In commemoration of Mother’s Day in 2003, the State of the World’s Mothers report focuses on the tens of millions of mothers and children whose lives have been shattered by armed conflict, bringing attention to critical protection needs in war-torn communities around the world. The report suggests actions required to support women who are raising the world’s future generations under the most horrific conditions imaginable, and to shield children from the brutal excesses of war.

Protecting Children from the Scourge of War.--Coordinators' Notebook No. 10:  Protecting Children from War (The Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development, 1991). 

Guidelines on protection and care (UNHCR, 1994)

Refugee children face far greater dangers to their safety and well being than the average child. The sudden and violent onset of emergencies, the disruption of families and community structures as well as the acute shortage of resources with which most refugees are confronted, deeply affect the physical and psychological well being of refugee children. displacement and refugee outflows. In the aftermath of emergencies and in the search for solutions, the separation of families and familiar structures continue to affect adversely refugee children of all ages. These are the concerns reflected in the Guidelines, which define the goals and objectives, the principles and practical measures for the protection and assistance of refugee children. By placing children in the context of the family and the community, the Guidelines focus attention on the children's developmental needs, their gender and cultural framework, the special requirements of unaccompanied minors, and the particular problems which arise in the context of repatriation and reintegration.