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Dr. Jacqueline Kirk and two other women engaged in humanitarian work were killed last week when militants opened fire on their vehicle near Kabul, Afghanistan. The women worked for the New York-based International Rescue Committee (IRC), which has since suspended its humanitarian aid programs in Afghanistan indefinitely.

“These extraordinary individuals were deeply committed to aiding the people of Afghanistan, especially the children who have seen so much strife,” said George Rupp, the president of the IRC.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the target was two vehicles of “the foreign invader forces”.

Jackie Kirk was postdoctoral Research Fellow at the UNESCO Centre, most recently researching gender and education in conflict and post-conflict contexts. She was particularly interested in the lives of women teachers and of adolescent girls.

The Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development, a World Forum Alliance member, posted this message on their website:

"Jackie worked with passion and conviction under difficult circumstances to honour, advocate for, and improve the lives of women and children in emergency/conflict-affected countries. Her bright light will continue to illuminate our work to ensure that young children are included as priorities in the areas of conflict and gender. We will be remembering Jackie and her colleagues at our annual consultation in October focusing on emergencies and young children. Much of Jackie's work can be found at www.ineesite.org under the Gender Task Team."


One of the major themes of the 2009 World Forum on Early Care and Education in Belfast, Northern Ireland, will be the impact of conflict on young children. The World Forum’s International Working Group on Peace Building with Young Children is developing sessions exploring various aspects of this issue. These sessions will build upon the International Working Group's initial publication, From Conflict to Peace Building: The Power of Early Childhood Initiatives.

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