Symposium on War and Children

Organized in collaboration with the Ibn Haldun University Department of Sociology and Yetim Vakfı (Orphan Foundation), the “Symposium on War and Children” will be held on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 09:30 AM to 17:30 PM at the Media and Events Center Event Hall. Bringing together academics and civil society representatives, the symposium will examine the multidimensional impacts of war and armed conflict on children. Journalist and human rights activist Lauren Booth will deliver the keynote address at the event, which will open to discussion the legal, medical, psychosocial, educational, and humanitarian dimensions of the conditions faced by children who bear the heaviest burden of ongoing conflicts worldwide.

Rights, Violations, and Impacts

In the first session, titled “Children in War Environments: Rights, Violations, and Impacts,” Dr. Miray Köse will evaluate the capacity of international law—principally the Convention on the Rights of the Child—to protect children in conflict zones, alongside the role of international mechanisms in prosecuting genocide and war crimes. Dr. Abdirashid Diriye Kalmon will address protection violations such as child soldiering, human trafficking, exploitation, forced displacement, and the heightened vulnerabilities of unaccompanied minors. Op. Dr. Taner Kamacı will discuss threats to child health ranging from war-related injuries and amputations to malnutrition and lack of access to clean drinking water. Dr. Furkan Cinsli will examine the repercussions of trauma, bereavement, and parental loss on children’s mental health, presenting psychosocial support interventions.

Social, Educational, and International Dimensions

In the second session, Asst. Prof. Ayşe Şafak will assess forced migration, refugee camps, and living conditions, while Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Rakipoğlu will evaluate the right to education in conflict zones, inclusive education, and alternative learning models. Assoc. Prof. Mehmet Karanfiloğlu will focus on the media representation of child victims of war, ethical journalism, and disinformation. Concurrently, Dr. Özlem Yücel will address humanitarian diplomacy, obstacles to humanitarian access, and the role of international bodies, notably the United Nations.

Field Testimonies

The third session, titled “War and Children from a Civil Society Perspective: Field Experiences,” will feature representatives from active field organizations sharing firsthand insights. The panel will include Attorney Hüsamettin Orhan, Vice President of the Yetim Vakfı (Orphan Foundation); Ahmet Göksun, Secretary General of the IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation; Yunus Aracı, Deputy General Manager of the Umuda Koşanlar Association; and Dr. Younis Ahmed Adam Yahya, Vice President of the Tadamun Relief and Development Association.

The symposium will conclude with the public reading and presentation of the final symposium declaration at 17:00 PM.