The childrens situation during the Winter War

This essay examines how the children of the Finnish Winter War were treated in the process. It focuses on three questions which are about the children’s’ situation and responsibility in the war. It also examines to what extent the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as a tool can interpret what risks the children's situation put them in. These questions are being answered through an interview with a Finnish war child and a literature study. The interview is reinforced by stories from other children who were repositioned during the war and also from those who were adopted to Sweden. The Convention on the Rights of the Child is used as the theory for understanding the children's situation. It is a tool to describe what needs children have and their needs to have a stable childhood. The essay finds that many children were exposed to events that affected how much time they had to be children and they were forced to take on a role of responsibility in their families. The situation can therefore clearly be said as not optimal for them. Many were forced to grow up too early because of this and were not allowed to participate in decisions or to consider their own feelings. A lot of them ended up falling behind in school and sources at the time were concerned that it could have consequences for their development which is also considered in this essay