Select members of Rwanda National Police (RNP) on Monday began a basic training course on preventing the recruitment and use of child soldiers at the Musanze based National Police College.

The training is a collaborative effort between Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security (formerly known as The Romeo Dallaire Child soldiers ‘Initiative) and RNP.

The Dallaire Institute, whose African Centre of Excellence is based in Rwanda, works to end the recruitment and use of children as soldiers globally.

The promotion and protections of the rights of children are well catered for in Rwanda’s national laws and policies. Therefore, the issue of child soldiers isn’t a problem Rwanda is facing.

For five days, officials said, the training will serve as an opportune moment to exchange ideas aimed at enhancing the knowledge and skills of the participating Rwanda National Police officers in handling issues related to children involved in armed conflicts in different countries where they are engaged in peacekeeping.

The opening ceremony attracted various dignitaries including Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) in charge of Administration and Finance, Jeanne-Chantal Ujeneza, Dr Shelly Whitman, Executive Director of the institute, Renate Charlotte Lehner, the Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy to Rwanda and Francisca Mujawase, the Acting Director of the Dallaire Institute African Center of Excellence (ACOE).

Others present were trainers from Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) trainers, among others.

DIGP Ujeneza noted that protection of children against any form of violence and abuse is the responsibility that should be upheld by all adult people especially human rights duty-bearers such as Police officers.

"It is an obligation that Rwanda, as a member state of the UN and Rwanda National Police in particular, as a professional institution, take at heart,” she added, "While Rwanda enjoys substantial peace, security, and stability, we recognize, however, that there are other places in the world and on the continent where people are still experiencing violent conflicts and where most victims are civilians and mostly children.”

Ujeneza asserted that Rwanda being a major troop and Police contributor to the UN peace support operations and being among the UN member states which endorsed the Vancouver principles, the government through its institutions such as RNP, uphold and commit to comply with the same principles for the respect of human rights and ensuring protection of civilians in areas of violent conflicts.

"Children being the most vulnerable civilians in the period of insecurity and in the aftermath of violent conflict, need to be considered for protection against any form of violence or any abuse.

To effectively prevent the recruitment and use of children as soldiers in areas of violent conflict, there is need to equip peacekeepers with deep understanding on the issue and realities on the ground.”

Future Rwandan police peacekeepers, she reiterated, shall be equipped with appropriate skills to handle the issue in a sustainable manner.

DIGP Ujeneza challenged members selected for the training to acquire necessary knowledge and skills to create impact in conflict zones on the globe.

The training, she said, solidifies the foundation for further trainings for RNP personnel in this relevant domain, which she said will be included in the force’s training curriculum, especially the peace support operation pre-deployment training.

In her remarks, Dr Whitman commended the Government of Rwanda’s continued support in advancing the work of the Dallaire Institute locally and beyond.

"Rwanda embraced the spirit of promoting peace and security prior to the ratification of the Kigali principles and the Vancouver Principles.  These principles, therefore, align with the vision of Rwanda as a country to promote sustainable peace internally and on the continent,” 

She added, "The country has been leading in promoting civilian protection in armed conflicts particularly accounting for responsive prevention of recruitment and use of child soldiers.”

We remain eager to learn from their experiences on their interactions with children, Dr Whitman reiterated.

Grave security concern

The issue of child protection is not only a legal or human rights problem but also a grave security concern that requires a unique attention and approach, said Dr Whitman, adding that conflict has, in many ways, disproportionately affected civilians (especially women and children).

"In most of these conflicts around the world and in Africa particularly, children remain victims in diverse ways.  They are either recruited by armed groups and armed forces to actively participate in adult wars or become survivors of various forms of violations.”

She highlighted, "These children need the protection from us all, to be able to grow and actualize their full potentials.”

With an estimation of 250,000 child soldiers globally, Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy to Rwanda Renate Charlotte Lehner decried that children as young as nine years old are recruited as "child soldiers” and associated with armed groups in a number of capacities.

She pointed out, both boys and girls are used to perform domestic chores and serve as cooks, spies, and porters; others, as also as suicide bombers.

"This recruitment and abuse of children’s rights are not new to us,” however, she said, "Today soldiers and police staff like you present today undertake special training on how to intervene at an early stage if children are forcibly recruited in a conflict.”

"You will acquire the skills on how to disarm and protect child soldiers, so that the children are not alone – they will have a safety net because of you,” she reiterated.

Rwandan peacekeepers are active in multiple peacekeeping missions across the continent, allowing them to disseminate and apply best practices on how to address the recruitment and use of children in violence as a tactical and strategic element of current conflicts. 

This lived experience is crucial in the Dallaire Institute’s efforts to make child soldiers unthinkable as an instrument of war.

The Dallaire Institute ACOE’s work is majorly funded by the Federal Republic of German and Intact Insurance has been critical to the establishment of the African CoE with their significant financial and resource support.