Red Hand Day

12 February 2008

The 12th February marks Red Hand Day – the day when organisations and individuals around the world say no to the recruitment of child soldiers.

Red Hand Day is an international day of action coordinated by the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers to raise awareness of the plight of child soldiers through public protests and demonstrations.

Since 12th February 2002, the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child has forbidden the use of children as soldiers, yet 250,000 children are still fighting in armed groups and government forces in places like Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Myanmar, and Sudan.

Y Care International recently published ground-breaking research into the rehabilitation of former child soldiers in Colombia, as part of a project funded by the Baring Foundation. As part of this work, we have supported YMCAs in England and Northern Ireland to carry out awareness raising activities in their YMCAs, culminating on Red Hand Day.  

The City of Dublin YMCA and Lisburn YMCA (Northern Ireland) have been running a joint project to unit two sectarian groups of young people. By exploring the issue of child soldiers and paramilitary recruitment in the context of Northern Ireland, the project aims to break down sectarian prejudices which continue to exist. For most of the young people involved, this will be the first time they have come into contact with someone from across the divide. Click here to view a photo gallery of Lisburn YMCA marking Red Hand Day.

Staff and young people from Bedford YMCA raise awareness of the campaign in Bedford town centre

Bedford YMCA has been delivering workshops on conflict resolution and raising awareness of gangs, gun crime and street violence in Bedford. By addressing the similarities between the recruitment of young people as child soldiers and recruitment to gangs, they aim to change young peoples' attitudes towards gun crime and gangs and look at other ways of addressing conflict. Today, a group of young people have been raising awareness of the issue and collecting signatures for a petition in Bedford town centre.

The research report ‘Overcoming Lost Childhoods’ draws on the experience of Y Care International’s partner, YMCA Bogotá, into the rehabilitation of former child soldiers in Colombia. Click here to read the full report.