the Nobel peace prize went in the year to the congolese doctor Denis Mukwege and iraqi Nadia Murad – human rights activist, witnesses and survivors of human trafficking. These two voices provide very important contributions in the ongoing efforts to combat sexual violence in war. We are among the many who rejoice large that they get the recognition they deserve for their courage and their work.
Mette-Marit moved to tears
at the same time, there are other voices in the little extent, is heard and has few advocates. This is the voices of children , which is conceived under this form of abuse. There are hardly statistics, or overview, of how many children we are talking about, what happens with these children and how their lives are shaped by the way they have been conceived.
These children are being referred to as “Children Born of War (CBOW)” – Children born of war. They are often considered the enemy of children, both in the family and in the local and mainstream society. Every now and then popping up stories about the utfrysing and gross violation of these children’s basic rights. the
the Fact is that we know very little about how they actually do it, and how their mothers, families and communities take care of them – or pushing them from themselves.
We know more about krigsbarn that is born of a more voluntary relationship. We know, among other things, that the post-war years for these children is often characterised by discrimination and stigmatisation. Also these children are being banned from the family and considered the “enemy”. They often grows up in poverty with traumatized mothers, and may lack citizenship and other official papers that give them access to helsesystem and education.
The most important peace prize in our time Debate
In Norway, it is discrimination and stigmatiseringen of the children of German soldiers and Norwegian mothers is well documented, although these children were generally the results of the love affair. Prime minister Erna Solberg recently came with an apology to the Norwegian women for the treatment they got just after the liberation in 1945, because of the relation to the German soldiers.
the Experience from Norway is a good example of that you can’t see krigsbarnas fates and livsforløp, regardless of the political and historical context and the mothers live in.
What can be done to give the children born of sexual violence in war a voice? It needed both political action and further research. First of all, these children’s existence and special needs is recognised both by the relevant national authorities and the international community. Secondly, must these children’s basic rights – such as access to food, health, housing and education – must be ensured.
the Children reached often by ensuring mødrenes rights. At the same time, it is not always so that mødrenes interests coincide with the children’s. Children born of krigsvoldtekter must therefore have better access to counselling about social, legal and financial rights. This also includes the right to information about their biological origins, where this is desirable and possible.
Furthermore, we need guidelines for how these children should be followed up. The need for this type of policy applies in so far as the other categories krigsbarn: those that are the result of more voluntary relationships, or those that are the result of sexual abuse or illegal relationships between local women and soldiers from the international forces.
To succeed in creating sustainable peace, one must have a holistic approach to conflict resolution and peace-building. It is not something new that children are born as a result of both voluntary relationship and sexual assault in war. It is very unfortunate and objectionable that there is still so little interest in, and activity around, it is to ensure these children’s basic rights.
Solidarity in a polarized world Debate
this Year’s nobel prize gives us the a unique opportunity to see sexual violence in war in a larger and more holistic perspective, and as a phenomenon that is growing both in scope and complexity.
A recent example of this is children born of fremmedkrigere in the ICE. Nadia Murad represents a group jesidiske women who have been sold as slaves to ICE and subjected to extensive sexual abuse. Several of these women also have born children.
at the same time, both Norway and a number of other european countries, in front of the challenge that they have citizens who have joined the ICE, had a baby, and now wish to return to their respective home countries. How are we going to catch up and integrate these children in the best possible way? What kind of rights and needs of these children?
We hope that this year’s peace prize will bring the conversation, the political will and the research on children conceived of the war on. The laureates are even concerned about these children. Sexual abuse in war is not only about voldsutøvelse, a strategy of war and war crimes. The violence is bearing fruits in the form of new life that comes into the world under very difficult circumstances. These children do not belong to the enemy, but the future, and that we can shape in such a way that they can grow up without the experiences of guilt and shame.
