Terrorism, Church and Child Protection ; A case of

Evangelical churches in NairobiJennifer Kaberi, Institute of Child development

Daystar University, Kenya

International conference on the impact of Armed conflict on children and Youth, 7-11, February,2016

THIS PAPER HIGHLIGHTS FINDINGS OF A RESEARCH DONE ON THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN PROTECTING CHILDREN IN NAIROBI KENYA, A CASE OF EVANGELICAL CHURCHES. WITH AN INTERPRETATION OF THE FINDINGS TO TERRORISM

CHRISTIANITY AND TERRORISM

Data source: www.religionofpeace.org

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 20160

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Chart TitleKilled Injured

Number of terrorist attacks against Christians worldwide

CHRISTIANITY AND TERRORISM IN KENYA

•TERRORISM HAS GONE UP 309%,•15 ATTACKS IN 2014, 204 PEOPLE KILLED AND HUNDREDS INJURED•5 CHILDREN KILLED•1000S TRAUMATIZED

WHY KENYA• GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION• ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST• POVERTY• ETHNICITY• LAX LAWS• KIND• INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

TERRORISM IN CHURCH IN KENYA

•19 CHURCH ATTACKS BETWEEN 2011-2015•4 OUT OF WHICH TARGET CHILDREN AREAS

….CONT

• CHILDREN AS RADICALS• INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY

STUDIES ESTIMATES 25% OF ALSHABAB ARE CONVERTED MUSLIMS• CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 8

YEARS OLD BEING RADICALIZED

CONTI….• CHILDREN AS VICTIMS• BABY OSINYA• 16 CHILDREN KILLED

FROM 2011 TO 2015 IN CHURCH ATTACKS • THE GARISSA 149?

(20 KILLED DURING A PRAYER SESSION)

Photo: Daily Nation

TERRORISM, CHURCH AND CHILD PROTECTION

METHODOLOGY• DESCRIPTIVE STUDY EXPLORING THE CHURCH AS A CHILD

PROTECTION SYSTEM IN AFRICA• THREE CHURCHES

• A MIXED METHODOLOGY : • QUESTIONNAIRES, • FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND• KEY INFORMANT

• PARTICIPANTS: • 140 ADULT CHURCH MEMBERS, • 60 CHILDREN • 20 CHURCH LEADERS.

FINDINGS

Opinion on whether children are safe in churchThis shows that most participants viewed the church as safe

FINDINGSWEAKNESS• ALL CHURCH LEADERS BELIEVED THAT TERRORISM IS A MAJOR

CHALLENGE IN PROTECTING CHILDREN“IT HAS HAPPENED IN OTHER CHURCHES AND IT CAN HAPPEN HERE TOO” A CHURCH LEADER

• CHILDREN FEARED THAT TERRORIST CAN ATTACK THE CHURCH‘THE FACT WE ARE LOCATED IN TOWN MAKES IT EASY FOR TERRORIST TO COME AND SHOOT ALL OF US” AN 11 YEAR OLD RESPONDENT DURING AN FGD• MOST CHURCH WORKERS DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO INCASE

OF AN ATTACK• ALL CHURCHES IN THE STUDY HAD ONLY ONE EXIT AND

ENTRANCE

FINDINGSSTRENGTH• ALL CHURCHES HAD SECURITY GUARDS• ALL PEOPLE ENTERING THE CHURCH GO

THROUGH SECURITY CHECKS.• THE CHURCHES HAVE CCTV CAMERAS ALL

AROUND• PASTORS GAVE AFFIRMING AND REASSURING

MESSAGES“OUR PASTOR SAYS WE ARE SAFE BECAUSE JESUS IS HERE” A 9 YEAR OLD GIRL

CONCLUSIONS

• THE FINDINGS CONCLUDED THAT MOST RESPONDENTS THINK THAT TERRORISM IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE IN PROTECTING CHILDREN.• THE CHURCH IS TAKING MEASURES TO

PROTECT HER CONGREGANT AND THE CHILDREN.• HOWEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE

RECCOMENDATIONS

LoveActingMitigatePrepare

RECOMMENDATIONS

•SYSTEM STRENGTHENING

•ADVOCATE

•LAWS AND POLICIES

•TRAINING

REFERENCEARONSON, M (2013), KENYA AND THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR:NEGLECTING HISTORY AND GEOPOLITICS IN APPROACHES TO COUNTERTERRORISM, AFRICAN JOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGY AND JUSTICE STUDIES: AJCJS, VOL.7, #S1&2

BREMMER , L (2015), THESE 5 FACTS EXPLAIN TERRORISM IN KENYA, TIMES, HTTP://TIME.COM/3817586/IAN-BREMMER-FACTS-EXPLAIN-SHABAB-TERROR-ATTACK-KENYA/

BOTHA,A (2014), RADICALISATION IN KENYA RECRUITMENT TO AL-SHABAAB AND THE MOMBASA REPUBLICAN COUNCIL, INSTITUTE FOR SECURITY STUDIES, HTTPS://WWW.ISSAFRICA.ORG/UPLOADS/PAPER265.PDF

KOERSELMAN (2010), RESPONSE TO TERRORISM – A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE,HTTP://WWW.BEREANPUBLISHERS.COM/RESPONSE-TO-TERRORISM-A-CHRISTIAN-PERSPECTIVE/

RCPCH. (2014). CHILD PROTECTION. RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://WWW.RCPCH.AC.UK/IMPROVING-CHILD-HEALTH/CHILD-PROTECTION/CHILD-PROTECTION

REBECCA DAVIS JIM MCCAFFERY, A. C. T. R. G. AND P. T. A. (2012). STRENGTHENING CHILD PROTECTION SYSTEMS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA. RETRIEVED FROM HTTP://WWW.UNICEF.ORG/WCARO/ENGLISH/STRENGTHENING_CHILD_PROTECTION_SYSTEMS_IN_SUB-SAHARAN_AFRICA_-_AUGUST_2012_.PDF

KRAMER, (2014), THE IMPACT OF TERRORISM AND DISASTERS ON CHILDREN. (2013). RETRIEVED FROM HTTPS://WWW.APA.ORG/ABOUT/GR/ISSUES/CYF/DISASTER.ASPX.

Email: jenny.kaberi@gmail.com

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

@dalithso

Jennifer Kaberi