Citation:
Keairns, Yvonne E. 2003. The Voices of Girl Child Soldiers Colombia. New York: Quaker United Nations Office; Geneva: Quaker United Nations Office.
Author: Yvonne E. Keairns
Annotation:
Summary:
"This report on the voices of girl child soldiers in Colombia is part of a larger study that carried out in-depth interviews with 23 girl soldiers from four different conflict areas around the world. The voices of these girls provide important insights into becoming a child soldier, the experience of being a child soldier and their view of the future. Among the key conclusions were the messages that:
• Becoming a child soldier is very dependent on a combination of the local environment and the personal circumstances surrounding the girl’s life.
• Living in poverty was important in girls joining a movement or being abducted.
• The girls are not searching for ways to retaliate and bring harm to those who had used and misused them. They were looking for ways to make a contribution, to do something meaningful and productive with their life and to make up for the harm they have delivered upon others" (Keairns 2003, 1).
Table of Contents:
i Acknowledgments
1 Summary
2 Introduction
2 Why listen to the voices of the girl soldier?
3 Methodology
5 Analysis of the Data
6 What Were the Important Themes
6 The Voices of Girl Soldiers from Colombia
15 Colombia Distinctives
16 What are Key Risk Factors in the Choice to Become a Child Soldier?
17 Lessons Learned from the Girl Soldiers on the Interview Process
19 References
21 APPENDICES
21 I. Affirmation of Informed Consent
for Interviewee
22 II. Ethical Guidelines for Interviewers
23 III. Interviewer Actions and Responsibilities
25 IV. APA Code of Ethics
26 V. Team Leader Actions and Responsibilities
27 VI. Interviewer Training / Dialogue Agenda
29 VII. Role Play
30 VIII. The Voices of Girl Soldiers from Colombia
Topics: Age, Youth, Combatants, Child Soldiers, Female Combatants, Gender, Girls Regions: Americas, South America Countries: Colombia
Year: 2003
