Every year on January 6th, World Day of War Orphans is recognized globally. This day serves as a somber reminder of the millions of children who have lost one or both parents to armed conflict. They represent one of humanity’s most pressing humanitarian challenges. But recognition alone is not enough. We must understand the unique vulnerabilities these children face and commit to comprehensive protection measures that safeguard their rights, dignity, and future.
To support that action, Humanitarian U offers two complementary courses designed to strengthen child protection in crisis settings: Child Safeguarding and Child-Centered Approach to Humanitarian Action. Together, these courses equip humanitarian workers and organizations with the knowledge and practical skills needed to protect war orphans and other vulnerable children, before harm occurs, and when risks arise.
According to UNICEF, there are about 152 million orphans worldwide, with many losing parents to conflict and violence. These numbers only tell part of the story. Behind each statistic is a child who may be dealing with trauma, displacement, poverty, and an uncertain future. Many face immediate threats to their survival, as they lack access to food, shelter, healthcare, and education. Others become targets of exploitation, trafficking, forced recruitment by armed groups, or abuse. These children’s lives are changed forever. They lose not just parents, but also their sense of security, education, and often their childhood. This is where child safeguarding becomes not just important but essential.
This is where child safeguarding becomes essential. Child safeguarding refers to the responsibility of organizations and individuals to ensure their actions, and those of their staff, operations, and programs, do not place children at risk of harm or abuse. For organizations working with war orphans, strong safeguarding systems can mean the difference between protection and exploitation, healing and further trauma.
The Child Safeguarding course equips participants with essential knowledge and practical skills to identify and mitigate risks of harm to children, follow appropriate reporting procedures for safeguarding concerns, and address real-world barriers to child protection. In parallel, the Child-Centered Approach to Humanitarian Action course emphasizes the rights, needs, and voices of children, introducing core principles such as the best interests of the child, meaningful child participation, and child protection minimum standards.
Through interactive, scenario-based microlearning lessons, participants learn how to integrate both safeguarding and child-centered approaches into humanitarian programming. Overall, these training empower humanitarian workers to create safer, more inclusive, and more protective environments that prioritize the well-being, development, and agency of war orphans and other vulnerable children across humanitarian contexts.
On this World Day of War Orphans, let’s move beyond awareness to action and commit to creating a world where every child affected by conflict is not just counted but truly protected, where their voices are heard, their rights respected, and their futures valued. Safeguarding children isn’t just about preventing harm, it’s about affirming that every child, no matter their circumstances, deserves safety, dignity, and hope.
References
- United Nations Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. (2024). Six Grave Violations Against Children in Armed Conflict. Retrieved from https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/six-grave-violations/
- Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC). (2019). Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action. Geneva: The Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action.
- Save the Children. (2020). Stop the War on Children: Gender Matters. London: Save the Children International.
- World Health Organization. (2020). Child Maltreatment. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/child-maltreatment
- UNHCR. (2022). Best Interests Procedure Guidelines: Assessing and Determining the Best Interests of the Child. Geneva: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
- War Child International. (2023). Impact of Armed Conflict on Children. Retrieved from https://www.warchild.org.uk/