MOGADISHU, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has concluded a 10-day training course for representatives of the Somali security sector to help deter use of child soldiers in conflict.
The training organized by the AMISOM Protection, Human Rights and Gender Unit, in line with AMISOM's capacity building support to Somalia government, ended with a commitment to end the recruitment and use of children in conflict.
A statement from the AMISOM released on Monday said the course which ended in Nairobi on Friday brought participants from the federal and regional administrations.
"The participants were skilled to undertake independent training activities in support of all pre-deployment, in-mission and other career development courses, related to the use of children as a weapon of war," the AU said.
Brigadier Patrick Muta Nderitu, the Director of the International Peace and Security Training Centre in Kenya called on combatants to stop use of child soldiers.
"War affects every aspect of a child's development. Children affected by armed conflict can be injured or killed, uprooted from their homes and communities, internally displaced as refugees, orphaned or separated from their parents and families, subjected to sexual abuse and exploitation," Nderitu said.,
"It is my sincere hope that the training will enable you chart new ways to help curb the issue of recruiting and use of child soldiers in Somalia," he added, stressing the need to ensure children as not used as a weapon of war.
The course participants drawn from the federal and regional administrations and AMISOM, were skilled to undertake independent training activities in support of all pre-deployment, in-mission and other career development courses, related to the use of children as a weapon of war.
"I believe all the participants in this course are now much better prepared in their understanding of how to deal with children in general and child soldiers in particular in a proactive and not a reactive fashion," Darin Reeves, the Lead Facilitator from Romeo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative said.
Reeves emphasized the importance of protecting children in situations of conflict.
