Re-member : Rehabilitation, Reintegration and Reconciliation of War-Affected Children

The recruitment and operations of child soldiers have been hitting the headlines in politics and the media for many years. However, a much broader circle of children is affected by armed conflicts. Hence, the many challenges to deal with youth affected by armed conflict exceed by far the issue of the recruitment and demobilisation of child soldiers, but also extend to questions of rehabilitation, reintegration and reconciliation processes of all children and youths. This book brings together for the first time a wide range of leading scholars from three disciplinary perspectives (childrenÆs rights, psychosocial studies and transitional justice) and aims at enhancing a multidisciplinary and comprehensive approach to the rehabilitation, reintegration and reconciliation processes of children and adolescents affected by armed conflict.

The recruitment and operations of child soldiers have been hitting the headlines in politics and the media for many years, however a much broader circle of children is affected by armed conflicts. The many challenges in dealing with youth affected by armed conflicts extend to questions about the rehabilitation, reintegration, and reconciliation processes of all children and youth. In stark contrast to the complex reality of armed conflicts and the involvement of children therein, academic research has thus far taken a rather narrow view on the matter. International children''s rights law has mostly focused on age limits for the recruitment of children and international criminal law has dealt with the prosecution and punishment of child recruiters. The disciplines of psychology and pedagogical sciences have merely emphasized the effects of and recovery from traumatic exposure by individuals, with some attempts for a more psycho-social perspective. Finally, studies in the field of transitional justice have paid remarkably little attention, until very recently, to the role of children in transitional justice mechanisms, both as victims and offenders. This book brings together, for the first time, a wide range of leading scholars from three disciplinary perspectives: children''s rights, psycho-social studies, and transitional justice. The book enhances a multi-disciplinary and comprehensive approach to the rehabilitation, reintegration, and reconciliation processes of children and adolescents affected by armed conflicts. The 22 chapters are specifically written to deal with theoretical perspectives, empirical findings, and country reports. It will be of interest to academics, policy makers, practitioners, non-governmental organizations, the media, and others. (Series: Transitional Justice - Vol. 11)