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Katelynn Moyer
Action Plan
20 May 2019
The goal of this project is to raise awareness about the children that are involved in war
or war related conflicts in Afghanistan. By spreading awareness, I want to provide support for all
the families that have to go through something like this. Throughout this project, I have focused
on historical contexts, culture, and the way culture influences politics in this country. The
pressures from war and violence have influenced children to become heavily involved in war,
which is illegal due to the fact that it is a war crime. This project encapsulates only small parts of
what these families have had to go through, and my overall goal is to spread awareness to the
war related conflicts. Their youth is being taken away, and their education is being rudely
disrupted. Their environment is full of violence, and thousands of children die because of this.
My school should join me just with the fact of knowing that these children’s education is being
disrupted. Education, something we take advantage of, is being taken away from these children
to learn about combat or other war related material. Every child deserves the chance to a good
education, for a chance to grow. The world should join this movement because of a simple moral
code. This is a child’s life in danger, and we need to make a universal move to keep them safe.
There has been a few attempts in order to help the children in Afghanistan. People
around the world have started to realize that these children need help. When Barack Obama
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6/3/2019 Action Plan - Katelynn Moyer - Google Docs
was president, he tried to combat this issue directly using military forces. Around 9,000 marines
moved into small Afghan towns that surrounded the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan
to try and stop the Taliban and their supplies from coming into Afghanistan (Staff, 2009). The
United States wanted and still do want to stop the Taliban from terrorizing Afghanistan. The
U.S. used the military tactic, kicked the Taliban out of power, and installed a government that
more resembled democracy. “Now, some 9,000 of the new troops surging into the country are
heading to Helmand to expand security and finish the march south. The scope of the time and
manpower dedicated to the effort underscores just how difficult it is to secure the 1,600-mile
frontier between Pakistan and Afghanistan” (Staff, 2009). Even though, U.S. troops have been in
Afghanistan for years, this hasn’t been that successful. The Taliban still have controlled areas,
plan successful attacks, and have children that are still being involved in war related conflict.
Since Pakistan borders Afghanistan, a lot of Afghans fled there. There were Afghan
refugee camps in Pakistan. Pakistan started assistance programs that were directed towards
healthcare and education since Afghanistan wasn’t providing good medical services, and the
Taliban redirected education toward war based and/or combat subjects. In Pakistan,“The
madrassas provided education to both local and refugee children. By 1990, enrollment in state
sponsored primary education in Afghanistan had dropped to a third of pre-conflict figures, many
started to send their children and orphans to madrassas in Pakistan” (British Medical Journal,
2002). Pakistanis were worried about their Afghan neighbors, and wanted to provide relief for
the children that had so much taken away from them. “ A survey of Afghan refugee women and
children in Quetta found that over 80% of children were unregistered and child mortality was
31% (112/366 births). Of those who survived, 67% were severely malnourished, with
malnutrition increasing with age” (British Medical Journal, 2002). Afghan parents were
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6/3/2019 Action Plan - Katelynn Moyer - Google Docs
extremely worried about their children’s health, and wanted them safe, so they sent their children
Groups around the world have started creating organizations to help kids involved in war
1998, the group is a human rights research and advocacy organization that works to end the use
of children in state armed forces and non-state armed groups” (Ending the Use of Child Soldiers,
2018). This organization is based in the United Kingdom, and conducts research on why children
are used, and how they can try and stop the issue. This organization works with nongovernmental
that are local to the countries they work in. These countries include Afghanistan,Central African
Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Myanmar, and Thailand. “The organization
also advocates for the release of child soldiers, promotes their successful reintegration into
society, and fights to hold accountable those who unlawfully recruit children” (Ending the Use of
Child Soldiers, 2018). This organization directly works with locals to discover what would work
best in each different country in order to help the children in that specific area. This organization
has set up good education resources and ways to deal with the trauma from war.
I believe causes of this issue has to do with the violence and turmoil this country has been
in for years and the pressures to withhold and be true to their religion. Also, I believe the way the
Soviet Union left Afghanistan defenseless without a strong government caused the country to
give in so quickly to the Taliban and their unrealistic promises. The fact that these children are
living in poverty, and most think violence is normal has led to this issue of children being used in
war. Scholars have agreed that there needs to be physical interference within the country to make
a difference. Whether they are installing military troops, providing support in a country that
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6/3/2019 Action Plan - Katelynn Moyer - Google Docs
agreement that their education must be reformed so that there isn’t war and combat related
material to be taught to these kids. However, they have not agreed on which tactic is best. They
all have different opinions on what works best, and focus on things like military presence,
education, etc.
I believe my community should help me urge our government to use the education route.
A stronger military defense in Afghanistan will not make a difference in my opinion. It will just
further agitate the Taliban, and continue the violence in this country. However, if we urge the
government to send teachers to Afghanistan, they will be more academically and socially
educated and aware. They will be able to learn core subjects, and we can also have the teachers
focus on teaching how violence isn’t normal, nor is it something that should always be resorted
to. By sending these teachers, they can remove the combat materials from the curriculum, and
help these kids focus on healthier solutions to their problems. The children will be able to learn
better problem solving and critical thinking skills. I believe the best way to solve a problem is
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6/3/2019 Action Plan - Katelynn Moyer - Google Docs
3 The teachers They will This process Human: The This will
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Teachers will
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"Afghanistan war: Marines move in to stop Taliban from Pakistan; As part of Obama's
Afghanistan war surge, some 9,000 marines are moving into small Afghan towns near the border to stop
Taliban soldiers and supplies coming from Pakistan. The view from this new front." Christian Science
Monitor, 23 Dec. 2009. Student Resources In Context,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A215310998/SUIC?u=pl9363&sid=SUIC&xid=35f9854c. Accessed 1
May 2019.
Bhutta, Zulfiqar Ahmed. "Children of war: the real casualties of the Afghan conflict. (Education and
Debate)." British Medical Journal, 9 Feb. 2002, p. 349+. Student Resources In Context,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A83476597/SUIC?u=pl9363&sid=SUIC&xid=a4852c2f. Accessed 25 Feb.
2019.
"Ending the Use of Child Soldiers." Gale Student Resources in Context, Gale, 2018. Student
Resources In Context,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/LUEEJR914100906/SUIC?u=pl9363&sid=SUIC&xid=6ced686a. Accessed 2
May 2019.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1arRGzXOoEp7zJEYf7dwq3frDOSFvrCrKFPbLx08KL1I/edit 7/8
6/3/2019 Action Plan - Katelynn Moyer - Google Docs
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