The Rwanda Peace Academy in Musanze District on Monday, September 29, launched a regional Training of Trainers course on the prevention of recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, with a strong emphasis on protecting children as central to peace and security. ALSO READ: Dallaire Institute, Rwanda National Police launch training on prevention of child soldier recruitment in armed conflict The two-week programme brought together 25 military and police officers from Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) Headquarters. Facilitators from the DR Congo, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Uganda will lead the sessions. Maj Gen (Rtd) Ferdinand Safari, Director of the Dallaire Institute's Africa Centre of Excellence, presided over the opening ceremony and urged participants to reflect on the urgency of protecting children in conflict zones. “Today the issue of children affected by armed conflict is more important and urgent than it has ever been,” Safari said. “Protecting children is not just a professional duty; it is our moral obligation. Children are the hope of a brighter and more peaceful future for Africa and beyond,” Safari said. He noted that the training is not only about strengthening expertise but also about collective responsibility. The UN Secretary-General’s 2025 report on Children and Armed Conflict showed a staggering 25% rise in serious violations against children in 2024 compared to the previous year. ALSO READ: UN Security Council adopts resolution to protect children in armed conflict Adopted in 1989, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was a landmark agreement that pushed governments to strengthen laws against violence and exploitation. Nearly a decade later, a protocol banning the use of children under 18 as soldiers was introduced and has since been ratified by 173 countries. Safari also expressed gratitude to the Rwanda Peace Academy and its leadership for hosting the training, saying their “unwavering support of this cause” has been critical in advancing efforts to prevent child recruitment in armed conflicts. Jointly organized by the Ministry of Defence, the Rwanda Defence Force, the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security, and the Rwanda Peace Academy, the course aims to build expertise within the security sector to prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts.
