DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 420 412 PS 026 581

TITLE Recovering from 30 Years of War: Refugee Women and Children in . INSTITUTION Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children, New York, NY PUB DATE 1996-12-00 NOTE 35p. PUB TYPE Reports Research (143) EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Access to ; Childhood Needs; *Children; Civil Liberties; Developing Nations; Educational Needs; *Females; Foreign Countries; Government Role; Health Conditions; Health Needs; Health Services; International Programs; Public Health; Public Policy; *Refugees; Sexual Abuse; Well Being IDENTIFIERS Angola; Landmines; Nongovernmental Organizations; Repatriation; Self Sufficiency; United Nations

ABSTRACT After 30 years of war, Angola faces the challenge of creating a civil society. This report presents key findings of a visit to Angola, December 1-13, 1996, by the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children. The report describes conditions facing women and children affected by war in Angola, addresses the return process of refugees from Zaire and Zambia, and identifies how well women's and children's needs are being addressed by relief efforts. Section 1 of the report presents the executive summary. Section 2 provides a historical overview of the situation in Angola. Section 3 discusses refugee repatriation and the protection and reintegration of returnees, while section 4 addresses problems of internally displaced persons. Section 5 assesses emergency needs in Angola regarding protection and human rights, health care, human resources, and education. Section 6 focuses on the needs of child soldiers, street children, and abused and exploited children. Section 7 addresses problems in improving women's self-sufficiency. Section 8 deals with landmines, programs to assist amputees, and landmine awareness education. Key findings noted in the report indicate that most assistance has been directed toward demobilized soldiers and their families and not to women and children. There is no clear policy on women's roles in decision making and program implementation. The report recommends that:(1) women be integrated into programming and encouraged to participate in all aspects of society;(2) children's needs be made a priority;(3) the government devote natural resources to health, education, and human development rather than to the military;(4) United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations make vocational training, income generation, and public health priorities; and (5)a timetable be established for destroying stockpiled landmines and other ordnances.(KB)

******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** Recovering From 30Years of War: Refugee Women andChildren in Angola

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) )(This document has been reproduced as eceived from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality

Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy oc7a dma'

PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY Women's Commission for RefugeeWomen and Children Delegation to Angola bkcioC\O-. OAC art December 1 -13. 1996 TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES 2 INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Executive Summary 2 The Women's Commission Delegation to Angola 2 Key Findings 2

11. Background: Historical Overview 4

III. Refugee Repatriation 6 Repatriation from Zaire 6 Repatriation from Zambia 7 Protection of Returnees 8 Reintegration of Returnees 8

IV. The Internally Displaced 9

V. Emergency Needs in Angola 10 Protection and Human Rights 10 Health 11 Water 12 Nutrition 12 Prenatal Care, Maternal Mortality, Family Planning 13 ) Vaccination 13 13 Sleeping Sickness 13 13 Sexually-Transmitted Diseases 14 AIDS 14 Overall Health Priorities 14 Human Resources and Education 14 Adolescent and 15

VI. Children and Adolescents 17 Child Soldiers 18 Street Children in 19 Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children 20

VII. Women 21 Food and Agriculture 21 The Urban Informal Sector 22 Raising the Profile of Women in Society 22 The War-Injured 23

VIII. Landmines 24

IX. Conclusion 27

X. Recommendations 28

Glossary of terms and acronyms 31

'.. Acknowledgements 31 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY addressed by the humanitarian relief effort with a specific focus on protection, educa- After 30 years of warfare, Angola faces the daunt- tion, health, landmine accident prevention ing task of creating a civil society. Today, over and rehabilitation of landmine accident half of Angola's population of some 13 million is victims. under the age of 15 years and 20 percent are 4. To raise awareness among policy makers and under the age of five. Only one in three Angolan donors of the status and needs of women and children reaches her or his fifth birthday. Angola children in Angola, with the aim of improving has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in programmatic responses to their needs. the world. is rare. Thousands of street children, displaced from their families, roam the The delegation of five women spent two days nation's capital, Luanda, where they beg, steal in Luanda meeting with UN and NGO representa- and prostitute themselves for food. Child soldiers, tives. The delegation then split into two groups; one group travelled to Kuito, in Bie province, wrenched from their homes, are slowly being and to Uige, and Maquela do Zombo, in demobilized. An estimated 10 million landmines Uige province. The other group travelled to are planted in Angolan soil; women and children M'banza Congo in , Cazombo in comprise approximately 80 percent of Angolan province and to province. post-war landmine victims. Without functioning Members of the delegation also visited the Boa medical, educational and judicial systems, women Esperanca refugee/internally displaced camp out- and children have been particularly victimized by side of Luanda, and went to various community the ongoing conflict. development and aid projects based in the capital city, including the Esperanca market and street The Women's Commission Delegation children program. to Angola Key Findings The Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children delegation arrived in Angola at a Angola is at a turning point. A country brimming critical juncture, as the United Nations peace- with potential wealth from oil, diamonds and keeping operation (UNAVEM III) was about to agricultural land, it faces the choice of peace or wind down, and the long-anticipated Govern- continual war. Through the long years of devas- ment of Reconciliation was soon to assume con- tating conflict, women have suffered the loss of trol of Angola. Repatriation of some 311,000 their husbands and their children and they have refugees currently in Zaire, Congo and Zambia borne the burden of ensuring their family's sur- was projected in the coming months. vival. Women now need the opportunity to par- Additionally, an estimated 1.2 million people ticipate in the rebuilding of Angola. Children internally displaced by war were attempting to have suffered catastrophic loss the loss of reintegrate into Angolan society. many family members, the loss of basic educa- tion and health services. With international sup- The objectives of the delegation were: port, Angola must turn away from guns and land- mines and invest in its most valuable resource, its 1. To investigate conditions facing women and people. children displaced and affected by war and The delegation found that a majority of assis- those in particularly difficult circumstances. tance has been focused on demobilized soldiers 2. To gain an understanding of the return and their families. Aid has not, for the most part, process of refugees from Zaire and Zambia been directed towards women and children,nor and the issues surrounding this process, have women been involved in post-conflict plan- including the participation and protection of ning. The Angolan government, UNITA, the women and children. United Nations and NGOs have no clear policy on the role of women in decision making and 3. To determine to what extent the specific program implementation in the reconstruction of needs of women and children were being 'Angola. As a consultant to the World Food .. 2 4 Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children Program noted, "Very few UN activities conform thatthe government devote the country's sub- to the Beijing recommendations." stantial natural resources (primarily from oil In addition, the delegation observed and was and diamonds) to health, education and told of the dramatic absence of educational, human development, not to arms and military vocational and psycho-social programs for chil- equipment; dren and adolescents. that UN agencies and NGOs make education, Among the delegation's recommendations are: vocational training, income generation and that women be integrated into all program- public health priorities; and ming and be encouraged to participate in all that a timetable be established for the aspects of society, including the policy arena; destruction of stockpiled landmines and other that children's needs be made an urgent pri- ordnance; that no new landmines be laid; and ority in the rehabilitation of Angola: a strong that significant funds be devoted to mine and functioning education system is essential; awareness and demining.

Angola

CONGO

ZAIRE

M'banza Congo ZAIRE

LUNDA NORTE

LUANDA

LUNDA SUL

ATLANTIC Luena. OCEAN Cazombo

MOXICO

ZAMBIA

KUANDO KUBANGO KUNENE

NAMIBIA BOTSWANA

'-' Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola 5 II. Background

Historical Overview Angola's current realities cannot be separated UNITA there was no agreement as to who from its bitter history. Over a period of 400 would lead the new government The situation years of Portuguese colonization, Angola suf- quickly deteriorated into civil war fered a devastating loss of human capital up , the MPLA leader, sought and to five million people were shipped as slaves received assistance from the and from the ports of Luanda and Lobito to the Cuba quickly sent 20,000 combat troops Americas. Angola was the major source of slave and the Soviet Union sent 1,500 advisors to the labor for the vast Portuguese colony of Brazil country And in April 1976, backed by Cuba and This overwhelming loss of people is estimated the Soviet Union, the MPLA defeated the FNLA to equal the entire population of Angola at the and UNITA and gained control of the govern- turn of this century. When the slave trade ended ment In response, UNITA and the FNLA contin- in the 19th century, the Portuguese marginalized ued to wage guerrilla warfare against the MPLA Angolans to the periphery of colonial society government While the FNLA disbanded in 1984, Angolans were unable to obtain education or UNITA continued to fight, supported by both meaningful employment, and were relegated to South and the . Between serve in the most menial positions 1986 and 1991, UNITA received hundreds of mil- In April 1974, a military coup in led lions of dollars of US assistance. to grant independence to its African On May 31, 1991, Savirribi and Jose Eduardo colonies, including Angola Sudden indepen- dos Santos, and leader of dence in November 1975 plunged Angola into the MPLA, signed a peace agreement, the deep crisis. The Portuguese fled the country en Bicesse Accord. This agreement called for a masse, leaving Angola without the technical and cease-fire, the creation of a new, integrated administrative skills it needed to keep the coun- national army and a multi-party electoral transi- try intact. As David Lamb noted in The Africans, tion to a new democratic order by late 1992. "At independence 98 per cent of the Angolans The MPLA legalized all political parties in 1991 were illiterate and scarcely more than a handful and multi-party elections were held in had any technical skills.. all that remained was September 1992, under the auspices of UNAVEM the carcass of a nation. II (United Nations Angola Verification Mission). At the time, the keen aspirations of the Over 4 4 million registered voters (91 percent) Angolan people were represented by three inde- participated in an election process that was pendence movements the MPLA, UNITA and widely regarded by observers as "free and fair." the FNLA. The MPLA (Popular Movement for the The elections resulted in victory for the MPLA Liberation of Angola) had waged war for inde- party, both for the Presidency and the legisla- pendence since 1956. Backed by the Soviet ture. UNITA refused to accept the results, and by Union and Cuba, the MPLA established the first November 1992 the country was plunged into national government. This government was con- what has come to be known as the "third war," tested by the northern-based FNLA (National a civil war distinguished by a level of violence Front for the Liberation of Angola), which was and destruction that, even in the context of established in Zaire with support from Western Angola's experience, was extreme. countries, including the United States. UNITA During this phase of the war, the "second (National Union for the Total Independence of cities" of the interior including Kuito, Angola), an FNLA splinter group formed in 1966 and were besieged, and the by Jonas Savimbi, allied itself with South Africa death toll climbed to 300,000 persons Starving and the West for military support. At indepen- civilians were shelled indiscriminately by both dence, though the rebel factions had agreed to armies. Child soldiers were forcibly conscripted establish a government with representation from by both the government and UNITA in flagrant all three groups the, MPLA, the FNLA and disregard of the Convention on the Rights of the

4 Igmen's Commission for Refugee Women and Children BEST COPYAVAILABLE Child. Millions of landmines were planted in tary staff, 350 military observers, 260 civilian Angolan earth. The towns and infrastructure of police and 343 international civilian staff the countrY were effectively aiid totally Scheduled to begin its phase-down in February destroyed. Toward the end of this dark period 1997, the protracted demobilization of UNITA of large-scale, unparalleled violence, Angolans forces is now projected to end in May, 1997, at faced mass starvation which time an anticipated integration of UNITA The signing of the Lusaka Peace Accords on and government forces is also to be completed. November 20, 1994 followed the recapture of Thus, following 30 years of almost uninter- the city of Huambo the declared UNITA "cap- rupted warfare and strife, Angola is warily ital" of Angola by government forces, ending beginning to move towards peace As UNAVEM a vicious eighteen-month siege of that city by forces prepare to leave, the country is beginning UNITA forces As a result of this latest peace to move from the state of humanitarian emer- agreement, UNAVEM III was mandated to facili- gency it faced at the end of 1994 toward, it is tate conditions of security and orderly progress hoped, a period of development and stabiliza- that would enable the accords to be implement- tion The new Government of Reconciliation is ed and provide for a successful transition to a responsible for fostering this transition, with the proposed government of national reconciliation support of the international community. Headed by Alioune Blondin Beye of Mali, The lengthy conflict in Angola has produced UNAVEM III was projected to be a two-year a profound division of the citizenry along the effort, with an annual budget of $383 .:1rullion lines of the two opposing forces the MPLA dollars It comprises the largest UN peacekeep- and UNITA This creates a tremendous obstacle ing mission in operation, with almost T000 mill- to moving forward constructively as a nation

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The war-ravaged city of Kuito. © Anne Goldfeld

Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola III. Refugee' Repatriation Repatriation From Zaire The return of an estimated 200,000 Angolan The United Nations High Commissioner for refugees from southern Zaire has yet to material- Refugees (UNHCR) has as its mandate the repatri- ize, although spontaneous return of refugees is ation and reintegration of refugees to their home occurring at a slow but steady rate. At the country in safety and with dignity. Over the past Maquela do Zombo reception center, for exam- 18 months, UNHCR has been preparing to ple, UNHCR estimates that there are between 100 receive approximately 311,000 Angolan refugees and 200 spontaneous returnees to the area currently living in the neighboring countries of monthly. Increasing insecurity within Zaire cre- Zaire and Zambia and, to a lesser extent, the ates the potential for a sudden influx of Angolan Congo and . UNHCR estimates that returnees, perhaps to be accompanied by an 40,000 people have returned since January 1995. unknown number of Zairians fleeing their own The majority of returnees are women and chil- country. UNHCR has undertaken extensive plan- dren. UNHCR is operating six field offices in the ning and, currently, contingency planning to pre- areas of major return, and maintains sub-offices pare for the possibility of an emergency situation. in Uige and Luena. Refugees who repatriate In Maquela do Zombo, the delegation through UNHCR's organized return program will observed UNHCR and UNHCR-contracted NGO be transported from countries of asylum through efforts established for the repatriation. This designated border entry points to reception cen- includes the rehabilitation of health posts by the ters inside Angola (Cazombo, Luau, Lumbala International Medical Corps, with a focus on pri- Nguimbo, M'banza Congo, Maquela do Zombo, mary health care, maternal child health and , Luen and Viana). water/sanitation. In concert with Medecins sans The reception centers will register returnees Frontieres (MSF)/France and UNHCR, the and their destinations within Angola, provide International Medical Corps (IMC) has rehabilitat- them with rudimentary health screening and also ed a health post in Maquela do Zombo, which provide a basic "resettlement kit," consisting of will be used to screen returnees. This health post blankets, agricultural implements, seeds and is part of a network of fourteen projected IMC cooking oil. Returnees will also receive food health posts throughout Uige province; three are rations for six months. Through its NGO imple- functional to date. IMC is also training primary menting partners, UNHCR is rehabilitating health health care workers, EPI (expanded program on clinics and building village schools in the towns immunizations) technicians, maternal and child expected to be destination points of returnees. In health care workers (MCH) and traditional birth addition, during the past year, UNHCR has under- attendants (TBA), using a community-based, edu- taken the difficult task of rebuilding roads in the cation approach. areas of return. In addition, MSF/France is rehabilitating the The 1991 UNHCR Guidelines on the Protection local hospital. This 75-bed hospital includes pedi- of Refugee Women call upon the UNHCR "to inte- atric, surgical, tuberculosis and obstetrics wards grate the resources and needs of refugee women and basic laboratory services. At the time of the into all aspects of programming to ensure equi- delegation's visit, it was clear that this hospital table protection and assistance activities." The was providing quality care to its patients despite 1994 UNHCR Guidelines on the Protection and the enormous obstacles it has had to overcome. Care of Refugee Children call on UNHCR and its Local health care workers appeared to be well- implementing partners to take into account the incorporated into the work of the hospital. The specific needs of refugee children. The delegation re-establishment of this facility represents a signif- found that in the planning for the return of icant accomplishment for the Maquela communi- Angolan refugees by UNHCR, programming for ty. It is nevertheless sorely overburdened. women and children in general has not been a In Maquela, IMC has initiated water and sani- priority, though they constitute the majority of tation programs, including the projected construc- the returnee population. tion of vented latrines and the establishment of a system of public water wells. In addition to the health screening of returnees, IMC staff are offer-

6 Women'sCommission for Refugee Women and Children 8 ing vaccinations and for the thus unable to farm. Women with skills such as local population at its network of health posts. book-keeping and tailoring reported that there The MSF Hospital screens each new arrival for are no job opportunities for them in this area. toipanosomiasis, or "sleeping sickness," which The story of one , a 37-year-old has become a major health issue in the region of seven, typifies the difficult circumstances these (see page 13). returnees face. This woman has not heard from Also in this area, the United Nations Children's her husband, who left to fight in the war, for Fund (UNICEF) is piloting an education program three years. She fears he is either dead or has for all of Angola. Run by the Norwegian Refugee abandoned her and their children, who range in Council (NRC) and UNICEF, it aims to develop age from 15 to three years old. Only three of her skilled through a one-month training. children are able to attend school, because The program is coordinated by Greta Ravn school fees are too expensive. Even then, she Omdal of NRC, who has used the same training said school conditions are very poor. "There is no in Kenya and Nairobi. schooling material no desks, books, nothing However, Ms. Omdal expressed concern and school fees are required," she said. "But because she feels the program has great poten- we have no money. Sometimes we go to the tial, but lacks support. She cited a long delay in market, but we don't sell anything." When asked receiving training materials (four months after the about the peace process and the possibility of training started, the materials had not yet organizing the group of women to work for arrived). She feels that the does not peace, another woman said, "If we do that, they adequately reflect Angola's culture and recom- [the warring parties] will kill us." mends that UNICEF, which is developing the cur- She described life as "very, very difficult," with riculum, incorporate stories, singing and music health, food and education her biggest worries. from Angola's culture. She also asked that She related that the local hospital often has no UNICEF support the program more fully, by send- drugs, saying: "Our children die because of lack ing staff to observe and assist in its refinement. of drugs. If you don't have relatives to give "We're starting an where blood, your child will die." She lost a child for there never was one. If we are going to succeed, lack of medical attention one year ago. we need to work together and do it right," she told the delegation. Repatriation From Zambia UNHCR, which is working with returnees in In Cazombo, UNHCR works in partnership with this area, sees this education program as an the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), which is opportunity for collaboration with UNICEF: Mrs. responsible for school, road and bridge rehabili- Sadako Ogata, the High Commissioner for tation, the African Humanitarian Aid (AHA), Refugees, has named Angola as a location where which is involved with hospital and health post such a joint effort might be tested. rehabilitation, and Save the Children/U.S. (SCF), The efforts by NGOs to improve health care, one of the organizations responsible for demi- water and sanitation, and education in Maquela ning. LWF uses local labor and a combination of do Zombo are benefiting the local community food-for-work and in-kind payment (clothing, and will likely serve as an incentive for people to blankets, soap in exchange for work). "We give return to their communities. an orientation and provide the tools: hoes, axes, In Uige province in 1996, 5,000 returnees had machetes and shovels," explained Pascal Remetio, arrived at the reception center in M'banza Congo the coordinator of the project. "We involved at the time of the delegation's visit. Delegation women in the leveling and clearing of the roads. members interviewed 30 women who had Our analysis shows women do good work. They returned to Angola in 1996 after 12 years of exile easily assimilated instructions on leveling the in Zaire. They support themselves and their fami- road. Of course, men must be involved in this lies by selling fish, vegetables and other goods in process ... men won't allow women to participate the local market. Women reported that while land unless they are consulted first." is available for farming in the region, they have A 21-year-old mother of four interviewed by received no seeds or tools from UNHCR and are the delegation stated that what would be most

Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola 9

I beneficial to her to ease her burden as a mother no evidence of planning for the needs of female and provider for her children would be a water heads of households, refugees choosing to repa- source near her home, access to a grain grinding triate to mined areas, older or very young indi- mill and the Opportunity to learn Portuguese. viduals, and other "at risk" individuals, such as UNHCR is planning for the return of approxi- the handicapped or the chronically ill. mately 26,000 people during the dry season The UNHCR Guidelines on the Protection of May through August of 1997. However, 14,000 Refugee Women and the UNHCR Guidelines on people already have returned spontaneously to the Protection and Care of Refugee Children were the Cazombo region from Zambia and Zaire dur- published in 1991 and 1994, respectively. Some ing 1996. Typically, a family member usually a NGOs in Angola have incorporated women into young man is sent ahead to investigate the sit- their programming and have specifically given uation. After word arrives that it is safe to return women work and educational opportunities. to Angola and a house has been built, the family UNHCR, however, needs to specifically address will join him. "Spontaneous returnees" are regis- the following issues: 1) including refugee women tered by the local government and then the LWF in the planning of the repatriation effort; provides food for three months and an assistance 2) assessing the needs of refugee children and package which includes soap, blankets, clothing, adolescents; 3) assessing the number of female kitchen utensils, seeds and tools. There is also a heads of household and others at risk and plan- focus on school construction as a way of improv- ning for the successful reintegration of these indi- ing conditions in general in the communities to viduals and families; 4) ensuring that women and which refugees are returning. Yet UNHCR has children will have access to services and materi- been slow to start activities such as train- als; 5) and ensuring protection for women and ing and , which will be criti- children as they cross the border during the cal to rebuilding these communities. "spontaneous" repatriation phase. Again, Cazombo is an opportunity for joint work by UNICEF and UNHCR; the teacher train- Reintegration of Returnees ing which is being tested and developed in Maquela could be expanded to this area, where As refugees and the internally displaced return to refugees are returning, schools have been reha- their war-devastated communities, efforts must be bilitated and an NGO is eager to assist. made for reconstruction and development that will benefit both the returnees and those who Protection of Returnees remained. Food distribution and other assistance for returnees can create resentment among those In M'banza Congo, members of the delegation who stayed behind. UNHCR plans to follow the were told that refugees were being harassed by repatriation of refugees with Quick Impact police as they crossed the border from Zaire into Projects (QIPs), small-scale projects ($5,000- Angola. Both women and men reportedly are fre- $75,000) designed to reintegrate returning quently robbed by police. There are reports of refugees and displaced persons into their home women being strip searched and being asked to communities while at the same time benefitting relinquish their belongings at the crossings. There the local communities. QIPs are intended to is a clear need for female protection officers at restore basic infrastructure damaged during the these border crossing points. Further, the UNHCR conflict, such as roads, bridges, schools, wells should negotiate with the Zairian and Angolan and clinics. These projects also provide training government to provide training in protection to and materials for employment opportunities, such their border personnel, including military and as carpentry, tree nurseries, bakeries, fisheries police. Simultaneously, a system to monitor the and other small-scale enterprises. effectiveness of this training should be estab- UNHCR plans QIPs and other reintegration lished. programs for 1997. However, thousands of From the information gathered, the delegation refugees already have returned spontaneously did not see evidence of UNHCR planning for the and little community development has taken specific needs of particular groups of individuals place. UNHCR should initiate these programs in the repatriation process. The delegation saw now and make special efforts to include women

