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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

SIERRA LEONE: Visit of UN Special Representative for children

ABIDJAN, 24 February 2003 (IRIN) - The UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara Otunnu is visiting Sierra Leone from 22-28 February to assess the status of war-affected children in the post-conflict, peace-building phase.

The visit, the UN reported on Friday, was a follow-up to Otunnu's previous missions to Sierra Leone in 1999 and 2000. Two initiatives proposed by Otunnu during those missions will be inaugurated, namely "Agenda for Action for the Children of Sierra Leone" and the "National Commission for War-Affected Children". A children's radio station "Voice of Children" will
also be inaugurated.

"Since the Sierra Leonean conflict ended in January 2002, progress has been made in advancing the protection and rehabilitation of children," the UN said. "An ambitious programme for the demobilization and reintegration of
7,000 child ex-combatants has [reunited] 97 percent of them with their families and communities."

According to the UN, child protection has been integrated into the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), with the presence on staff of child protection advisers and training of peacekeepers in child rights and child protection.

"Children and the youth were severely affected by the decade-long conflict. They were forcibly conscripted by fighting forces, displaced internally or into neighbouring countries as refugees, and deprived of education and basic health care," the UN said. "They were subject to sexual exploitation and abuse, and used as forced labour."

Otunnu will meet President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, government officials, the UN country team, child protection agencies, children and civil society representatives and make field visits.

Themes: (IRIN) Children, (IRIN) Conflict

[ENDS]

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