UPDF, Other EAC Forces Launch Course on Protecting Children in Armed Conflict

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), in collaboration with other forces from the East Africa member states, have launched a course aimed at protecting children during armed conflicts. The course, which will be taught under the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF), aims to bolster member states' capacities to address the pressing issue of children in armed conflict. 

Brig Gen Peter Gaetano Omola, the Commander of the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre, said the course is critical in providing the African Union with the necessary capabilities to protect children as they respond to conflicts through peace missions and interventions. Brig Omala said children in conflict-trodden areas are facing devastating consequences, which include forced recruitment as child soldiers, violence, and exploitation. 

"As representatives of nations committed to peace and security, we bear a collective responsibility to protect these vulnerable members of our society," Brig Gen Omola stated. Not only armed personnel will benefit from this course, but even civilians who work alongside armed forces. The course, which has kicked off at Entebbe, has attracted military police and civilian participants from ten EASF member states.

“We seek to enhance understanding of conflict dynamics and their impact on children while fostering collaboration and shared insights. Children need to be protected from all sorts of violence,” Brig Omala said. Anthony Ombara, the lead facilitator of the course, said that it aims to enhance the collective capacity of peace support operations personnel to prevent and respond to issues related to child protection.

"It is therefore our moral and legal imperative to do everything in our power to shift children from the horror of war," Ombara said. Ombara highlighted the severe physical and psychological trauma suffered by children during conflicts, stating that "Children are the most affected, and the most valuable victims during conflicts; they suffer physical and psychological trauma."

Allen Ruhangataremwa, an official from the EASF Secretariat, said the training will equip peace support operations personnel with the knowledge and skills necessary to prevent and respond to child protection issues during their assignments, aligning with regional and international standards.

So far, 10 Eastern Africa Standby Force member states, including Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda, have participants in attendance. All these participants are signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of the Eastern Africa Standby Force.

EASF forces were deployed in the DRC for peacekeeping but were withdrawn after Kinshasa expressed concern about their stay. However, EASF reports showed that children have disproportionately suffered from the blatant disregard for international humanitarian law and severe breaches of international human rights law by parties to conflict.