8 Women's CommissionforRefugee Women and Children returnees. Working in partnership with communi- overburdened by a population of approximately ties to which refugees are returning to build 3 million. The central "cement" city is surrounded and/or rehabilitate water and sanitation systems, by ever expanding musseques, or shanty towns, health posts and schools will create conditions filled with citizens displaced by war who are for the sustainability of the UNHCR effort. scrabbling for existence in this meager urban Educational and vocational opportunities are cru- environment. There is no water system to serve cial to the rehabilitation of communities. UNHCR the extended city; this lack of access to water support for programs of formal and informal edu- and sanitation results in high levels of disease cation for women, children, adolescents and men and death. including skills training, micro-enterprise activity The Angolan Ministry of Social Assistance and development, and literacy and vocational educa- Rehabilitation (MINARS), together with the UN's tion will create both the incentive for return and Department of Humanitarian Affairs, is responsi- conditions for the successful reintegration of ble for assisting the internally displaced. Minister refugees and the reconstruction of the communi- Albino Malungo of MINARS stressed that it is ties to which they will return. important for NGOs to conduct their work under The immediate need for education must be the national plan developed by Angola. However, emphasized as a critical aspect of reintegration. many NGOs told the delegation that the capacity In Cazombo, Lutheran World Federation is pre- of MINARS to oversee and assist in the rehabilita- pared to develop community resources, including tion process was limited. Indeed, of MINARS' training of teachers, income generation for very limited budget, a full 80 percent is designat- women and involvement of local community and ed for payments to demobilized soldiers. returnees in all aspects of the rehabilitation A minority of displaced persons live within process. However, UNHCR has been slow to sup- designated IDP camps or resettlement villages. port such activities. As one UN official noted, Approximately 30 kilometers outside Luanda is "The donors decided not to make education a the large IDP camp, Boa Esperanca. In this camp priority in the post-emergency phase and it defi- are approximately 34,000 displaced persons from nitely was not seen as a priority during the emer- the Angolan municipality of Nubuamgongo, as gency phase." Instead, in Cazombo for example, well as 1,000 Zairian refugees. The Zairians claim UNHCR is concentrating its resources on trans- that they are the object of abuse and harassment port and logistics (e.g., purchase of trucks to by the IDP community. They are living in move refugees from camps to villages). The dele- makeshift tents while the rest of the IDP popula- gation strongly urges UNHCR to use funds for tion have more substantial straw and mud huts. It educational, vocational, health and other pro- was reported that there are increasingly frequent grams that will set the stage for long-term devel- thefts and attacks on them. opment. The Angolan IDPs in this camp have been dis- placed since June 1993, as a result of the "third IV. The Internally Displaced war." Essentially, the townspeople fled en masse from a UNITA-controlled area, and the former Another critical problem in Angola is the plight of municipal administrative structure remains intact an estimated 1.2 million internally displaced per- within the camp. Camp residents spoke of declin- sons (IDPs), approximately one tenth of the pop- ing services and a complete lack of attention to ulation. This population was forced to flee within their needs. A tour of the camp health post Angola due to the ongoing conflict. Some are dis- revealed a woefully under-equipped facility, with persed throughout the provinces, and hundreds willing health care workers but no to of thousands have poured into the over-crowded offer. An Italian NGO worked in the camp at one and dilapidated capital city, Luanda. The delega- time, but has recently ceased to provide services. tion found that this group is one of the most des- Delegation members were told that in November titute, and least attended to, of all of the war 1996, 38 people died of malaria in the camp. affected in Angola. The delegation was told that the schools were Luanda, which had an infrastructure designed no longer functioning and observed children and to support about 400,000 people, is now vastly adolescents wandering aimlessly with nothing to Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola 11 9 do. There appears to be no sports equipment, no oversaw the process, which was run by men, toys, in short, nothing in place for children. who made up the majority of the people receiv- The municipal administrator said that the peo- ing food that day. When asked, the village chief ple in the camp were awaiting a "positive decla- noted that there were many women headed fami- ration" from UNITA and the conclusion of the lies with small children in the village. One Lusaka peace process before making any deci- woman, who received her ration at the end of sion to return home. Skepticism on the part of the distribution process, told us she had waited camp residents regarding their return was evi- three days to receive her ration. She lost her hus- dent. This is a complex situation that needs to be band in a landmine accident and her only means addressed by the Angolan Government, UN agen- of feeding her seven children was through the cies and others as tensions are rising. ration. The second highest number of internally dis- Angola's displaced people must be able to placed persons is in . return to their place of origin or be incorporated Thousands of people live in camps established into new communities in a way that allows them by the government, one of which is located on a to make a meaningful restart. Educational and large plot of land along the beach road between vocational training programs for children, adoles- the cities of Lobito and Benguela. The land was cents and women are crucial as reintegration designated for this use by the Angolan moves forward. The work of MINARS to function Government and is administered by a Portuguese as an effective structure for the coordination of NGO in conjunction with MINARS. One of these NGO efforts and quality monitoring is essential camps, which shelters people from Maria and needs strenuous support. and Luongo, is home to more than 10,000 peo- ple, including 6,512 under the age of 18. Almost V. Emergency Needs in Angola half the families are headed by single women. Most of the families say they are uncertain about when they will return home because of continu- Protection and Human Rights ing instability in the region. While UNICEF has According to the 1995 Angola Country Report on installed wells and latrines, sanitation in the camp Human Rights prepared by the State Department was extremely poor. Public health education is for the US Senate, the Angolan Government 'con- seriously needed, as evidenced by children tinued to commit numerous serious abuses... observed playing on a beach littered with human members of the security forces committed numer- feces. ous extrajudicial killings, arbitrarily and secretly Another city severely affected by large num- arrested and detained individuals and routinely bers of internally displaced is Luena, the capital tortured and beat detainees.... The government of . Mortar-pocked school build- restricts freedom of expression and freedom of ings, office buildings, movie theaters and former the press and inhibits the free movement of its private homes house thousands of displaced fam- citizens both inside and outside the country.... ilies throughout the city. During the war, the city is widespread." was encircled by landmines, cutting off residents Human rights abuses are also common on the from trade and agricultural production. NGOs UNITA side. As detailed in the same report, they devoted to demining who are working in the include "...disappearances, arbitrary arrests and area have made some headway with mine clear- detentions, denial of fair public trial, violations of ance, and small patches of land are being made humanitarian law, including attacks on civilian available for cultivation. populations, forced conscription of young chil- Save the Children/U.S. supports thousands of dren, and restrictions on the freedoms of speech, internally displaced in Luena by distributing press, assembly, association and movement." seeds, tools and food. The delegation observed a These kinds of abuses continue to be wide- food distribution point at a resettlement camp spread and include numerous attacks on aid outside the city. Approximately one hundred workers, including the targeting of planes and people were at the distribution point to receive vehicles carrying NGO workers. While the dele- maize, beans and vegetable oil. The village chief gation was in-country, an Angolan World Food

10 Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children

12 7 Program worker was shot and killed and a the delegation was told by Ronan Scully of the Christian Children's Fund worker was abducted Irish NGO GOAL that prostitution has become a and beaten. UNAVEM, the international communi- trade for Angola's street children and that street ty, the government and UNITA administrative children also fall prey to police. He related the structures in Angola must make it clear that such story of an 11-year-old , who told him: "The violations will not be tolerated. other day, the police arrested us and put us in a As part of UNAVEM III, a human rights unit jeep.... They said that they were taking us to jail, was established to monitor human rights within but instead they asked my two friends and me the country and mandated to bring attention and for our money. After-wards they raped us, beat focus to the issue of human rights in Angola. The us and abandoned us at the airport dump." There delegation found that the human rights unit is is no recourse for these children. ineffectual in large part because it lacks a clear In an interview with delegation members, the and concise mandate from the UN Security Bishop of Uige expressed support for the con- Council. The unit includes only eight people, cept of extending amnesty for atrocities commit- many of whom lack sufficient experience and ted during the war by both UNITA and the MPLA, training. Furthermore, there are no monitors saying, "The people remember the past, they do specifically dedicated to children's and women's not forget." At the same time, he stressed, "But protection. Given the extraordinary importance of now it is critical to establish an impartial and ensuring and monitoring human rights as a cor- strong human rights monitoring arm of the nerstone to establishing lasting peace and recon- United Nations mission to prevent future atroci- ciliation in Angola, it is surprising that UNAVEM ties and to consolidate the peace." He feels it is III has not included a dedicated and effective critical that UNAVEM leave in place a strong human rights effort. structure from which Angolans can move ahead The weakness of human rights in Angola has both in their own monitoring of human rights been highlighted in recent reports by Human abuses and in strengthening the concept of Rights Watch and Amnesty International. In its human rights. The Bishop further stated, "To con- October 1996 report, Amnesty International con- solidate the peace, we must prevent the further cluded that: "The lack of a sense of accountabili- selling of arms to Angola." He emphasized the ty on the part of both the government and need to invest in education, health and the devel- UNITA constitutes a serious obstacle to reconcilia- opment of the country in order to promote con- tion. Both sides have consistently evaded any ditions that will allow peace to take hold and attempt to carry out thorough investigations of flourish. human rights abuses and failed to adopt correc- tive and/or preventive measures." Health It is the delegation's opinion that the UN The health care system of Angola is so destroyed Security Council, through UNAVEM, has squan- as to be effectively non-existent. Dr. Belbina dered what should have been a strong two-year Ventura Felix, the Chief of the Hygiene and start to establish effective monitoring and report- Epidemiology Department of the Ministry of ing of human rights abuses throughout Angola. , estimates there are approxi- To begin to change the accepted dynamic of vio- mately 1,000 doctors in Angola to minister to its lence and terror that is now the rule in Angolan total population of some 13 million. Although society, a human rights effort must be vigorously there is a medical school in Luanda, it has been mounted. basically non-functional since 1988, lacking labo- An example of the abuse suffered by children ratory supplies, books or professors. Furthermore, is the story told to a delegation member of two the Health Ministry has been crippled because young in Kuito, now 12 and 14 years old, the post of Minister of Health a designated who were kidnapped from their homes and used UNITA post has remained unfilled. At the time as prostitutes by UNITA soldiers. Furthermore, of the delegation's visit, a specific date for his delegation members were told that dozens of assumption of duties had still not been set. Dr. young girls have been kidnapped from the Kuito Teresa Cohen, an Angolan physician who serves area; their whereabouts are unknown. In Luanda, as Vice-Minister of Health, noted that during the -- Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola 13 war years, the budget for health services in level of rural infrastructure, water systems in rural Angola stood at three to four percent of the areas were often targeted by combatants. In country's total budget. She described the waste of Maquela do Zombo, the public water system has resources on war and told the delegation she had not functioned for two decades. In Luanda, anti- been assured that Ministry funds will be quated, decayed urban water and sewage systems increased to 20 percent of the total budget in need complete renovation. Provision of clean 1997-98. water is a critical priority and investment in vil- The drastic consequences of this breakdown lage well systems, as well as an overhaul of the of the medical system are reflected in the health Luanda water system, will require substantial indicators of Angolan women and children, investment from the Angolan Government and which are among the worst on the planet. international funding agencies. According to UNICEF statistics, maternal mortality is 1,500 per 100,000 live births. It is estimated Nutrition that one in three Angolan children dies before his or her fifth birthday (320 deaths per 1,000 live During the delegation visit, the delegation was births). Recognizing that training at all levels is confronted repeatedly by the tragedy of child- imperative, Dr. Cohen noted that the Health hood malnutrition. For example, in the Maquela Ministry has made training a priority, starting with do Zombo Hospital, the delegation met a 28- a census of health professionals and focusing on year -old woman with six children (ages 12, 7, 5, a retraining and recertification program. The 3-year-old twins and an 8-month-old baby). The international community must strongly assist twins and the 8-month-old were severely mal- Angolan health workers as they struggle tobresus- nourished. This woman's husband died in March citate their devastated health care, institutions. of this year because of "swollen legs." Since then, Furthermore, health workers do not receive a the family has had great difficulty growing cassa- livable wage. The extremely low salaries of va on their plot of land. This situation again illus- approximately $15 to $30 month for nurses and trated the vulnerability of families of unskilled doctors, coupled with hyperinflation, provide female heads of household. minimal incentive to work in government facili- In Uige, the delegation visited a feeding center ties. Health workers commonly have other jobs in run by MSF/Spain. At the inception of the pro- order to support their families and often leave gram in 1994, a survey revealed high levels of sick patients behind in the government clinics. severe malnutrition among children in the area. In Kuito, the delegation visited a maternal/ In addition to providing food supplementation, child health (MCH) facility close to the noon clos- the MSF/Spain program provides basic training to ing time. The health workers were done with in nutrition and hygiene. Such educa- their "day's work" and were about to leave the tional efforts aimed at mothers are critical if a facility, presumably for their other jobs, when the child is to remain in a state of good nutrition. delegation arrived. They showed the delegation a With the cessation of war, the MSF/Spain staff has ledger from that morning of approximately 70 seen improvement in the nutritional status of the patient visits of sick children. However, there children in the Uige community, although they were at least that many patients still waiting out- noted that childhood malnutrition rises dramati- side to be seen. The workers characterized those cally during the rainy season when cases of waiting as "well-baby" visits, despite the fact sev- malaria begin to increase. eral of the babies appeared ill. One infant who The delegation also visited therapeutic and was being weighed in the "well-baby section" supplementary feeding centers in the city of was coughing, wheezing and feverish. Salary sup- Benguela managed by MSF/France. These feeding plementation is crucial to ensure the adequate centers for children with severe malnutrition have staffing of such facilities. been in operation for eighteen months. They are located next door to a hospital, but according to Water the MSF staff, the hospital has no pediatric unit, few trained staff, and no medical supplies or Clean water is not attainable for most Angolans. drugs. Even after receiving shipments from Beyond the fact of disrepair and the general low UNICEF, nothing is available. The MSF staff sus-

