As part of its Darfur-wide campaign "No Child soldiers- Protect Darfur", on 9 December 2014, UNAMID together with the Ministry of Social Affairs, Sudan DDR Commission and UNICEF, visited a centre for former child soldiers near El Fasher town in North Darfur.

During the occasion, the Mission distributed vests with messages that promote the protection of children and against the use of child soldiers.

The North Darfur Director for Social Welfare, Omda Mohammed Abakar, pointed out that El Nasri centre is one of five centres in North Darfur that accommodates former child soldiers while reintegrating them into the community. Since 2009, more than 200 former child soldiers have received support during the reintegration process. “Most of these children have now been enrolled in secondary schools and University as well as received vocational training,” he added.

Other speakers including the North Darfur Minister of Social Affairs, Fatima Ibrahim Ahmed, and the Director of the Centre, Abdullah Muktar Habis, expressed appreciation to UNAMID and UNICEF for its efforts aimed at the protection of children. They also requested for more support in the provision of additional classrooms. On her part, the Minister of Social Affairs also disclosed that the Ministry will implement a plan on the protection of children in the region for the period 2015 in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

On behalf of the former child soldiers, Mohammad Hassab El Kareem Zarq explained that he received vocational training through the centre, and he thanked UNAMID, UNICEF and the Sudan Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration Commission for their support.

"Concerted efforts to eradicate child soldiering in Darfur have gone a long way thanks to the overwhelming support received from communities, authorities and genuine cooperation by all parties to the conflict. The protection of children is at the heart of peace in every society," said Boubacar Dieng, UNAMID Head of Child Protection.