Social Justice Challenge

It’s a work in progress!  With your help, we can create a detailed database of book, media and website recommendations regarding this topic.  Don’t hesitate to share your recommendations with us.  All comments on this page will be held for moderation and will not be published.  We will see your recommendations and simply add them in where appropriate.

Book Recommendations

Non-fiction

• Adult
  • War Child by Emmanuel Jal  – memoir
  • The Journey of the Lost Boys: A Story of Courage, Faith and the Sheer Determination to Survive by a Group of Young Boys Called “The Lost Boys of Sudan” by Joan Hecht
  • God Grew Tired Of Us: A Memoir by John Bul Dau
  • A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
  • They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan by Judy A. Bernstein
  • Children at War by P. W. Singer
  • Child Soldiers by Leora Kahn and Luis Moreno-Ocampo
  • Child Soldiers: From Violence to Protection by Michael Wessells
  • First Kill Your Family: Child Soldiers of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army by Peter Eichstaedt
  • One Day the Soldiers Came: Voices of Children in War by Charles London
  • Girl Soldier: A Story of Hope for Northern Uganda’s Children by Faith McDonnell and Grace Akallo
  • Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers Go To War by Jimmie Briggs
  • Child Soldiers in Africa (The Ethnography of Political Violence) by Alcinda Honwana
  • Child, Victim, Soldier: The Loss of Innocence in Uganda by Donald H. Dunson
  • Child Soldier by China Keitetsi
  • Child Soldiers: The Role of Children in Armed Conflict by Ilene Cohn and Guy S. Goodwin-Gill
  • Child Soldiers: Youth Who Participate in Armed Conflict by Laura A. Barnitz
  • Child Soldiers by Leora Kahn
  • Child Soldier: Fighting For My Life by China Keitetsi
  • One Day the Soldiers Came: Voices of Children in War by Charles London
  • Young Soldiers: Why They Choose to Fight by Rachel Brett
  • Children in War by Alan Raymond
• Young Adult
  
  • The Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara
• Middle Grade
• Picture Books

Fiction

• Adult
  • What is the What by Dave Eggers
  • Song for Night by Chris Abani
  • Beasts of No Nation: A Novel by Uzodinma Iweala
• Young Adult
  • AK by Peter Dickinson
• Middle Grade
• Picture Books

Media Recommendations

• Child Soldiers & Children in War Playlist on YouTube
  • EveryWoman- Child Soldier
  • Children of Conflict, Gaza – Part 1
  • Children of Conflict, Gaza – Part 2
  • Children of Conflict, Congo – Part 1
  • Children of Conflict, Congo – Part 2
  • Children of Conflict, Afghanistan – Part 1
  • Children of Conflict, Afghanistan – Part 2
  • War Child Trailer
  • Emmanuel Jal War Child Music Video
  • Child Soldier Youth Project
  • Children of Cong0:  From War to Witches
  • Eye to Eye: Ishmael Beah (CBS News)
  • Amnesty International Child Soldiers Commercial
  • Pakistan – Alina’s Story
• War Child Documentary (trailer)
• War Dance -  Documentary, 2006
• Soldier Child – Documentary, 2005
• Child Soldier – Documentary, 1998
• Child Soldier – Documentary, 2002
• Ezra, The Story of a Child Soldier – Documentary
• Lifestories: The Lost Boys of Sudan – Documentary (trailer)
• Children in War – Documentary
• Children in War Media Spot from ICRC
• UN Children and Armed Conflict Videos (three)
• Lord’s Children – PBS Documentary on Uganda’s Child Soldiers

Websites & Blog Recommendations

• Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers works to prevent the recruitment and use of children as soldiers, to secure their demobilisation and to ensure their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
• Child Soldiers Relief – Advocate on behalf of child soldiers by serving as a central repository of information relating to the topic.
• Congo’s Child Soldiers – Photographer Cedric Gerbehaye photo essay.
• Invisible Children – Using the power of media to inspire young people to help end the longest running war in Africa.
• War Child International Network – To advance the cause of peace through investing hope in the lives of children caught up in the horrors of war.
• Effects of War on Children and Child Development -  Conclusions from Diverse World Literature by Ann Masten (PDF article)
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Children in War – Provides an overview of the issues relating to children in war, offering useful links to other relevant content including international humanitarian law, restoring family links, mine awareness and communication programmes for young people.
• Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (United Nations) – To promote and protect the rights of all children affected by armed conflict.
• UNICEF – Unite for Children
• UNICEF – Impact of Armed Conflict on Children
• Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict – Strives to end violations against children in armed conflicts and to guarantee their rights
• Save the Children – Creating lasting change for children in need in the United States and Around the World.
• Human Rights Watch, Children’s Rights
• World Vision – Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to helping children, families and communities in poverty worldwide.
• Child Fun International -  One-to-one connection made through child sponsorship.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC),  Child Soldiers – Community reintegration of former child soldiers promotes psychosocial healing.  Child and Youth Services – Throughout history, war has exacted an unacceptable toll on children and youth. Today, some 30 armed conflicts rage around the world, with children and youth suffering disproportionately.
• Oxfam International – A confederation of 14 like-minded organizations working together and with partners and allies around the world to bring about lasting change.
• Caritas.org -  The eradication of poverty and social inequality.  Caritas provides assistance to the most vulnerable on behalf of Catholics around the world.
• Children Affected by War: An Introduction to the Issues by the United Nations – Article
• ActionAid -  To work with poor and excluded people to eradicate poverty and injustice.
• Medecins Sans Frontieres – An international, independent, medical humanitarian organisation that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, epidemics, healthcare exclusion and natural or man-made disasters.

Other Items of Note