12 Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children 14 pects that supplies and are stolen by vaccinators in cold chain procedure has been the health post staff, who receive little or no pay. undertaken by. for example, the 1MC with suc- The delegation was told that in UNITA-controlled cess and demonstrates the kind of focused skill areas, medicine is generally not stolen. so urgently needed in Angola. Given that is a major cause of childhood death in Angola, Prenatal Care. Maternal Mortality, these achievements are laudable. Family Planning Malaria Dr. Ventura Felix reported that a study of mater- nal mortality in the city of Malanje revealed that Malaria is a leading cause of mortality for chil- mortality there is double the alarming 1,500 per dren under the age of five. In the northern 100,000 live births at the national level. She noted Angolan Maquela do Zombo MSF hospital, 100 that this data is from a city under government cases of childhood cerebral malaria were report- control, and that such data does not exist for the ed in the month of November. Of these 100 chil- UNITA-controlled countryside, where she sus- dren, seven died. Similarly, in Cazombo, African pects that the situation may be worse. Dr. Felix Humanitarian Aid (AHA) found that malaria is the attributed this high rate of maternal mortality to biggest health problem in the community and nutritional deficiencies and the disruption of the that children under four were most affected. health system as a consequence of war. Since Public health education, vector control and distri- there are almost no trained maternal health work- bution of protective netting should be priorities. ers, most births are attended by untrained family members or neighbors. Finally, cultural factors, Sleeping Sickness including lack of communication between tradi- tional healers and health professionals, and a lack In 1974, there were three cases oftrypanosomia- of health education in general mitigate against sis (sleeping sickness) reported in Angola. There women's survival. are now a documented 5,000 cases which, Access to knowledge about family planning is according to Dr. Laurel laird, MSF/France and Dr. sparse to non-existent in Angola. Access to such Wanda of the Caritas facility in Uige, represent a information and development of these services great underestimation of the problem. Entire and supplies need to be a high priority. A study towns in northern Angola have reportedly been undertaken by the IMC in Moxico province in the rendered "ghost towns" by this deadly disease, spring of 1994 surveyed 582 women of child- which causes severe neurological symptoms as bearing years and found that 94 percent of the the disease progresses. The tsetse fly vectors that women reported that their first pregnancy transmit trypanosomiasis to humans survive in occurred before the age of 20. Sixty-five percent wooded areas near rivers, and humans serve as of the women reported four or more pregnancies the major reservoir of infection. With the total and only one percent (six of the 582) reported breakdown of the medical system and increasing using any family planning method. numbers of infected individuals to serve as the host, clinical cases havemultiplied.Additionally, Vaccination although the drug eflornithine (DFMO) is effec- tive in clearing the parasite, it is not generally The World Health Organization (WHO) in coop- available in Angola. eration with the Angolan Government and UNITA forces has coordinated a nationwide vaccination Tuberculosis campaign against , measles and tetanus, with thehelpof implementing partners including Healthworkers in several provinces told the del- UNAVEM, UNICEF and various NGOs, such as egation that they have noted an increase in tuber- the IMC. Dr. Paulo Froes of WHO reported that culosis, which they attribute to a possible this coordinated effort has been highly successful. increase in AIDS. Given the likely impending Mass vaccination days conducted simultaneously AIDS problem in Angola, a coordinated commu- in 18 provinces and resulted in reportedly almost nity-based approach to TB treatment, similar to two million children vaccinated. The training of programs that have been successful in other war-

Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola 13 15 torn and developing nations, is a public health ately perform HIV/AIDS surveillance testing priority. among different population groups and in differ- ent parts of the country in order to get a sense of Sexually-Transinitted Diseases the magnitude of the problem. A massive educa- tion and counseling campaign regarding safe Nurses from an international NGO told the dele- practices to avoid the spread of HIV infection is gation in Cazombo that they have noticed a seri- imperative and should be established. ous problem with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as chancroid and gonorrhea, but Overall Health Priorities have had difficulty addressing this problem. The nurses noted that in this area polygamy is prac- Given the lack of literacy, a creative and well- ticed and men also frequent prostitutes. They coordinated public health effort, which focuses reported that many people are seeking treatment on education about basic sanitation, nutrition, for STDs. The NGO has trained the local health vector control, family planning and AIDS preven- care staff in the prevention of STDs and brought tion, is critical. Skills training and upgrading for in condoms, but has found that resistance to the medical personnel is needed at every level. use of condoms is great. Clearly, preventive and Budget support for health workers' salaries, along educational programs are urgently needed, which with better monitoring of drugs and supplies, will will require the participation of traditional healers also be necessary to improve the status of health and other community leaders. in Angola. Dr. Samsom Ngonyani, Medical Director of the AIDS IMC in Angola, emphasized the importance of education and literacy as a cornerstone of provid- Itissurprising that, in a country surrounded by ing health care in Angola. As examples of the nations with some of the highest incidences of general low level of knowledge, he cited a lack HIV infection and AIDS in the world, there has of knowledge at the community level about how been no consistent surveillance testing for HIV by malaria is contracted and poor understanding of the WHO or any international agency. The only childhood nutrition. statistics the delegation could obtain were from a Integration of government and UNITA health physician who stated there reportedly have been systems will require sensitivity and diligence. A 1,100 AIDS cases in Angola to date, with 90 per- hopeful example of the potential for reconcilia- cent of these in Luanda. The delegation was also tion and cooperation was witnessed by the dele- told that, in the northern province of Cabinda, an gation in Negage, at a UN Department of international oil company has been testing its Humanitarian Affairs/Humanitarian Assistance Angolan workers as part of ahealth screening Coordination Unit (UCAH)-sponsored combined program. This screening apparently indicates that government/UNITA health coordination meeting. one out of ten healthy young males reporting for These monthly meetings have contributed to a employment is HIV positive. sense of integration, trust and effective discussion One can make the assumption that AIDS is a and programming focused on health issues. serious threat to the entire country. Peter Masebu of the Panafrican News Service quoted Human Resources and Education Siudifonya, a radio journalist-turned politician: "The outcome of [the war] has been an upsurge Education is perhaps the most urgent need facing in cases of drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, Angola in terms of the country's transition to early sex and pregnancies, abortions or baby development. Only two in five eligible primary dumping, sexually transmitted diseases, including school students are enrolled in school, and AIDS. The figures we have show that at least one enrollment for girls is less that 30 percent. million people are now living with HIV. Even this Interviews with both Angolan and expatriate per- could be an underestimate." (Angola-Health, sonnel, Angolan Government officials and ordi- January 23, 1997.) nary Angolans throughout the country under- The international health agencies, in collabora- scored the critical need for investment in educa- tion with the Ministry of Health, should immedi- tion f6r Angolans of all ages, from children in

14 f Women's Commission for Refugee Womenand Children a nation where half the population is under the Portuguese will raise their status. Furthermore, age of 15 to adults who are now attempting to expansion of the teaching'of Portuguese would restart their lives and work. contribute to national unity. The Education Ministry is considered to be vir- Political considerations also may impede the tually "non-functioning" by numerous NGO and ability of the educational system to rebound. For government workers interviewed. One reason for instance, in the Cazombo region, there are this ministry's particular weakness is that the post returnees from refugee camps in Zambia who of Minister of Education a designated UNITA have completed . These post has remained unfilled during this time of returnees could be recruited as teachers, but they transition from emergency to development plan- may not be hired due to resentment towards ning, thus compounding the problems of a returnees among the local population, who destroyed educational infrastructure. The declin- stayed in the region and suffered through the ing teacher base, teachers with a very low skill war. The current plan is to train existing identi- level and a meager educational budget have been fied teachers, helping them to upgrade their skills exacerbated by the vacuum in central leadership. and knowledge. UNHCR should also work to One of the reasons the national school system reintegrate returnee teachers, perhaps through is not functioning is because teachers are not the negotiation of a general agreement of teacher paid. Two teachers told the delegation that they qualification standards between the government had taught for six months without receiving pay- and UNITA. Not to use these qualified individuals ment and so decided to take other jobs. Some would represent a loss to Angola, which is des- teachers are teaching and directly charging fees; perate for human resources. many families, however, cannot afford to pay In all of its visits, the delegation was told that school fees. Even in areas where there are school there exists a great disparity in the skill level of structures, there are no materials. In Uige, the government and UNITA identified teachers. delegation was told that the Catholic church runs Because of the political sensitivity of the antici- a functional school system, but that it was too pated integration of these separate systems the small to meet the needs of the population. In the government school calendar does not coincide Cazombo area, teachers are working voluntarily; with the UNITA school calendar and there are in the mornings they cultivate their fields, in the differences in the curriculum it will be critical afternoons, they teach. to provide adequate support for all those identi- Teacher training and salary support must fied as teachers, from both government and receive high priority as Angola moves into the UNITA areas. initial phase of its new Government of Reconciliation. Teachers cannot be expected to Adolescent and Adult Education dedicate time and energy to teaching duties Millions of young adults were denied education when they do not earn anything approaching a during the war years, and it is critical that their living wage in their profession. Given the level of needs be addressed immediately. Adult educa- inflation, this could be food for work or other in- tion, particularly literacy and vocational training kind payment. Furthermore, without raising the for older adolescents and adults who need to level of knowledge and skills that teachers bring support themselves, is important if Angolans are to their work, Angolan students will not be able to successfully start and rebuild businesses and to make the strides in learning that are imperative administer complex institutions, such as govern- for the future well-being of the nation. ment offices, hospitals and schools. Another constraint to achieving universal liter- In Kuito, the Irish NGO CONCERN established acy is lack of a common language. Although a pilot program to train the mine-disabled in tai- Portuguese is the national language, those with- loring. The services of a basic education teacher out formal education have not had the opportuni- were added to its training course when it became ty to learn to speak, write or read it. A number of evident that program participants also required women told the delegation that one of their literacy and numeracy instruction. Without ade- major priorities is to learn Portuguese. They rec- quate development of reading, writing and math ognize that their ability to read and write skills, it. was foreseen that program participants

Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola 17 IS would be unable to plan and budget effectively UNDID is also supporting existing training insti- or generally administer the tailoring company tutions and traditional apprenticeships in different they were attempting to form. provinces in conjunction with the International Women and adolescent girls, in particular, Labor Organization (ILO). A UNDP officer visited need education to raise their status and improve the training center in Huambo and observed that their productivity. Mary Daly, a physician who only six or seven students out of 60 were female. has worked for many years in Angola, now with He discovered that a program requirement was a the Canadian NGO, Development Workshop, seventh grade education. UNDP urged the train- commented: "Health services, even primary health care, are consumer services which only ing center to change this requirement so that provide people with something they can get by more girls and women could participate. The offi- with. The only substantive impact that can be cer noted: "The war has taught a lot of people made is to raise people's level of education. that some rules are not carved in stone. We will There is nothing empowering about curative try to apply here in Angola the Ghanaian saying, medicine. Investment in women is the most cost- 'If you educate a woman you educate a family.'" effective use of educational resources. When the Caritas is working through local parishes to women bring home the money, tradition goes by carry out an accelerated literacy training program the wind and people are likely to change for the designed to teach people to read Portuguese in better." six months and to become functionally literate in Adolescents, too, must be a major and imme- one year. The program, which was developed in diate focus. A CCF project director in Malanje, Moxico, is now being offered in Luanda, Cuanza Justino de Costa, worries that adolescents will Sul, Benguela, Lunda Norte, Uige and Malanje. To drift into banditry and other a-social activities if they have nothing to do. Many people the dele- increase the number of women students, the gation talked with would like to see formal ado- Caritas sisters are scheduling classes to accommo- lescent apprenticeship programs, adolescents date the daily routines of women who work long mentoring younger children and the return of hours in the market place. These classes are now informal and formal recreational and sports activi- oversubscribed. ties. Other NGOs, including Lutheran World UNDP, together with the National Institute for Federation, are using the Caritas program, which Reintegration (SECOR), is implementing a pro- uses low cost materials (approximately $20 for 10 gram aimed at supporting the resettlement of students). Caritas has offered to sell the materials demobilized soldiers and their families by pro- at cost to any NGO that would like to provide lit- moting income generation, vocational education eracy training. and business management training activities. A Health education workers with the ADPP UNDP trust fund will be established in different health education program in Caxito (north of provinces and administered and managed by SECOR to finance Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) Luanda), concluded that their program curriculum implemented by NG0s. was not well assimilated by families participating While the need for such programs cannot be in the program because the overall educational understated, the delegation found that many of level as well as economic status of these these efforts are aimed solely at ex-combatants, families was so low. Education will have to be with little or no effort to reach girls, women or addressed in its most fundamental sense to allow adolescents. Also women do not participate in the population to truly benefit from public health the planning and implementing committees. information about malaria vector control, UNDP has said it hopes to rectify the absence of nutrition, hygiene and sanitation, vaccination and women in its programming by recruiting a gen- reproductive health and other programs being der officer in 1997. A senior UNDP manager said: supported by the international community. "We are trying to reduce the imbalance and cre- ate gender sensitivity in our program manage- ment staff." 18 16 Women's Commissionfor Refugee Women and Children recruited the staff from local areas and they VI. Children and Adolescents speak the local language and are working with their own communities. They know what their Children and adolescents (ages 0-17) constitute people went through during the war." over half of Angola's population. These children CCF has found it needs to be creative in iden- have known nothing but war. It is estimated that tifying and working with the people in the com- more than half the children from the most war- munity who provide child care. "Women are terri- torn regions have been shot at, lost their homes bly overburdened and most men do not see child or seen neighbors and members of their families care as their role," says Ms. Brown. She foresees killed. Further, a huge number of Angolan chil- working with adolescents older siblings dren have been injured by landmines. who can work with younger children and who The young people of Angola are the key to its would be proud to have additional responsibility future. If they are deprived of education and and act as teachers in drawing, music, dancing employment, many will turn to the only life they and other activities. have known, that of guns and violence. Although the delegation visited a number of Despite the war and violence they witnessed, programs focusing on assisting child soldiers, Angola's children display a resilience and hope- street children and children separated from their fulness about their future. One delegation mem- families, the majority of Angola's young people ber, a child psychologist, visited children living in do not fall into these categories, but still need centers in Kuito and Malanje who were waiting support and assistance. The Government of to be reunited with relatives or placed with foster families. When invited to draw pictures of their future, many drew families, homes, schools and jobs for themselves. The children were observed to be highly competent, motivated and wanting desperately to learn and be challenged. One of the only programs currently aimed OW) directly at assisting war-affected children is the Christian Children's Fund's (CCF) effort to pro- vide psycho-social assistance in areas most affect- ed by the war. CCF's goal is to promote appropri- ate understanding of children's needs by training teachers, care staff at institutions, parents, local village leaders and others directly involved in children's lives. CCF aims to train 4,000 adults in five provinces over three years with the goal of reaching 320,000 children. The program also includes an extensive research component and S monitoring effort, which will help CCF and its 5.;sm, primary funder, the U.S. Agency for International a _ Development, to understand the effects of war on children and to intervene successfully to help war-affected children. Professional research of this nature is essential not only for Angola but to more objectively understand the needs of all chil- dren in war-affected countries. Unfortunately, the nature of emergency needs has made research of this nature a low priority. szt,, " 14^,a ' , Maggie Brown, CCF's representative in Angola, 1.75, ?2100,,,"1- described what she sees as the most important part of the program. "We are working with an Boy soldier at quartering area outside of Negcige. © Anne-Sophie Rosette Angolan staff I am the only expatriate. We've

Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola 17 19 Angola, UNITA, the United Nations, international M'banza Congo quartering area, none had gone organizations, governments and NGOs should into the military voluntarily. All had been kid- join together in supporting a massive education napped or conscripted. She reported that almost effort for Angola's young people. all of these boys articulated the same desire to find their mothers and to go to school. After Child Soldiers years of separation, tracing the families of these boys is extremely difficult; many of the mothers The issue of Angola's estimated 5,000 child sol- may be dead. In contrast, Justino Gomez de diers (UNDP statistics), their demobilization and Costa, the CCF project director in the Negage reintegration into society, is one of the most diffi- quartering area, told the delegation that some cult problems facing Angola today. At the time of child soldiers refuse to go home, and that in the delegation's visit, members were told that approximately half of these boy (and girl) sol- some cases, communities and families are reluc- diers had been demobilized in quartering areas, tant or afraid to receive the young combatants with the goal of their complete demobilization set because of the fear of "evil spirits" or because of for May, 1997. However, the issue of demobiliza- repercussions if fighting breaks out again. Mr. de tion has become political, and is a disputed mat- Costa has found efforts to demobilize child sol- ter between UNITA and the government: UNITA diers time-consuming, frustrating and unsuccess- wants child soldiers to remain together and ful. He told the delegation that many child sol- receive vocational training; the government, and diers never even arrive at their villages; they run a majority of the international community, want away they either go back to the army or to them to be reunited with their families. Luanda, or they have lied about their family The CCF, with Save the Children/UK, is home to the UN registrar. involved with the return of child soldiers to their According to Ms. Nordbakke, most of the child families and communities. "We are working in soldiers appeared to be in poor physical condi- eight provinces and hope to reach 80 percent of tion. She stated, "They are very skinny, many the demobilized children," explained Ms. Brown. have blood in their urine due to , She said the most important aspect of the pro- have pains in their muscles and have scars from gram was community involvement. CCF looked shrapnel or burns." for a community network that could assist the Nordbakke noted that most of the UN inter- young people who were being demobilized. It viewers of child soldiers had neither human found that the Catholic church had a network of rights nor protection backgrounds, nor did they catechism teachers (catecistas) who were willing speak Portuguese. She said most of the inter- to follow up with the child soldiers when they views were conducted in the presence of UNITA returned to their communities. The catecistas soldiers, and thus accurate information about the assist the demobilized youth in, for example, true conditions under which these boys had lived starting small businesses, getting land back, locat- was difficult to evaluate. ing family members and with other concerns. So It is disturbing that untrained interviewers who far, CCF has seen positive results from this reuni- do not speak Portuguese are interviewing these fication effort and attributes much of it to the net- children. These sensitive interviews should be work of catecistas. "We need to reinforce local conducted in private, and not in the presence of leadership structures whenever we can, whether UNITA soldiers. church or other networks," Ms. Brown said. "The The current demobilization efforts must be international community tends to overlook these evaluated. As noted in the Graca Machel Study structures when setting up service delivery pro- on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children, grams." they (organizers of the demobilization) "need to The United Nations is coordinating the overall take account of the social, political and cultural demobilization effort, which began with the context that resulted in [the children's] recruit- demobilization of soldiers under the age of 18. ment, the reality of their experiences in conflict, Berit Nordbakke, 'seconded to the UN from Save and their situation upon return." Given the skills the Children/Norway, told the delegation that of to earn a living in a peacetime economy, both over 300 boy soldiers she interviewed in the children and adult males will make less willing 18 20 Women'sCommission for Refugee Women and Children soldiers. of which 10 percent are girls. From this begin- Under the rules of war (Protocol 11 to the 1949 ning, GOAL then established a day care drop-in Geneva Conventions), recruitment of soldiers, center which offers bathing and washing facilities voluntary or involuntary, under the age of 15 is and health care for the children. The center is illegal. Underage recruitment has continued in open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Recreational, educa- Angola even after the signing of the Lusaka tional and literacy activities are currently being Accords (Human Rights Watch Report of February initiated, including a soccer league. All of these 1996), and must be summarily halted. initiatives developed from the successful initial link forged with the children themselves, and Street Children in Luanda through discussion with the children and the adult community. GOAL is approaching the prob- UNICEF estimates that there are approximately lems of street children with direct intervention 5,000 street children in Luanda. These children and through advocacy on their behalf. In another wash cars, shine shoes and carry water, but also effort, together with MINARS and Save the beg, steal, pick through garbage and prostitute Children, GOAL is helping separated children to themselves in order to survive. While many of relocate their families. these children are orphaned or abandoned, some The majority of the children in the GOAL pro- of them have left starving families or situations gram have never attended school. Nevertheless, where they have been victims of family violence. almost all of them articulate a great desire for Some of the street children return to their families education. During the delegation's visit to the day weekly or monthly. care drop-in center, the delegation saw children Ronan Scully of the Irish NGO, GOAL, told us washing their clothes, bathing at a water pump, that the children tend to organize themselves into receiving wound care from the center's nurse and small groups, with an older child protecting playing games in the center's courtyard. The del- younger children. The children sleep together in egation examined student notebooks and spoke these small groups, in abandoned crates, on to the two center teachers, and observed a gener- rooftops or on highway embankments. As al feeling of hope and positive energy. Although GOAL's Monthly Report of November 1996 states: small, the GOAL program is a model of what can "Looking at the numerous street children in be accomplished when needs are programmati- Luanda, one sees children who live alone, who cally addressed in an age-appropriate manner. are denied affection, educa- tion and health, and who live without love and have been completely trauma- tized by the sights and atrocities of the . They seem to coalesce into gangs, which gives them a sense of secu- rity. They are used unscrupulously by others and in many cases mistreat- ed." In the past year, GOAL has initiated an innovative program that began as a feeding program. The pro- gram makes stops at seven strategically chosen areas of Luanda every evening and provides food to approxi- Street children at the GOAL day care drop-in center. © Holly Myers mately 160 to 180 children,

Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola 21 Another model program for street children in on the streets (see page 11, Protection and Luanda visited by the delegation is run by an Human Rights and box below). Scully of GOAL Italian NGO, Center for Information and also mentioned that girls, in particular, are Education for Development (CIES). The program involved in prostitution. Men in cars bearing provides informal educational opportunities for UNAVEM license plates have been observed near young people, mostly boys. The coordinator of GOAL feeding stops picking up these girls. the program, Maria Joao, commented: "They all The GOAL staff noted that drug use is another want to learn. They want an education. But they growing problem. Specifically, petrol, glue and have been deprived of the opportunity for so other solvents are sniffed by some children, lead- long, it is hard for them to go to a traditional ing to feelings of heightened power, impaired school or program." The coordinator of the CIES program noted that these children need to be judgement and aggressive behavior, as well as supported in their efforts to be self-sufficient, various neurological effects, including death including locating supplies for their income gen- when abused at high concentrations. erating activities, literacy and skills training. CIES Given the dramatic needs of the Luandan also works with girls on the street, many of street children, much more support needs to be whom resort to prostitution. Some families sell, directed toward meeting the needs of these barter or arrange for their daughters to be the neglected youngsters. Small programs, including "virgin mistresses" of wealthy men. This practice recreation and sports programs, as well as acade- is known as "catorzinha" (little fourteen-year- mic and vocational training, must be made acces- olds). Other girls are subjected to sexual abuse sible.

Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children The Christian Children's Fund violence against minors has The phenomenon of the sex- has produced a study, Sexual continued since the peace ual exploitation of young girls Abuse and Exploitation of agreement, although reports in Angola has become so com- Children in Time of War The tend to be of isolated cases. monly known that it has in Case of Angola, which was pre-The report says that in both recent months developed a pared for the UN Study on the cases, sexual violence and name. The girls involved have Impact of Armed Conflict on exploitation, the abuse is princi-become known as the catorzin- Children and the 1996 World pally against girls. has and this term is used both Congress Against the Commer- A local journalist told CCF in Luanda and the provinces. In cial Sexual Exploitation of researchers that there are literal terms it means the "little Children. The report differenti- approximately 500 to 1,000 14 year olds." This term is ates between exploitation and prostitutes under the age of 18 reputed to have originated from violence. In this report, CCF in Luanda. CCF found that sex- a local phone-in radio program, notes that sexual exploitation ual exploitation involved young through which young girls (prostitution, bartering sex for girls seeking clients from would recount their sexual food, supplies, etc.) grew dur- groups with more wealth, exploits. Many staff working in ing the course of the war, par- notably in the diamond mining the field of assistance to chil- ticularly from 1994-1996 when zone in the north and in dren feel that this program has there was a dramatic increase inLuanda city center. Repeating a promoted the sexual exploita- poverty and population dis- pattern seen in other parts of tion of young girls. placement. Sexual violence the world, United Nations Although the common name against minors (not including forces were involved with for this group is catorzinhas it domestic violence) also young girls in Luanda and does not accurately reflect the increased during the war in reports of the exploitation of age groups of girls involved. 1992-1994, mostly in circum- minors in provincial capitals There are several reports of stances of population or troop related almost exclusively to thegirls much younger being movements. CCF says sexual United Nations. involved in sexual exploitation.

