6/3/2019 Action Plan - Katelynn Moyer - Google Docs

Katelynn Moyer

Action Plan

20 May 2019

The goal of this project is to raise awareness about the children that are involved in war

or war related conflicts in Afghanistan. By spreading awareness, I want to provide support for all

the families that have to go through something like this. Throughout this project, I have focused

on historical contexts, culture, and the way culture influences politics in this country. The

pressures from war and violence have influenced children to become heavily involved in war,

which is illegal due to the fact that it is a war crime. This project encapsulates only small parts of

what these families have had to go through, and my overall goal is to spread awareness to the

world so this level of cruelty can stop happening.

My community should join me in this action because it is inhumane to involve children in

war related conflicts. Their youth is being taken away, and their education is being rudely

disrupted. Their environment is full of violence, and thousands of children die because of this.

My school should join me just with the fact of knowing that these children’s education is being

disrupted. Education, something we take advantage of, is being taken away from these children

to learn about combat or other war related material. Every child deserves the chance to a good

education, for a chance to grow. The world should join this movement because of a simple moral

code. This is a child’s life in danger, and we need to make a universal move to keep them safe.

There has been a few attempts in order to help the children in Afghanistan. People 

around the world have started to realize that these children need help. When Barack Obama 

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was president, he tried to combat this issue directly using military forces. Around 9,000 marines 

moved into small Afghan towns that surrounded the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan 

to try and stop the Taliban and their supplies from coming into Afghanistan (Staff, 2009). The 

United States wanted and still do want to stop the Taliban from terrorizing Afghanistan. The 

U.S. used the military tactic, kicked the Taliban out of power, and installed a government that 

more resembled democracy. “Now, some 9,000 of the new troops surging into the country are

heading to Helmand to expand security and finish the march south. The scope of the time and

manpower dedicated to the effort underscores just how difficult it is to secure the 1,600-mile

frontier between Pakistan and Afghanistan” (Staff, 2009). Even though, U.S. troops have been in

Afghanistan for years, this hasn’t been that successful. The Taliban still have controlled areas,

plan successful attacks, and have children that are still being involved in war related conflict.

Since Pakistan borders Afghanistan, a lot of Afghans fled there. There were Afghan

refugee camps in Pakistan. Pakistan started assistance programs that were directed towards

healthcare and education since Afghanistan wasn’t providing good medical services, and the

Taliban redirected education toward war based and/or combat subjects. In Pakistan,“The

madrassas provided education to both local and refugee children. By 1990, enrollment in state

sponsored primary education in Afghanistan had dropped to a third of pre-conflict figures, many

started to send their children and orphans to madrassas in Pakistan” (British Medical Journal,

2002). Pakistanis were worried about their Afghan neighbors, and wanted to provide relief for

the children that had so much taken away from them. “ A survey of Afghan refugee women and

children in Quetta found that over 80% of children were unregistered and child mortality was

31% (112/366 births). Of those who survived, 67% were severely malnourished, with

malnutrition increasing with age” (British Medical Journal, 2002). Afghan parents were

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extremely worried about their children’s health, and wanted them safe, so they sent their children

to participate in the education Pakistan was allowing them to join.

Groups around the world have started creating organizations to help kids involved in war

related conflict, however, Child Soldiers International is involved in Afghanistan. “Established in

1998, the group is a human rights research and advocacy organization that works to end the use

of children in state armed forces and non-state armed groups” (Ending the Use of Child Soldiers,

2018). This organization is based in the United Kingdom, and conducts research on why children

are used, and how they can try and stop the issue. This organization works with nongovernmental

that are local to the countries they work in. These countries include Afghanistan,Central African

Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Myanmar, and Thailand. “The organization

also advocates for the release of child soldiers, promotes their successful reintegration into

society, and fights to hold accountable those who unlawfully recruit children” (Ending the Use of

Child Soldiers, 2018). This organization directly works with locals to discover what would work

best in each different country in order to help the children in that specific area. This organization

has set up good education resources and ways to deal with the trauma from war.

I believe causes of this issue has to do with the violence and turmoil this country has been

in for years and the pressures to withhold and be true to their religion. Also, I believe the way the

Soviet Union left Afghanistan defenseless without a strong government caused the country to

give in so quickly to the Taliban and their unrealistic promises. The fact that these children are

living in poverty, and most think violence is normal has led to this issue of children being used in

war. Scholars have agreed that there needs to be physical interference within the country to make

a difference. Whether they are installing military troops, providing support in a country that

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borders Afghanistan, or creating organizations that go to help. There is a pretty universal

agreement that their education must be reformed so that there isn’t war and combat related

material to be taught to these kids. However, they have not agreed on which tactic is best. They

all have different opinions on what works best, and focus on things like military presence,

education, etc.

