AMOUNT: EUR 6 475 000
- CONTEXT
Children are both particularly vulnerable and particularly exposed to conflicts, as they do not have resources of their own and often lack protection.
Conflicts affect girls and boys in many different ways. As adults, children can be killed or injured – in addition, they are more exposed to the effects of war and to war crimes.
They can be recruited by armed groups – as fighters, for sexual exploitation, or forced labour. Children can be separated from their families or forcibly displaced. And they also form a large proportion of antipersonnel mine victims.
Girls and boys are also at times left out of school during or in the immediate aftermath of conflict. The impact of conflict on these children is often long lasting, and in some contexts of protracted crises, they can easily become a "lost generation". An extreme example of long-term behavioural impact is that of some former child soldiers who replicate as adults the violent patterns that they experienced in their childhood, thus perpetuating violence.
On 12 October 2012, the Nobel Prize Committee decided to award the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union for over six decades' contribution to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.
The Commission formally accepted the prize, on behalf of the European Union, on 14 November 2012. The award - an amount of approximately EUR 930 000 (SEK 8 million) – was supplemented by funds from the EU's humanitarian aid budget to provide EUR 2 million in specific support for children affected by conflict and crisis situations (EU Children of Peace initiative). The current Humanitarian Implementation Plan (HIP) provides further support in the same context following the commitment to continue to fund “Children of Peace” projects every year. The European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid states that "in responding to humanitarian need particular vulnerabilities must be taken into account. In this context, the EU will pay special attention to women, children, the elderly, sick and disabled people, and to addressing their specific needs". Furthermore, the present HIP is in accordance with the Commission Communication "A Special Place for Children in EU External Action" (2008) and its accompanying Staff Working Document on Children in Emergency and Crisis Situations in which education in emergencies and child soldiers are among the three focal issues, alongside emphasis on separated and unaccompanied children and children associated with armed forces or armed groups. It will also help the Commission to contribute to the implementation of the EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict (adopted in 2003 and revised in 2008).