as physical protection and humanitarian
assistance. Despite a child's right to education, education in the
midst of crisis is an important, but often overlooked, priority.
This section of the Student Leadership for Global Development website
will focus on the impact of war on children and education. The objective
is to raise student awareness about their place in the world and
their level of responsibility for affecting change to assist war-affected
children.
Browse
through this section to learn more about:
-
the impact of war on children and education
-
the importance of leadership skills
-
how you can become leaders in action for education
Here's
what you will find:
War affected
children at a glance – The Issues
War devastates the life of a child. Child soldiers, refugees and
displaced children, landmines and resource wars are just some of
the issues children face during conflicts. This section will provide
you with a brief synopsis of the issues.
Protecting
war-affected children: Canada's global role
Protecting vulnerable populations is crucial to Canada's Human Security
Agenda. Canada's approach includes advocating for the legal and
physical protection of children in times of conflict. Find out what
Canada is doing to help war-affected children.
Fast facts about
war-affected children and education in the developing world
Read up on some facts about war-affected children. The statistics
are heartbreaking.
Become an Ambassador
for Peace
Find out how you can learn about war-affected children, develop
leadership skills and become Ambassadors for Peace.
Research the
issue of war-affected children through website resources
Visit these websites to learn more about war-affected children.
Leaders
in Action for Education – Conference 2004
On Nov. 22, 2004, the Peel District School Board hosted a special
conference for grade 7 to 12 teachers and students. The conference
featured a keynote by Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire.
back
to top
|