I believe my community should help me urge our government to use the education route.

A stronger military defense in Afghanistan will not make a difference in my opinion. It will just

further agitate the Taliban, and continue the violence in this country. However, if we urge the

government to send teachers to Afghanistan, they will be more academically and socially

educated and aware. They will be able to learn core subjects, and we can also have the teachers

focus on teaching how violence isn’t normal, nor is it something that should always be resorted

to. By sending these teachers, they can remove the combat materials from the curriculum, and

help these kids focus on healthier solutions to their problems. The children will be able to learn

better problem solving and critical thinking skills. I believe the best way to solve a problem is

good communication and to support healthier growth of the human mind.

Step Who what/action when/time resources communicati

ons

1 The World They will In about two Human: 50 The

Teach find a months from trained stakeholders
organization qualified now, so the teachers in
group of organization 15 Afghanistan
people who has time to professionals will not be
are willing to teach these from World negatively
go to individuals, Teach to help affected by
Afghanistan so the Afghan guide both this action
to teach children get a the American because it

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social change full benefit. and Afghan doesn’t

and good teachers/ involve them.
critical students. The teachers
thinking Supplies: will take their
skills. computers to training, and
take tests and be excited
complete about the
online experience
training they are
courses about to
Capital: have.
$15,000 to
finance
everything

2 The World The teachers These Capital: The parents

Teach arrive in teachers will 25,000 and children
Organization Afghanistan, be working in dollars to will be happy
will send and begin Afghanistan feed and because they
their own working in for a year to house the get the
professionals the classroom help these teachers chance to
and the and building children build while they have a quality
teachers relationships valuable stayed there. education.
they’ve with the skills and An additional The teachers
trained to students. learn core 10,000 for will be able
Afghanistan. academics the textbooks, to walk away
pencils, and from this
paper for the with a one of
children. a kind
experience.
The
stakeholders
will not be
affected
because the
schooling
system does
not change
their daily
routines.

3 The teachers They will This process Human: The This will
from the build good will take a 50 teachers positively
World Teach relationships year. The and 15 World impact
Organization with the children will teach Afghan

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students. be in school professionals. children

They will for five days The Afghan because they
teach them a week. students who will begin a
productive are willing to way of life
social learn. that does not
change, have violence
critical Supplies: lying around
thinking textbooks, every corner.
skills, human pencils, paper
rights, and The
effective Capital: the stakeholders
problem money will not
solving. previously affected
These mentioned.
teachers and The World
World Teach Teach
professionals Organization
will also help can have this
train Afghan as a learning
teachers for experience in
when they a different
leave. country.

Teachers will
get to make a
change in
someone
else’s lives,
and get to
learn about a
new culture

4 The World After a year However, for Human: The The students
Teach is up, the a year after Afgjan will now
Organization World Teach that, The teachers have positive
and the Organization World Teach skills built to
Afghan will leave Organization Supplies: The lead a good
teachers. Afghanistan, will closely organization life without
leaving the monitor the will leave the involving
Afghan Afghan textbooks and tons of
teachers, who teachers for a other school violence. The
are newly year to make supplies for parents will
trained, there sure they are them to be happier
to teach the staying on continue to because they

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children. task and use so they will be able

positively don’t have to to have more
impacting buy new faith their
these ones. child will be
children’s safe.
lives. Afghanistan
as a whole
will
hopefully
have a lower
child
mortality rate
due to them
being more
responsible
and socially
aware.

"Afghanistan war: Marines move in to stop Taliban from Pakistan; As part of Obama's 
Afghanistan war surge, some 9,000 marines are moving into small Afghan towns near the border to stop 
Taliban soldiers and supplies coming from Pakistan. The view from this new front." Christian Science 
Monitor, 23 Dec. 2009. Student Resources In Context, 
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A215310998/SUIC?u=pl9363&sid=SUIC&xid=35f9854c. Accessed 1 
May 2019. 

Bhutta, Zulfiqar Ahmed. "Children of war: the real casualties of the Afghan conflict. (Education and 
Debate)." British Medical Journal, 9 Feb. 2002, p. 349+. Student Resources In Context, 
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A83476597/SUIC?u=pl9363&sid=SUIC&xid=a4852c2f. Accessed 25 Feb. 
2019. 
 
"Ending the Use of Child Soldiers." Gale Student Resources in Context, Gale, 2018. Student 
Resources In Context, 
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/LUEEJR914100906/SUIC?u=pl9363&sid=SUIC&xid=6ced686a. Accessed 2 
May 2019.  

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