20 Women'sCommission for Refugee Women and Children 22 One journalist suggested that, victims of landrnines or shrap- 3) Educating UNAVEM from the groups of minors she nel wounds and have lost legs personnel. had seen, 11 years old and may be particularly vulnerable even younger was not uncom- as they find it much more diffi- 4) Including minors in discus- mon. cult to escape. In one case, in sions about issues of Sexual Many of the girls involved Bie province, within a group of abuse and exploitation. are reported to have sex for the 10 girl amputees (landmine vic- 5) Improving measures for price of a meal in a restaurant tims) only one reported that she basic social security and had not been raped. or the entrance fee and drinks eradication of poverty. in a discotheque. It is likely that Anther important finding of they do not consider themselvesthe study shows that separated 6) Protecting unaccompanied to be prostitutes. Other reports girls, whose parents or relatives minors in camps and cen- are that some young girls earn died or became separated from ters for displaced and up to $100, with the more them, were particularly vulnera- refugees. wealthy groups in society. In ble because they had no one the poorer areas of the city, it iswith them responsible for their The Women's Commission reported that some young girls protection. Also, the report urges the UN to not only edu- will have sex for under $5. states that Angolan uniformed cate UNAVEM III forces about CCF reports that sexual police and armed forces per- the rights of children but to abuse and violence towards sonnel were often the perpetra- prosecute individuals who com- minors usually occurs when tors of sexual violence usual-mit the offense of having sex troops are moving in or out of ly rape against minors. with a child or young person areas where civilians are con- Recommendations from the below the age of consent. centrated; when civilians are report include: running from areas of conflict 1) Raising awareness about Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of or in search of food and sup- the problem and how to Children in Time of War: The Case plies; and in the claustrophobic respond amongst the of Angola. Written and researched and deregulated environment of general public. by Adelia Cohen, Gabriela Cohen displaced or refugee camps. and Maggie Brown, Christian The authors of the report 2) Pressing for protective Children's Fund. Luanda, March, were told that girls who were legislation. 1996. VII. Women water source is far from home or firewood is scarce, a woman can spend half the day complet- ing basic household chores. As in other war-devastated countries, Angolan women face particularly difficult circumstances Food and Agriculture and programs that promote their self-sufficiency are scarce. The economic integration of Angolan Women are the farmers in Angola. A consultant women into their society must be made an from the World Food Program, Seynabou Gueye urgent priority by donor nations and by both Tall, noted that women are not priority beneficia- international and Angolan NGOs as they plan ries in food distribution and food for work pro- projects in Angola for the foreseeable future. grams, even though they are the principal grow- There is a small number of well-educated, ers and preparers of food and are responsible for professional Angolan women working to rebuild feeding children and families. Two-thirds of their country. In the countryside, most women humanitarian aid in Angola comes through the are illiterate and have no access to education. World Food Program; Ms. Tall has recommended Like women throughout rural Africa, they are that WFP aim to have women make up 60 per- stretched to the limit of their physical capacities, cent of its food for work participants. responsible for farming, cooking, cleaning and An example of an integrated community rein- gathering firewood, as well as child care. If a tegration- and development program is the World

Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola 23 Vision agricultural program underway in Malanje their families. since 1994. The philosophical underpinning of An example of a small program that is the program is the establishment of food security attempting to improve the earning capacity of and independence. The agricultural project is Angolan women is the Urban Women's Enterprise comprised of three components: research; seed Development Project, coordinated by Henda and tool distribution; and the rehabilitation of the Pinto de Andrade of the NGO Development network extension agents. These agents work Workshop. This micro-enterprise pilot program with field technicians, who in turn work with up targets women in the informal sector of the to 700 farming families. Luanda urban slum area. World Vision is working to fully integrate The project addresses the many problems women into this program. Women comprise 30 women face in the informal sector, including low percent of extension agents in the field. income, few skills, lack of knowledge of their However, at the extension technician level, there rights and lack of support from authorities. It are only two women out of a staff of 30. This focuses on improving the marketing skills and low rate of participation at the technical level is planning abilities of women who sell fish in the attributed to the non-traditional role being huge Roque Santeiro market in Luanda. Develop- assumed by women in this job. The job of tech- ment Workshop supplies the women with small nician is perceived to be powerful and tradition- loans in a group credit program designed to ally, women can work effectively on a one-to- foster cooperation and collaboration between one level but not on the formal level of power. program participants, as well as the sharing of According to Phil Chester, country director of profits. World Vision in Angola, while the formal deci- The results of this program are encouraging. sion-makers in the community are men, the men The women fish-mongers report that they are exercise their power in consultation with women, now able to buy a better selection of fish to sell. who in fact are the ones who will or will not They have raised the profile of their selling oper- implement decisions affecting the community. ation by improving the presentation of their World Vision has tied its agricultural program goods and are now able to afford an additional to its community health program, in order to meal per day for their children and themselves. teach women about nutrition and public health They are optimistic about their prospects and concepts. In Kwanza Norte, World Vision has have plans to continue to improve both their established five health centers, with two outreach business and their family lives. This program has vehicles serving the local population. One vehicle developed in a deliberate, grassroots manner provides clinical support; the second is devoted which ensures that the beneficiaries are meaning- to EPI. fully invested in the program. In Chester's opinion, this large scale develop- Development Workshop plans to share the ment project is meeting with success because it results of this effort with the Angolan adheres to a principle of long-term integration Government. "This project will also develop a and consistency. The program has followed the training program and study interventions to sup- population it serves, from the initial emergency port women operating in the informal sector," Ms. situation which required a focus on feeding to, at Andrade told the delegation. "We will also try to present, a situation wherein the same population set up a network of local organizations interested is returning to the land and beginning the work in development and gender in Angola. We are of farming and development. By consciously also working with government agencies so they deciding to follow the community in its needs, will be able to develop policies to support the welfare of the community including chil- women in the informal sector." dren and women is placed first. Raising the Profile of Women in Society The Urban Informal Sector Angola has a strong tradition of women's organi- In Luanda and other urban areas, women are the zations, such as the government affiliated backbone of the informal economy; in the market Organization of Angolan Women (OMA) and place, they buy and sell to earn money to feed LIMA, the women's organization affiliated with

22 Women's Commission forRefugee Women and Children 24 .; UNITA. While OMA is weak at present, to the seminars designed to promote the full participa- point where even its General Secretary appears tion of women in Angolan society. To date, 12 ready to step down, it remains strong at the local seminars have been conducted at the government level, in cities, villages and communes. Very few level in 12 provinces. Additional seminars are NGOs in Angola are not politically affiliated. planned for 1997, so that all 18 provinces will The Angolan Secretary of State for the have been included. These seminars, for govern- Promotion and Development of Women is a new ment officials, governors and vice-governors, the office (created in 1991) which has received little mass media and Angolan NGOs, have been well attention or support, with the exception of a few received. In Bie province, the local government international donors, including the Swedish gov- has requested additional training for staff. The ernment. Dr. Joana Lina Cristiano is Minister of national Ministries are also included in the semi- this office. Minister Cristiano and her staff nars; the Fisheries Ministry, which serves an eco- described for the delegation their goals for 1997 nomic sector that includes many women workers, and beyond, which include trying to increase the was one of the first to participate. number of women elected to political offices and The most serious commitment promoting hired for decision-making positions in the public women in civil society has come from the and private sectors. Swedish Government, which has devoted A national strategy to promote Angola's resources and technical support to the Ministry women was presented by this office at the UN for the Promotion and Development of Women Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, and the projects mentioned above. but has yet to be approved by the Angolan [NOTE: Subsequent to the delegation's visit, Council of Ministers. At the time of the delegation United States Ambassador to Angola Donald visit, the 1997 budget for the office was not yet Steinberg has taken steps to ensure that the approved. The office also produces a women's needs of women and children be taken into magazine, Estamos Juntos (We Are Together). account in program planning and implementa- While this publication is sent abroad, it does not tion. He has raised concerns brought to his atten- address the needs of the majority of Angolan tion by the delegation with representatives of the women, who neither read nor write. UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs, UNICEF Violence against women is said to be worsen- and NGOs that receive USAID support.] ing dramatically, but there has been no study or data to support this observation. Dr. Belbina The War-Injured Ventura Felix considers sexual violence to be a An example of a carefully planned community- significant problem in Luanda. based economic development project is the It is said that 51 percent of Angola's popula- CONCERN-sponsored Kuito Training Center, pro- tion is female, but this is impossible to verify, as jected to open in 1997 following rehabilitation of no reliable census has been conducted since a facility for the program. The training center is 1970. Efforts critical to the advancement of the outgrowth of a small pilot project that was include development of gen- designed to benefit a few of the 1,000 mine vic- der-based population statistics and a study of vio- tims that populate the town of Kuito. Mine vic- lence against women. The statistics project, to be tims, known as "mutilados," suffer social stigmati- carried out by the Ministry for the Promotion and zation and find little sympathy in a community Development of Women in conjunction with the already stressed. to its limit. Observing this need, National Institute for Statistics (within the Ministry Rona Blackwood of CONCERN began a tailoring of Planning), will involve collection of gender- project in 1995 involving 10 mine-disabled peo- based demographic statistics, including numbers ple, including six men and four women, with of females and female heads of household. The ages ranging from 23 to 37. For six months, the gathering of these statistics is critical in deciding 10 participants were trained by a sewing teacher how to disburse funds for education, health care and also a basic education teacher. Clients of the and other services. tailoring project include the NGO, HALO Trust, Other work by the Ministry for the Promotion which needs uniforms for the deminers it and Development of Women includes gender employ's-in the region. As of the end of 1996, the Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola 25 project workers will be "on their own." soil and expose deeply planted mines. Because women were asked to breach the Paul Hes lop, Country Director of the British perimeter of mines surrounding Kuito in order to demining organization, HALO Trust, described a collect firewood, many lost their limbs during the typical landmine incident. In April 1995, a "third war" (1992-94). Since the cessation of war- Landrover carrying 22 people on a well-used and fare, it is estimated that 60 percent of landmine previously demined road, set off an anti-tank victims in the Kuito area are women and 20 per- mine that was stacked upon a second anti-tank cent are children. Again, this is due to their pri- mine. Rains had eroded the road, and the weight mary role in farming and firewood collection. of the Landrover detonated the exposed mines. One of the issues faced by women amputees in Nine people were killed instantly. Of 13 people Angola is their need to provide a livelihood for injured, six died and seven survived. Over the their families; a physical disability is a huge past several months, two Angolans working with impediment to survival for these women. Thus, CONCERN and one working with Africare were the women participating in this project are hope- injured and lost limbs and eyes when cars in ful that they will be able to support their families which they were traveling over roads considered and thus feel themselves to be good mothers and "safe" detonated mines. partners again. Since women do most of the agricultural work The new Kuito Training Center is a product of in Angola and also gather firewood, they are par- the collaboration between six government agen- ticularly susceptible to incurring landmine injury cies (including the Ministry of Social Welfare, the (see page 21: The War-Injured). Heavily mined Ministry of War Veterans and the Ministry for the land directly adjoins farmland and mine fields Promotion and Development of Women) and exist only yards away from dwellings. In the CONCERN. The Training Center will serve 200 month prior to the delegation visit, two women, participants simultaneously in carpentry, electrical one child and two men (one deminer) were work, tailoring, metalwork, car mechanics and blown up by mines. business administration programs. Of those par- Children are particularly vulnerable because of ticipants, 75 percent are mandated to be the dis- their play activities and their work helping with abled and 30 percent to be women. Demobilized farming and the gathering of water and firewood. soldiers will also find opportunity for retraining at Heslop recounted the story of a six-year-old girl the Center. Ultimately, the Kuito Training Center killed by a landmine. As she was playing near will be completely government run, with govern- her home, the girl fell over and her hand deto- ment responsibility and participation increasing nated an MAI-75 Romanian landmine. The mine over time. blew off her hand, face and the left side of her body. Heslop went in to retrieve the girl, thinking VIII. Landmines that she might still be alive and found another mine close to where the accident occurred. The number of landmines estimated to lie in Returning to the area the next day, deminers dis- Angolan soil ranges from five to 20 million. covered another 15 mines, all of which were Whatever the exact figure, the dimension of the located within a 100 meter radius of a spring landmine crisis is immense and landmines exact a water supply routinely used by villagers. huge toll upon the civilian population. There are While HALO Trust is the leading demining an estimated 70,000 amputees in Angola. Since agency in Bie province, it has had access to only the war ended, women and children have been 15 percent of the province to conduct mine sur- the major victims of landmine accidents. During veys due to political impediments. Therefore, it the 1992-94 "third war" in particular, landmines has not been able to complete accurate surveys were laid with abandon, encircling besieged cities to determine the extent of mined land. The orga- and placed near strategic locations such as roads, nization estimates that there are at least 200,000 bridges and airports. Furthermore, thousands of mines in Bie Province. To date, the HALO Trust landmines and other ordnance were littered has identified 350 mine fields in Bie, Huambo throughout these cities as fighting raged on. and Benguela provinces and has prioritized them Mines continue to claim lives as rains wash away in .terms of humanitarian demining needs. 24 26 Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children The HALO Trust program is particularly effec- center's services. In order to qualify for services, tive from the standpoint both of demining and individuals must own a pair of shoes. (Shoes are the training of Angolan counterparts. The opera- necessary in order for a prosthetic to be fitted tion clears approximately 1,000 mines and 2,000 properly.) In addition, the center lacks knee- UXO (unexploded ordnance) per month. With an joints for high amputations. And because the annual budget of $2.7 million, HALO employs demand for legs and feet is so great, the center only five expatriates in its demining program and fabricates neither arms nor hands. maintains a strong emphasis on building Angolan Records supplied by the ICRC Kuito facility capacity to carry forward in this task. HALO is show that of 281 patients fitted with new pros- short of mine detectors and currently needs 80 thetics since the center opened in May 1996, only new detectors at $4,000 a piece, so that every 53 are women (19 percent). Eight out of 281 deminer will have one. (three percent) are under the age of 20. While these figures may reflect the fact that to date the Orthopedic and Prosthetic Programs majority of landmine victims treated have been men involved in combat, the issue of access for for Amputees women and children will need to be monitored The delegation also visited a MINARS-run settle- carefully. ment outside of Kuito, where it met several A factor that could prevent the poorest female amputees without access to prosthetics. In Angolans from benefitting from the ICRC center the MSF Hospital in Kuito, the delegation met is the prerequisite to own a pair of shoes. Eugenia, a 35-year-old landmine victim with a Despite the center's proximity, it is difficult to high above-the-knee amputation. Her accident occurred on June 9, 1985 as she worked tilling fields. She was in the hospital accompanied by her baby, who was ill with diarrhea and fever. E 4-$ Eugenia and her husband have seven children, whom they support through subsistence farming; she has never had access to a prosthesis. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has run orthopedic/prosthetic programs in Angola since 1979. ICRC projects are centered in Kuito, Huambo and Luanda. They treat 180 patients a month in two centers and provide 300 to 400 prostheses per month. ICRC runs an oper- oA4os,o ating theater in Huambo, where amputations due to landmine and other accidents are performed. The delegation visited the ICRC centers in Luanda and in Kuito. The Kuito center was con- structed in mid-1995. Initial work on the center involved demining the land on which it was to be built. (Despite clearing the area with the aid of a bulldozer, two days prior to our visit a work- er planting maize outside the center encountered ro a live mortar.) The center is now completing in- A patient facilities so that amputees will be able to by , live at the center while they are being fitted for , `o. and learning to use their prostheses. The center exudes an atmosphere of hope and healing. While the Kuito center's capacity is 50 pros- Amputee woman at Handicap International Facility in thetics a month, at the time of the delegation's Negage. © Anne Golcifeld visit 136 people were on a waiting list for the

Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola 2 7 imagine how the women the delegation met with at the MINARS -run settlement outside Kuito will be able to access the services of the ICRC center. The fact that these women have no shoes is, for them, a huge obstacle to significantly improving the quality of their lives. The issue of resources in this case, shoes is critical, and may reflect the fact that in general men have greater resources in Angolan society. In Negage, in Uige province, members of the delegation visited the Handicap International (HI) prosthetics center located adjacent to the town hospital. Working in a modest but efficiently planned facility, HI fits up to 40 patients per month with polypropylene prostheses. There the delegation met a 72-year-old Kincongo mother of eight (four living and four dead), who was at the facility to be fitted for her first prosthesis. This woman sustained a machete injury forty years ago that resulted in the amputation of her leg, and had been legless ever since. When she began seeing people appear in her village with new legs from the recently opened HI center, she decided that she, too, wanted this new chance at life. Due to the lack of medical knowledge and the shortage of supplies and drugs, amputations Maria, 12, lost her mother in a landmine accident dur- are performed commonly for infected fractures ing the war. She drew this picture during a delegation and wounds that could be treated easily with member's visit to the orphanage in Kuito, where she now proper care. Lack of medical care thus further lives. raises the number of amputees in Angola. Landmine Awareness Education Reportedly, 80 percent of the refugees in Zambia and Zaire report fear of mines as a factor The scale of the landmine crisis in Angola makes in their return to Angola. Delegation members it imperative that both the Angolan Government were told that the Kavungo road from Zaire is and NGOs working in Angola focus strongly on heavily mined, but that no demining of the road landmine accident prevention. UNICEF/Angola is has begun. A coordinated response to demining in the process of developing a landmine preven- in this area, which takes into account all routes tion effort using various communication of refugee return from Zambia and Zaire, must approaches targeted at different age groups. This be mounted. This situation points to the problem effort includes dramatic enactments, dance, music of coordination and expertise emphasized by and puppetry all under the aegis "Art Against MINARS Minister Malungo. He has emphasized Mines." Thousands of signs, multiple written and the need for much stronger coordination in the drawn materials in the form of games, flyers, demining sector, and advocates that resources be inserts in school notebooks and materials at concentrated with a few very experienced NGOs, refugee reception centers, have also been pre- rather than being dissipated among NGOs with pared. UNICEF has conducted a survey to deter- less mine clearance experience. Minister Malungo mine people's perception of signs used to mark also stressed the need for new and creative mine mined areas and is working to establish a stan- clearance methods. dardization of "mine awareness" signs. Landmine accident prevention programs have also been developed by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Benguela/Lobito. The CRS Landmine Awareness Project began with the intention of

26 Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children 28 also been developed by Catholic Relief Services IX. Conclusion (CRS) in Benguela/Lobito. The CRS Landmine Awareness Project began with the intention of For the last thirty years, Angolan women have hiring 50 percent women, some of them mine lost husbands in the fighting, seen the transfor- accident survivors. The project uses a puppet mation of their boys into soldiers, and lost par- show as well as a curriculum printed on posters. ents, brothers, sisters and children in the vicious The project coordinator noted that the participa- bombing of civilian centers. Denied basic health tion of women in the project including their care, Angolan women have buried children and acquisition of bikes for work raised their have themselves been condemned to death dur- social status in the community and garnered ing childbirth. The total collapse of the Angolan respect from the men they supervise. infrastructure has brought families to a level of total destitution, lacking food and shelter. Training for Landmine Victims Education, for child and adult alike, remains a Given the 70,000 amputees in the country, anoth- dream. er vast area for investment is in vocational train- Through the long years of conflict and dis- ing for amputees so they can lead productive placement, women have carried the burden of lives. This is a particularly important issue for feeding, clothing and supporting their children, women amputees, since women do most of the parents and extended families, often by scaveng- agricultural labor in addition to household ing or farming land laced with landmines. They chores. Also, women amputees fear rejection by now need the chance to participate in the their husbands or that they will be considered Angolan struggle for peace. Women must be undesirable mates because of their inability to brought into all aspects of the reintegration and support a man. rehabilitation of Angola. Training and education Demining is a slow and painstakingly danger- directed towards women will benefit Angolan ous process. Mine clearance and landmine pre- society as a whole. vention programs need major investment and More than half of Angola's population is under commitment from the international community. the age of 15. They need trained teachers and Similarly, both the Angolan Government, which schools immediately. Education, vocational train- has called for a ban on the use, trade and stock- ing and skills development are essential to piling of landmines, and UNITA must totally rebuild communities and to sustain a productive desist from laying new landmines. civil society. Furthermore, Angolan Government and UNITA Whileefforts to assist and train demobilized officials must make good on the public promise soldiers are essential, resources must also be made following Secretary of State Warren devoted specifically to programs to benefit non- Christopher's visit to Angola in October 1996. combatants, who make up the greater part of Although both groups pledged to destroy 15 tons Angola's war-affected population. of mines in a symbolic gesture the following The Angolan people are tired of war. The week, this has yet to occur. Moreover, the international community and the American gov- Angolan Government and UNITA must make a ernment have a humanitarian and moral responsi- credible accounting of the number of landmines bility to support anAngolanfuture of peace and and other ordnance stockpiled in Angola and reconciliation. The delegation was privileged to present a timetable for their destruction. witness extraordinary programs that are respond- Neither UNITA nor the Government should ing to Angolan needs in partnership with the hinder the mapping of mine fields by humanitari- Angolan people. These programs were not an agencies. Access to and the mapping of mine designed in offices or in meetings in Geneva or fields by humanitarian agencies and the United Washington, but in response to the needs of Nations must be a priority in order to focus limit- Angola. In this report, the delegation has sought ed resources on cordoning off mined areas, prior- to highlight a few of these programs which are itizing zones for mine clearance and developing a making a significant impact upon people's lives. concerted program of mine prevention/awareness Cognizant that the following observations can- education. not do justice to the enormity of the problems 29 Recovering From 30Yearsof War in Angola 27 faced by Angola or to the needs of the Angolan following US Secretary of State Christopher's visit people, the delegation offers the following rec- in October 1996, this has yet to occur. A date for ommendations. the destruction of these weapons must be set. The Angolan Government and UNITA must desist X. Recommendations in the laying of new landmines and provide access to humanitarian agencies to territory for the purpose of mapping and demarcating mine To the Government of Angola and to UNITA: fields. 1) The Government of Angola earns approxi- mately US$2 billion in oil and diamond revenues 7) There is no accurate census of Angola's popu- annually. At the same time, the government lation of some 10 to 13 million. The breakdown spends an estimated US$1.5 billion on arms and of men to women is unknown, as is the number military equipment. The Government must devote of female heads of households. The Ministry of its resources to health, education and the rehabil- Planning should place priority on the collection itation of the country. UNITA also earns millions of statistics based on gender, age and special of dollars in the diamond trade and spends most needs, so that policy makers can plan appropri- of it on military expenses. It, too, must dedicate ate programs for widows, women heads of resources to health, education and training. households, child heads of household, orphans, disabled and others at risk. 2) The Government of Angola must abide by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), 8) Women were not included in the Joint which it has signed, and halt conscription of chil- Commission, which exercises oversight of the dren. It should also implement the recommenda- UNAVEM III mission. This omission has dimin- tions of the Graca Machel Study on the Impact of ished the voice of women during the two critical Armed Conflict on Children, which has as its years now ending. The Government of Angola foundation the CRC. UNITA must do the same. must foster the development of the Ministry for the Promotion and Development of Womenas a 3) There is no overstating the need for education means of ensuring maximum participation of and training in Angolan society. Highest priority Angolan women in society. Participation of needs to be placed on the delivery of education women in the policy arena in Angola is critically and vocational and literacy training. needed. Supplementation of teachers' salaries needs to be undertaken to assure them a livable wage. To UNHCR: 9) The Guidelines on the Protection of Refugee 4) The medical system at all levels needs to be Women must be implemented and protection offi- supported. Supplementation of medical workers' cers should be assigned to border areas where needs to be undertaken to assure them a livable refugees are returning. Programs toensure the wage. successful reintegration of particular targetgroups into Angolan society, e.g., women heads of 5) Human rights education and monitoring need household, adolescents, the disabled, separated to be established as a high priority of the new children and orphans, need to be instituted. Government of Reconciliation. This should include promoting the full participation andpro- 10) The budget for repatriation/reintegration tection of women, children and adolescents. includes US$5.4 million for transport and logis- tics. Less than one fifth of that amount is budget- 6) The Angolan Government and UNITAmust ed for education and community services. make a credible accounting of the number of Wherever possible, funds should be directed to landmines and other ordnance stockpiled, and education, income generation and other projects present a timetable for their destruction. Although that will help rebuild communities to which both the Government and UNITA pledged to refugees are returning. UNHCR should use this destroy 15 tons of mines ina symbolic gesture opportunity to rethink its role in post-conflict sit-

