Escaping Victimhood

Book excerpt: "In the aftermath of violent conflict, no society can afford to rebuild its future without the participation of its young generation and consideration for their interests and needs. Yet, trapped in a state of protracted victimhood, children and youth - and their needs and potential - risk being overlooked in the planning and implementation of post-conflict peacebuilding. They are frequently mere bystanders to peacebuilding efforts, disempowered to change their fortunes in the midst of societies scarred by death, poverty and destruction. Their voices will not be heard unless they can escape the chains of victimhood and their active agency in post-war recovers effort is recognized. The contributors to this volume explore the lack of child- and youth- specific peacebuilding practices by local, national and international players; and young peoples' struggle to escape the continuing victimhood or the pathways of survival criminality and instead secure more opportunities to be agents of sustainable peace. By drawing on experiences from post-conflict environments in different parts of the world, a diverse group of researchers and scholar-practitioners working in academia, non-governmental and international organisations examine the proactive roles of girls and boys in promoting security for themselves and their families ; their disproportionate suffering and their specific vulnerabilities during and after the war; international legal frameworks created to protect and empower children and youth in post-conflict environments; examples of initiatives to help young people escape the traps of victimhood and voicelessness and actively engage in rebuilding their communities and nations; and international and national efforts to provide for the security of children and young people in post-conflict environments. Children and youth are essential catalysts for the successful rebuilding of war-torn societies. Many will reach adulthood as new social, economic and political orders are being consolidated, as first elections are held and as international assistance and early rebuilding efforts are handed over into local hands. As the young post-war generation will become the next leaders, parents and teachers, ensuring children and youth's active role in post-conflict peacebuilding today could be among the most effective means of building a sustainable peace tomorrow."--Publisher's description.