Consequences of Genocide and War for Rwanda's Children
April 4, 2003

Rwandan children still suffer the devastating consequences of the 1994 genocide and the war that preceded and followed it, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. In the 80-page report, “Lasting Wounds: Consequences of Genocide and War for Rwanda’s Children,” Human Rights Watch documents the widespread abuse and exploitation of children in 1994 and since. In the violence nine years ago, hundreds of thousands of children were killed and maimed, physically and psychologically. Hundreds of thousands of children were orphaned and many now try to cope on their own. Families all over the country have opened their homes to needy children but, themselves living in poverty, they have not always respected foster children’s rights. Some children are exploited as domestic servants in exchange for some food and a place to sleep. Thousands have fled to city streets, only to find themselves harassed and arrested by law enforcement officials.

Read the Report
ISBN: 1505A