Conflict Affecting Women and Children in Borno State
Chapter One
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives of the study are;
- To ascertain the effect of conflict on women and children in Borno state
- To ascertain the causes of conflict in Borno state
- To find why women and children are being affected
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
SITUATIONS OF CONFLICT AFFECTING WOMEN AND CHILDREN
This article is concerned primarily with the sharp end of conflict (violent conflict), rather than with structural forms of conflict. It is accepted nevertheless that situations of structural conflict lead directly to violent conflict. This connection is important thematically. In situations of structural conflict, women and children are an important part of the victims of the structural violence that ensues. Where there exists violent conflict, women and children are still the most immediate victims of that type of conflict. This is the case whether the conflicts in contemplation are internal or international conflicts. In any event it is now generally accepted that there are no truly internal conflicts. The process of internationalisation renders what at first might appear as purely internal conflicts international. Women and children become victims of conflicts in various ways. In the most direct ways they are victims in the sense of being either killed or maimed in conflicts. Where this is not the case, they become the agents of the internationalisation of conflict, when they must cross international borders as refugees to escape from conflict situations at home. In other cases, they do not cross international borders, but are nevertheless internally displaced as a result of conflicts. Both these situations give rise to environmental conflicts, which further affect women and children adversely. Although it is true that all these situations affect men as well, it is women and children who bear the worst hardships in these situations. They are the most vulnerable, and therefore the most affected.
HUMAN RIGHTS AND CONFLICT SITUATIONS
All conflicts must be conceptualised within the context of human rights. Conflicts result in a general violation of the human rights of its victims. All categories of human rights are affected and violated by conflict. Conflict violates the fundamental rights of people because it leads to the loss of human life, it curtails the liberty of individuals, and the structures for vindicating these fundamental rights do not operate in conflict situations. Similarly, conflict makes it impossible for people to enjoy other categories of rights. The ability of people to pursue and enjoy their economic rights is eroded by conflict. The social rights of citizens to health care, education and proper nutrition are heavily eroded in conflict situations. Equally, conflicts lead to the break down of social structures, and this makes it difficult for victims of conflict to enjoy cultural and social rights. Conflict situations further lead to the breakdown of all patterns of interaction and care within and between communities. Hence, the traditional rights of brotherhood and solidarity are disrupted. In the African context, these developments hit especially hard at women and children. In this context, even in the absence of violent conflict, women and children are the victims of structural violence. This violence exists because traditional structures are heavily weighed against the exercise of many rights by women and children. If this is ‘normal’ in normal’ circumstances, then it is exacerbated even more in situations of violent conflict. Women’s and children’s rights intersect at many important points. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) makes the most explicit connection between women’s and children’s rights by providing that “Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance.” However, it is also true that the world view represented by international legal instruments and that of particular societies in Africa sometimes clash, thus making implementation of international law on women and children difficult to effect in some African states. Some of the points of intersection between women’s and children’s rights are ‘negative’, in the sense that they involve structural discrimination against both women and children. This is especially so with respect to girl-children, particularly where they are also victims of conflict. Such children are, for example subjected to harsh structural conditions (early marriage, lack of equal schooling opportunities, and eventually being forced to engage in activities like prostitution). This affects negatively the rights of such children (and women) to survival and development. Apart from this, children have certain rights before, during, and after birth. In all these instances, the rights of the mother cannot be separated from those of the child. In this sense, the rights of women are part and parcel of the rights of children: they are fundamentally symbiotic.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to conflict affecting women and children in Borno state
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
(i)Primary source and
(ii)Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in getting information on conflict affecting women and children in Borno state. 200 residents in selected local government in Borno state were selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain conflict affecting women and children in Borno state. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of conflict affecting women and children in Borno state
Summary
This study was on conflict affecting women and children in Borno state. Three objectives were raised which included: To ascertain the effect of conflict on women and children in Borno state, to ascertain the causes of conflict in Borno state, to find why women and children being affected. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 residents of selected local government in Borno state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made married men, married women, council of elders and youths were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
Wars and armed conflicts have left in Borno state a lot of crises on all segments of society. But this study focused on the analysis of light and psychological health, social and education for women and children crises because they are the most affected group in those crises. Although there are a lot of international legal agreements that provide for the protection of civilians in times of war and armed conflicts but it remained a dead letter. It has led the international silence and the absence of law to the infrastructure of educational and health facilities and services and the displacement of the civilian population and targeted acts of violence, killings and demolition of captivity. This resulted in emergence of a lot of problems that were displayed at the top.
Recommendation
To overcome this crisis and protect children and women in times of crisis there should be effective policies applicable by international participation of humanitarian disciplines and institutions specifically in protecting women and children in the camps and places of refuge that should be status considered safe environment. Provide psychosocial support for children and women stranded and displaced persons in the war environment and conflict through a dedicated team under the supervision of international institutions for peacekeeping. Intensify the psychological and physical rehabilitation programs for children and women who have been subjected to acts of direct violence
References
- BAKER, Ahmad., Kevorkian, Nadera, 1999, Effects of political and military traumas on children: the palestinian case. Clinical Psychology Review, 19(8), 935–950.
- Dupuy, KE & Peters, K. (2010) War and Children A Reference Handbook. Praeger Securıty Internatıonal, Santa Barbara.
- Gasseer, N., Dresden, E., Keeney, G., Warrenn, N. (2004). Status of Women and Infant in [4] Complex Humanitarian Emergencies. Journal of Midwifery &Women’s Health, 49;7-13.
- Snoubar, Yaser & Hawal, Hamed (2015) “Young Communities and the Impact of Wars and Conflicts on the Healthy Growth of Young People: Middle East as a Model Study, European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 129-136. [6]
- Snoubar, Yaser & Duman, Nurdan (2015) Using Social Holistic Approach in Working with Children who are in the War Zone. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy, 231-237. [7]
- Snoubar, Y. (2010) Social Work With Children Problems in War Zone (Palestine az an Example). Social Work, Social Workers Association Publication, Number 20, 13-17. [8] http://www. acdi-cida. gc. ca/INET/IMAGES. NSF/vLUImages/Childprotection/$file/E12. pdf (20. 04. 2015). [9] http://www. mefacts. com/cached. asp?x_id=10387 ( 20. 04. 2015)
- See E. Arboleda, Refugee Definition in Africa and Latin America: The Lessons of Pragmatism’ InternationalJournal of Refugee Law, Vol.3(2) (1991), pp.185-207.
- Article 1, UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (1951). Article 1, OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa (1969) See CJ.L.Coles et al ‘Human Bights and Refugee Law’ Bulletin of Human Rights, 1.: 63-123.
