STORY: AMISOM continues to raise awareness for

an end to the recruitment of child soldiers in

Somalia
DURATION: 2:57
SOURCE: AMISOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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CREDIT REQUIRED: AMISOM PUBLIC
INFORMATION
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /SOMALI/NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 02/DECEMBER/2019, KISMAYO, SOMALIA

SHOT LIST:

1. Wide shot, participants taking part in the workshop to raise awareness

on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in Somalia
2. Med shot, participants taking part in the workshop to raise awareness
on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in Somalia
3. Med shot, participants taking part in the workshop to raise awareness
on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in Somalia
4. Med shot, participants taking part in the workshop to raise awareness
on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in Somalia
5. Close up shot, participants taking part in the workshop to raise
awareness on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in
Somalia
6. Med shot, participants taking part in the workshop to raise awareness
on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in Somalia
7. Med shot, participants taking part in the workshop to raise awareness
on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in Somalia
8. Med shot, participants taking notes during the workshop to raise
awareness on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in
Somalia
9. Med shot, participants listening during the workshop to raise
awareness on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in
Somalia
10. Med shot, projected image on the screen
11. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) GLORIA JASE, AMISOM PROTECTION
OFFICER
“This is a significant step by AMISOM reaching out to civil society
organizations, line ministries and child protection committees here in
Kismayo to help them strengthen community protection mechanisms on
the prevention of the recruitment of child soldiers. This is very significant
in a way that the children are mostly in the communities and if
communities are aware of these kinds of violations, they will be able to
participate and take an active role in ensuring that children are prevented
from joining or being recruited into armed forces”.
12. Wide shot, participants taking part in the workshop to raise awareness
on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in Somalia
13. Med shot, participants listening during the workshop to raise
awareness on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in
Somalia
14. Med shot, participants listening during the workshop to raise
awareness on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in
Somalia
15. Med shot, participants listening during the workshop to raise
awareness on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in
Somalia
16. Close up shot, a participant taking notes during the workshop to raise
awareness on the risks of recruiting child soldiers by armed groups in
Somalia
17. SOUNDBITE: (SOMALI) ABDIKADIR ABDI YARE, COORDINATOR
OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY AFFAIRS OF JUBBALAND MINISTRY
OF HUMAN RIGHTS
“Generally, the aim of the workshop was to unite the views and the work
of the different stakeholders in the region so that they cooperate and get
to know the services in place for the children and work on the referral
pathway between them”.

18. Wide shot, participants having a group discussion during the training
workshop
19. Med shot, participants having a group discussion during the training
workshop
20. Wide shot, participants having a group discussion during the training
workshop
21. Med shot, participants having a group discussion during the training
workshop
22. SOUNDBITE: (SOMALI) FATUMA ADEN, CHAIRLADY OF LOWER
JUBBA REGION WOMEN ORGANIZATION
“The lessons we learnt here today were very significant, it was about the
violence meted on child soldiers. The children recruited as child soldiers
are young or below 18 years, therefore we the parents especially the
mothers who are close to the children affected by recruitment. We have
learnt how to prevent this violence and create awareness for these
children”.

23. Med shot, participant making a presentation after the group

discussions
24. Med shot, Gloria Jase, AMISOM Protection Officer having a discussion
with the course moderators
25. Wide shot, participants AMISOM officials, officials from civil society
groups and officials from Jubaland state of Somali’s line ministry
posing for a group photo
AMISOM continues to raise awareness for an end to the recruitment of child soldiers in
Somalia

Mogadishu, 6 December 2019 – The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has
concluded a two-day awareness workshop on the dangers of recruitment and use of children
in armed conflict.

The event held in Kismayo was attended by representatives from the civil societies and
officials from Jubaland State responsible for child protection.

Participants were taken through topics on the rights of children, non-discrimination, the
various forms of child recruitment, child survival and development.

The AMISOM Protection Officer, Gloria Jasse, said AMISOM continues to conduct
programmes that are aimed at addressing the recruitment and use of children as fighters in
Somalia.

“AMISOM is reaching out to civil society organisations, line ministries and child protection
committees to help strengthen community protection mechanisms to prevent the
recruitment of child soldiers. If communities are aware of the violations against children,
they will be empowered and better informed and will take an active role to ensure children
are not recruited into armed forces,” she added.

A recent report by the UN Secretary-General on children and armed conflict revealed that
armed groups in Somalia forcefully recruited and used 2,228 boys and 72 girls in 2018. The
report released in June 2019 indicated that the Al-Shabaab terrorist group recruited 1,865
children, accounting for the highest number of child recruits.

Recently, the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) committed to implement a national plan
to end the recruitment and use of child soldiers by instituting measures to prevent violations
against children, releasing child soldiers and reintegrating them into communities.

The Coordinator of Children and Family Affairs in the Jubaland State’s Ministry of Human
Rights, Mr. Abdikadir Abdi Yare, welcomed the workshop as a right step to improving
coordination amongst child protection agencies in Jubaland.
Fatuma Aden, the chairperson of the Lower Jubba Region Women’s Organisation hailed
ongoing initiatives to combat the recruitment and use of child soldiers in Somalia. “The
lessons we have learnt are valuable and timely,” Ms. Fatuma said.

ENDS