CORDIS

EU research results

CORDIS

Children Born of War - Past, Present and Future

Fact Sheet

Reporting

Results

Objective

The physical and psychosocial impact of armed conflict on children is immense and particularly so, if these children are associated with the enemy. Overwhelming evidence suggests that children born of war (CBOW), i.e. children fathered by foreign soldiers and born to local mothers have been and continue to be a major obstacle to successful integration of both their mothers and themselves into post-conflict societies. At a global level, previous UN studies have further emphasized the lack of research on children born out of forced pregnancies in armed conflict. The proposed network addresses the described shortcomings by advancing the knowledge base through systematic analysis of lived experiences of CBOW in a variety of 20th century conflict and post-conflict situations.
The main research goal is to further our understanding of how (if at all) CBOW in conflict and post-conflict situations are integrated into society; how (if at all) militaries, governments, and nongovernmental policy makers assist this integration process; and how the children's lived experiences reflect broader societal attitudes to memories of war and vice versa. Our vision is to promote scientific excellence by exploiting the specific research expertise and infrastructure of the co-ordinating partner and all participants in order to advance the research competencies and employability of early career researchers. Their enhanced understanding of the challenges of CBOW in volatile societies will inform the normative debates and, ultimately, policies on the reintegration of CBOW into post-conflict societies. By combining historical, social empirical, psychiatric, political, legal, memory, public health and development studies with the discourse surrounding currently enacted humanitarian intervention, insights gained from this network will surpass existing knowledge and will help improve on current integration efforts.

Programme(s)

H2020-EU.1.3.1. - Fostering new skills by means of excellent initial training of researchers

Topic(s)

MSCA-ITN-2014-ETN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN-ETN)

Call for proposal

H2020-MSCA-ITN-2014

See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

MSCA-ITN-ETN - European Training Networks

Coordinator

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

Address

Edgbaston
B15 2tt Birmingham

United Kingdom

Activity type

Higher or Secondary Education Establishments

EU Contribution

€ 819 863,64

Website

Contact the organisation

Participants (11)

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UNIVERSITAET LEIPZIG

Germany

EU Contribution

€ 498 432,96

MAX WEBER STIFTUNG DEUTSCHE GEISTESWISSENSCHAFTLICHE INSTITUTE IM AUSLAND

Germany

UNIVERSITE DE ROUEN NORMANDIE

France

EU Contribution

€ 525 751,20

LATVIJAS UNIVERSITATE

Latvia

EU Contribution

€ 223 577,64

UNIWERSYTET SLASKI

Poland

EU Contribution

€ 224 137,44

KLAIPEDOS UNIVERSITETAS

Lithuania

EU Contribution

€ 220 442,76

UNIVERSITATSMEDIZIN GREIFSWALD KORPERSCHAFT DES OFFENTLICHEN RECHTS

Germany

EU Contribution

€ 249 216,48

UNIVERZITA JANA EVANGELISTY PURKYNE V USTI NAD LABEM

Czechia

EU Contribution

€ 232 422,48

LUDWIG BOLTZMANN GESELLSCHAFT OSTERREICHISCHE VEREINIGUNG ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTLICHEN FORSCHUNG

Austria

EU Contribution

€ 255 934,08

STICHTING REINIER VAN ARKEL

Netherlands

EU Contribution

€ 255 374,28

UNIVERSITAET AUGSBURG

Germany

EU Contribution

€ 224 137,44

Partners (13)

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All Saints University Lira

PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE

GESIS-LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT FUR SOZIALWISSENSCHAFTEN EV

MAX WEBER STIFTUNG DEUTSCHE GEISTESWISSENSCHAFTLICHE INSTITUTE IM AUSLAND

IRONBRIDGE GORGE MUSEUM TRUST LBG

ICON-INSTITUTE GmbH & Co. KG Consulting Gruppe

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

Interperform

Facilitation for Peace and Development

TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY

Centre for Children in Vulnerable Situations

BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION

STATE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OF HIGHER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION RUSSIANSTATE UNIVERSITY FOR THE HUMANITIES

Project information

CHIBOW

Grant agreement ID: 642571

Project website

Status

Closed project

Start date

1 March 2015
End date

28 February 2019

Funded under:

H2020-EU.1.3.1.

