Recognition:Fonts in Use Description:Weaponized Innocence is a newsprint publication that explores the exploitation of children in warfare, combining striking visuals, impactful storytelling, and a thoughtful design. It transitions from the harsh realities of child soldiering to messages of hope and recovery, emphasizing UNICEF’s vital role in protecting and rehabilitating affected children.
Complementing the editorial is The Pinwheel Project, an interactive bonus piece featuring pinwheels adorned with drawings by child survivors and excerpts from Emmanuel Jal and Betty Ejang. Together, the publication and pinwheel kit engage audiences emotionally and intellectually, inspiring advocacy and support for UNICEF’s mission.
Background
Child soldiers represent one of the most harrowing violations of human rights, with tens of thousands of children forced into warfare globally. UNICEF has long fought to protect these children, securing their release, offering rehabilitation, and advocating for systemic change.
Cover
The front cover captures the chaos and horror of child soldiering, with fragmented visuals reflecting the brutality of the issue. In contrast, the back cover features a pinwheel, symbolizing resilience and hope.
Interior
The interior spreads navigate the emotional landscape of child soldiering, transitioning from disjointed, chaotic layouts symbolizing the trauma of war to clean, balanced designs that reflect healing and hope. This visual progression mirrors the journey of recovery and resilience, emphasizing the transformative impact of UNICEF’s efforts.
The interior spreads combine stark infographics and haunting, childlike illustrations to convey the scope and trauma of child soldiering. The infographics provide clarity and context, while the illustrations evoke the emotional toll, creating a powerful balance of information and impact.
The Pinwheel Project
The Pinwheel Project is a hands-on pinwheel-making kit designed for stakeholders and educational campaigns. Assembling the pinwheel serves as a powerful metaphor for rebuilding lives, embodying hope and resilience.
Each pinwheel design showcases a distinctive blend of drawings by former child soldiers and rap lyrics by Emmanuel Jal, a poet and musician who survived child soldiering.
Process
A 9-column grid creates dynamic, asymmetric spreads in the first half and shifts to a clean, informational tone in the second half.
Midjourney AI was used to generate chaotic, childlike, and nightmarish drawings, capturing the fear and horror of experiencing warfare and soldiering through a child’s eyes.