Our Resources
Our focus goes beyond child protection–in order to solve this problem it must be seen as a security concern and security sector actors must be included as part of the solution. Through this prevention-oriented approach, we aim to create the necessary tools and training, supported by research, to better protect children from recruitment, and in so doing, help end this crime against humanity, community-by-community, country-by-country, once and for all.
Vancouver Principles
The Vancouver Principles were co-created by the Dallaire Initiative and
the Government of Canada in 2017. The key principles were informed by 10 years of research, experience and gathering of best practices by the Dallaire Initiative on the critical gaps that existed in the current frameworks of the UN and national security forces to address the prevention of the recruitment and use of child soldiers.
The Vancouver Principles are a set of political commitments endorsed by Member States regarding the prevention of recruitment and use of child soldiers in a peacekeeping context. These intrinsic Principles are geared toward troop and police contributors operating under UN peacekeeping mandates.
Child Soldiers: A handbook for security sector actors
The Dallaire Initiative Handbook for Security Sector Actors, now in its 3rd edition, and available in three languages (English, Arabic, French), is a well-researched, practical tool to help security forces recognize where and how children are vulnerable to being recruited and used, in order to ultimately enhance the protection of children.