Overall budget:

€ 3 729 290,65
EU contribution

€ 3 729 290,40

Coordinated by:

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CHIBOW (Children Born of War - Past, Present and Future)

Reporting period: 2015-03-01 to 2017-02-28

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

As described forcefully by consecutive Special Representatives of the UN Secretary General (UNSRSG) for Children Armed Conflict, the physical and psychosocial impact of armed conflict on children is immense. This is true for all children directly and indirectly affected by hostilities, but the impact is particularly pervasive, if children are associated with the enemy.

The EU acknowledges that at any one given time, at least 300,000 children are participating in armed conflict globally. Studies have further documented the physical and psychosocial impact of armed conflict on children within armed groups as well as during post-conflict situations; and particularly so, if children are perceived to be associated with the enemy – however the enemy may be defined. Yet some significant aspects of this phenomenon have not been addressed in research leading to very considerable personal and societal costs. Researchers and practitioners generally agree that social, economic and political aspects of reintegration are inextricably linked. Overwhelming evidence suggests that CBOW, not only those who are born as a result of systematic rape and forced pregnancies by enemy soldiers but also children born as a result of consensual relations, have been and continue to be a major obstacle to successful integration of both their mothers and themselves into post-conflict societies.

The overall research aim of the CHIBOW project is to improve understanding of the experiences, life courses, educational, social, health outcomes of CBOW relative to their age cohorts in conflict and post-conflict situations through the development of a broader and more advanced knowledge base. By linking historical and anthropological understanding with psychological and psychotherapeutic approaches within an intersectoral setting that directly addresses the translation of research outcomes into strategic programming, this research is both original and innovative. It will aid directly the development of strategies leading to more sustainable solutions to the problem of integration of children fathered by foreign soldiers, or those who have been the result of relationships or gender-based violence rooted in war, into their local communities. Equally significantly for the individuals themselves, it is envisaged that on the basis of a better understanding of the factors contributing to the marginalisation of CBOW more specific intervention at local level will aid the prevention of trauma associated with stigmatization and identity issues experienced by large groups of CBOW and thus mitigate the adverse effect of the children’s biological origin.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

CHIBOW ATC 5 (Oral History workshop) at the German Historical Institute, Warsaw, Poland - Sept 2016

CHIBOW kick-off meeting at Birmingham University, UK - November 2015

CHIBOW ATC 5 at the German Historical Institute Warsaw, Poland – September 2016

CHIBOW ATC 1 & 2 at the University of Graz, Austria - February 2016

CHIBOW network open day at the University of Salzburg, Austria – July 2016

CHIBOW ATC 3 & 4 at Reinier Van Arkel, Den Bosch, Netherlands – June 2016

CHIBOW ATC 1 & 2 at the University of Graz, Austria - February 2016

Project information

CHIBOW

Grant agreement ID: 642571

Project website

Status

Closed project

Start date

1 March 2015
End date

28 February 2019

Funded under:

H2020-EU.1.3.1.

Overall budget:

€ 3 729 290,65
EU contribution

€ 3 729 290,40

Coordinated by:

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

Project information

CHIBOW

Grant agreement ID: 642571

Project website

Status

Closed project

Start date

1 March 2015
End date

28 February 2019

Funded under:

H2020-EU.1.3.1.

Overall budget:

€ 3 729 290,65
EU contribution

€ 3 729 290,40

Coordinated by:

THE UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM

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Last update: 12 July 2017

Record number: 193925

CORDIS

Objective

Coordinator

Participants (11)

Partners (13)

Project information

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CHIBOW (Children Born of War - Past, Present and Future)

Project information

Deliverables

Publications

Project information

Project information

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CORDIS

Objective

Coordinator

Participants (11)

Partners (13)

Project information

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CHIBOW (Children Born of War - Past, Present and Future)

Project information

Deliverables

Publications

Project information

Project information

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