Fragile Human Rights, threatened Human Dignity: Violence against Children and Women in Armed Conflicts

digital | 24.06.2025 - 26.06.2025
Manager:Nils Fischer, KAAD
Spiritual Advisors:Father Professor Ulrich Engel OP
Father Professor Thomas Eggensperger OP

Armed conflicts around the world show that the weakest members of society are not protected, but often the targets of violence in a variety of ways. This happens despite numerous binding international agreements to protect civilians and parties not involved in the conflict. Children and women are particularly affected by armed violence.

Aid organisations and their staff are confronted with major practical problems, such as access to those affected in war and conflict zones. In addition, their work requires an extraordinarily high degree of emotional and character strength to be able to provide help during the conflict itself and afterwards.

The aim of the digital seminar is to focus on the special group of children and women in armed conflicts, to get to know the international legal framework for their protection and, in discussion with experts, to work out how and what kind of protection is possible and what activities are necessary to better guarantee this.

For this reason, theoretical solutions focussing on international law will be presented and discussed in working groups. On the other hand, practical approaches to help will be presented. To this end, KAAD alumnae and alumni will be involved who are committed to helping children and women in armed conflicts in their daily work and on a voluntary basis. Among others, the Palestinian psychologist and KAAD alumna Nabila Espanioly, Director of the Children's and Women's Aid Centre al-Tufula in Nazareth, will speak and present her work. A representative of UNICEF will introduce the topic of the seminar.