28 30 Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children uations, recognizing the importance of develop- uations. ing human resources. There is a unique opportu- nity for UNHCR to collaborate with UNICEF and 15) UNICEF's work on mine accident prevention NGOs on an educatiOn effort in Maquela do is tremendously important in a country that har- Zombo and Cazombo. Both agencies should bors millions of landmines; this critical effort seize this opportunity and devote adequate should receive strong financial backing. resources to it. 16) The public health crisis in Angola merits mas- 11) Of the 311,000 refugees to be repatriated, sive intervention and interagency coordination on approximately 20,000 have returned and continue the part of WHO, UNICEF, WFP and the govern- to return spontaneously to villages in Angola. ment. Areas of particular concern are: UNHCR should begin now to implement QIPs Clean water and basic sanitation: overhaul of (Quick Impact Projects) designed to help urban water and sanitation systems and the returnees become self-sufficient and to promote establishment of village well systems are future development-oriented initiatives in areas of imperative; return. Women and young people should be tar- geted for involvement in these projects. Vector control, coordinated tuberculosis treat- ment and sleeping sickness programs are To Other UN Agencies (UNDP, WFP, needed: adequate supplies and distribution of tuberculosis drugs and the drug eflornithine UNICEF and WHO): (DFMO) for sleeping sickness should be 12) Training of staff to involve women, youth ensured; and all members of the community in UNDP pro- HIV/AIDS: testing to determine the level of jects should be instituted. UNDP should be able infection in different target groups and educa- to incorporate gender-sensitive practices into their tional campaigns about HIV/AIDS should be programs from the start. Training of staff to initiated immediately. involve women in all aspects of food distribution should be undertaken by the World Food Program, and WFP should insist that its imple- To the United States Government: menting partners do the same. This gives women, 17) The US Agency for International as the primary producers of food for their fami- Development (USAID) should support efforts to lies, some control over relief allocations of food. enhance the status of women in Angola. USAID WFP should review and implement the goals set should require its implementing partners to incor- out by WFP at the Beijing Conference, and con- porate women into all programming: resettle- sult with women about what will appropriately ment, rehabilitation and food assistance; democ- and efficiently meet their needs in feeding their racy and governance projects; and economic families. restructuring efforts. Because of the urgent need for training and education at all levels of Angolan 13) Vocational programs to retrain and provide society, USAID should consider investment in skills to demobilized soldiers are critical to the educational and vocational training programs as long term success of the peace process. It is also well as credit initiatives that target women, ado- essential that non-combatants receive vocational lescents and the disabled. and educational opportunities, especially adoles- cents. 18) The United States has strongly supported the peace process and UNAVEM III. The US must 14) UNICEF should fully support teacher training ensure that demobilization of soldiers and the efforts and should work in collaboration with surrendering of heavy armaments occur as UNHCR to expand programs such as the one in promised. President Clinton should fulfill his Maquela do Zombo. UNICEF should advocate promise made before the UN in 1994 to promote more strongly for and devote increased resources a ban on the use, manufacture and trade of land- to education in emergencies and post-conflict sit- mines and join the process begun in Ottawa in Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola 31 October 1996 to fashion an international treaty schedule. calling for a ban to be signed in December 1997. The US should devote significant resources to 23) The international community must adopt a mine accident prevention/awareness, mapping of ban on the sale, distribution, stockpiling and use mine fields and demining. The US should ensure of landmines. In addition, a ban on arms sales to a strong human rights monitoring arm in Angola. Angola for the rest of the decade, with sanctions applied to individuals and countries that violate 19) As a member of the Joint Commission and this injunction should be instituted. Significant one of the leading aid donors to Angola, the US funds should be devoted to mine prevention/ should insist that the United Nations, in all its awareness, the marking of mine fields and demi- programs, promote and protect the human rights ning. of women and children. Sexual exploitation and sexual violence against girls and women is preva- To NGOs: lent in Angola; kidnapping and recruitment of boys for armed forces is also a common practice. 24) Relief and development activities should These and other abuses need to be addressed empower women. NGOs must be proactive in immediately. The US should insist on the devel- this regard, insisting on equal participation of opment of a skilled and well-trained UN human women. Project requirements such as literacy and rights team, which can document, report and numeracy that tend to exclude women should make recommendations on gender based perse- wherever possible be adjusted so that women cution and violations of children's human rights. can participate. NGOs should also insist that women be involved in all food distribution activi- To All Governments, Donors and the ties from planning, to scooping, to monitoring so that women have a voice in allocation of International Community: food and also to avoid diversion of food to the 20) Donor countries should coordinate their military. activities with the Angolan Government. Although the capacity of the Angolan Government to pro- 25) The need for the establishment of a function- vide health, education and social services is criti- al educational system for Angola's children can- cally impaired, it is imperative that donor nations not be overstated. Any further delay in the invest- work in partnership with Angolans as they take ment in education, literacy and vocational train- responsibility for the rehabilitation and develop- ing will severely diminish the ability of Angola to ment of their country. recover from decades of war. Programs that focus on education and vocational training should be 21) The human rights mandate of the United strongly supported, and separate programs for Nations must be strengthened in Angola. The adolescents must be instituted. Adolescents must, international community should insist on the for example, be incorporated as apprentices and appointment of a special rapporteur on human mentors in their programs. rights. With the departure of UNAVEM, a new human rights monitoring structure must be estab- 26) Other work priorities should include: AIDS lished that will also ensure Angolan accountabili- prevention; programs that target reproductive ty in the area of human rights. A team of experi- health, especially family planning counseling; enced child protection officers should be incor- programs that work to rehabilitate children in porated into the effort. particularly difficult circumstances, such as street children and child soldiers; and the rehabilitation 22) Governments must continue to insist that the of health and sanitation infrastructure and train- Angolan Government and UNITA work towards ing of health workers; and the educational infra- stability and peace by investing in the Angolan structure in general. people. Community development efforts need to be established and supported in the long term. Demobilization and disarmament must occur on

30 Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children 32 Glossary of Terms and Acronyms Members of the Delegation

AHA African Humanitarian Aid Mary Diaz is the Director of the Women's CCF Christian Children's Fund Commission for Refugee Women and Children. CIES Center for Information and Education for Development (Italian NGO) Gail Furman, Ph.D., is a child psychologist in CRS Catholic Relief Services private practice and inner city/model school in EPI Expanded Program on Immunization New York City. FNLA National Front for the Liberation of Angola Anne Goldfeld, M.D., is Assistant Professor of ILO International Labor Organization Medicine at the Harvard Medical School, Boston, IMC International Medical Corps Massachusetts. LWF Lutheran World Federation MCH Maternal and Child Health Holly Myers is a member of the Porto la Valley, MINARS Angolan Ministry of Social Assistance California Board of Education and a partner in and Rehabilitation Blue Heron Farms of Lowell, Arkansas. MSF Medecins sans Frontieres MPLA Popular Movement for the Liberation Sandra Sennett Tully is the United Nations of Angola Liaison for CARE International in New York and a NGO Nongovernmental Organization Director of Refugees International. NRC Norwegian Refugee Council SECOR National Institute for Reintegration Acknowledgements TBA Traditional Birth Attendant UCAH UN Department of Humanitarian Anne Goldfeld and Holly Myers wrote this report Affairs/Humanitarian Assistance in collaboration with Mary Diaz, Gail Furman and Coordination Unit Sandra Sennett Tully. The delegation would not USAID US Agency for International have been possible without the help of several Development individuals. In New York, Elizabeth Walker and UNAVEMUN Angola Verification Mission Chakshu Patel of the Women's Commission for UNDP United Nations Development Refugee Women and Children coordinated the Programme logistics and organized the work of the delega- UNHCR UN High Commissioner for Refugees tion, and Diana Quick edited and produced this UNICEF UN Children's Fund report. Susanne Kindler-Adams of the UNHCR UNITA National Union for the Total and Sylvana Giuffrida of the World Food Program Independence of Angola generously gave their time and assistance to the WFP World Food Program organization of meetings and the logistics of the WHO World Health Organization delegation. The WFP provided air transport throughout Angola, without which the work of the delegation would not have been possible. The International Medical Corps graciously offered us office space in Luanda. We are grateful to Ambassador Donald Steinberg and his staff at the U.S. Embassy for their assistance and support. We are deeply indebted to Ambassador Lena Sundh of Sweden, whose hospitality and exper- tise were so graciously extended to us. We are especially appreciative of the time, good will and tremendous expertise that so many individuals shared with us, particularly the Angolan women and children who spoke to us about their experiences during the war and their hopes for the future.

Recovering From 30 Years of War in Angola 31 People with whom the delegation met Health Organization Silvana Giuffrida, World Food Program We would like to thank the following individuals,Ambassador Tamar Golan, Israeli Embassy as well as the.many refugee men, women and Justino Gomes de Costa, Christian Children's children, with whom we met before and during Fund our visit. Without their input and contributions, Sheila Gruden, UCAH our delegation would not have been possible. Seynabou Gueye Tall, Gender and development Consultant Isabel Afonso, Provincial Director, MINARS Maria Joao Gusmao, CIES Michel Balima, UNDP, Luanda James Hamilton, US Embassy Eddie Banks, UN Department of Humanitarian Paul Hes lop, HALO Trust, Kuito Affairs, New York Svein Het land, Norwegian Refugee Aid Felix Bamezon, World Food Program Havard Hoksnes, Norwegian People's Aid Rona Blackwood, CONCERN, Kuito Nicholas Jenks, Director of USAID, US Embassy Conny Braithwaithe, UNHCR Consultant/Minars Maria Joao, CIES Maggie Brown, Christian Children's Fund Karl-Inge Johansen, Norwegian Refugee Council Bob Brox, International Medical Corps, Maquela Thuo M. Kimari, UNHCR, Maquela do Zombo Maria Mercedes Burgos, International Medical Dr. Didier Laureillard, MSF/France, Maquela do Corps, Maquela Zombo Anabela Caiovo Gunga, Provincial Director, Apareinda Leite, Mine Awareness, UNICEF Office of the Promotion and Development of Judith Lewis, United Nations Department of Women Humanitarian Affairs Ana Maria Campos, International Medical Corps, Albino Malungo, Minister of Social Assistance and Maquela Rehabilitation Georgios Caratzoglou, Secor Jose Manzumba da Silva, Christian Children's Philip Chester, World Vision International Fund Douglas Climan, US Embassy Susan Collin Marks, Search for Common Ground, Cecilia Coelho, Economic and Gender Officer, Washington, D.C. Swedish Embassy Pedro Martin, ICRC Prosthetic Center, Luanda Dr. Teresa Cohen, Vice Minister of Health Andrea Masters, Africare Christopher Collier, Novib Carlinda Mateira, Christian Children's Fund Maregarita Congora, Caritas G. Kenneth McGhee, Africare Allan Cain, Development Workshop Patricia McLaughlin, Save the Children (UK) Joana Lina R. Baptista Cristiano, Secretary ofState Timothy McRae, Africare for the Promotion and Development of Women Maria Mpava Medina, Office of Secretary of State Dr. Mary Daly, Development Workshop for the Promotion and Development of Women Bishop Don Francisco de Mata Morisco, Bishop Mendes Munguambe, UNHCR of Uige Susan Nealis, World Learning Filomena Maria dos Santos Correia Victor, Dr. Samson Ngonyani, International Medical Ministry of Assistance and Social Reintegration Corps Josefa Anonia dos Santos Neto Webba, National Berk Nordbakke, Save the Children/Norway Political Commission Elina Novelo, Caritas Henda Ducados Pinto de Andrade, Development Anthony Ohemeng-Boameh, UNDP Workshop Elizabeth Pinho, International Medical Corps Michel P. Dufour, ICRC Helene Pouget, Handicap International, Negage Stanley Dunn, CARE Alexis Robles, US Embassy Michael Finley, International Medical Corps Pascal Remetio, Lutheran World Federation Gerald Fitzpatrick, ICRC Prosthetic Center, Kuito Yves de Roussan, UNICEF, Emergency Christian Fortier, World Food Program Rehabilitation and Field Services Division Dane Fredenburg, International Medical Corps Anne-Sophia Rosette, UNHCR, Uige Guerra Freitas, CARE Pedro Schliesser, businessman Dr. Paulo Froes, Immunizations Division, World

32 Women's Commission forRefugee Women and Children 3 4 Ronan Scully, GOAL Ireland References Ambassador Donald Steinberg, US Embassy Sarah Sullivan, Health Trainer, CARE/Angola, The Africans, David Lamb (Random House, 1987) Kuito Angola: Between. War and Peace. Human Rights Ambassador Lena Sundh, Swedish Embassy Watch Arms Project and Human Rights Ellen Berg Svennaes, journalist Watch/Africa, February 1996 Dimitri Titov, UN Department of Peace Keeping Angola: Promises and Lies, Maier, Karl (London: Operations, New York Serif, 1996) Cesaltina Van-Dunen, Fundo de Apoio Social Angola: The Lusaka Protocol: What Prospect for Dr. Belbina Ventura Felix, Ministry of Health Human Rights? Amnesty International (April Mike Wessels, Christian Children's Fund 1996) Elke Wisch, Search for Common Ground, If This Peace is Real: The Return Home of Washington, D.C. Uprooted Angolans, U.S. Committee on Refugees Roger Wright, UNICEF (December 1995) Feliciana, Christian Children's Fund The Graca Machel Study on the Impact of Armed Dr. Wanda, Caritas Hospital, Maquela do Zombo Conflict on Children, United Nations (November 1996) A special thanks to the children of the Kuito and State Department Human Rights Report to the US Malanje orphanages, their caretakers and the Senate (1995) Christian Children's Fund staff. Thanks, also, to UNHCR Guidelines on the Protection and Care of Chris MacKenzie of the Mines Advisory Group Refugee Children, UNHCR (1994) (UK), John Duly of the UN Department of Peace UNHCR Guidelines on the Protection of Refugee Keeping Operations (New York) and Tom Argent Women, UNHCR (1991) of the U.S. Committee for Refugees (Washington, DC) for providing invaluable background infor- mation.

35

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