The African Union is insisting that children must be protected during times of conflict. It says it's a major issue that needs to be tackled on the continent. CGTN's Coletta Wanjohi has more.

Refugee children from South Sudan are living in these camps in Ethiopia. Some are here with their parents, others have been orphaned by conflict. The African charter of the welfare of the child, which member states have signed up to, demands that in situations of internal armed conflicts, these member states should protect the civilian population, especially children. But African Child Policy Forum, which conducts research for AU member states on this matter says their latest research shows poor governance continues to fuel conflicts.

YEHUALASHET MEKONEN PROGRAM MANAGER, AFRICA CHILD POLICY FORUM "There is frustration from the citizens in terms of really receiving good quality help from the government and when that doesn't happen obviously, the conflicts erupt. So it boils down to the issue of accountability. We want our governments to be as accountable as they could be."

African countries which violate the terms of child welfare during times of conflict include the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan and recently Cameroon. The UN says in each of these countries, children make up the majority of the population. They are not only the most vulnerable; they have been left the furthest behind. Child rights experts say governments must understand that that long-term trauma can be caused as a result of children's experience of conflict.

YEHUALASHET MEKONEN PROGRAMME MANAGER, AFRICA CHILD POLICY FORUM "It may define who they will be in their later life, so it will affect their learning potential, it will affect their earning potential, it will affect how involved citizens will be and how contributory they will be to their country's development. So we have to be aware whatever action is being taken on children has lasting consequences."

The African Union and the UN remain concerned that the trend of conflicts in Africa today is internal as opposed to decades ago when it took place across borders. And it is these internal conflicts that are the hardest to resolve.

COLETTA WANJOHI ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA "The African Union is using different conflict resolution mechanisms to assist countries put an end to wars and unrest. It hopes to achieve this by 2020. But political instability in many of the conflict-torn states, is of concern, and many worry that they will continue to leave children vulnerable. Coletta Wanjohi, CGTN, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia."