Pawns of Politics: Children, Conflict and Peace in Northern Uganda

Summary

The armed conflict in northern Uganda is a tragic struggle for power involving children, who are used as pawns for military and political purposes. In spite of the good intentions of some in the international communirt and laws against child abuse, these children have no protection for their security and basic rights. Failure at all levels to protect the children of northern Uganda has resulted in three groups of vulnerable children: abducted children, internally displaced children and ‘night commuters’ – children who, for fear of abduction, flee their homes at night and seek shelter in towns and city centres, returning home in the morning.