War-Affected Societies and War-Affected Children

Abstract

The article is an overview of essential issues of children's development living under the conditions of war. The concept of `child victims' is discussed. `Victims' include not only killed and wounded children, but also many kinds of child survivors suffering from psychosocial distress. `Victims' include, furthermore, child and adolescent soldiers exposed to militaristic socialization characterized by the unlearning of humaneness. In the work for prevention of war and organized violence, the concept of `peace' should not be reduced to mean the absence of armed struggle and person-to-person violence. It should be expanded, as in modern peace research, to include also structural (societal) and cultural (e.g. mass media) violence. War and organized violence not only produce accumulation of atrocities and victims but also involve the mobilization of counter-movements and dissidents governed by the principles of care, love, sacrifice and solidarity.