What’s the issue?
A child soldier is any person under the age of 18 who is a member of, or affiliated with government armed forces or any other armed force, whether or not an armed conflict is going on.
Children are uniquely vulnerable to military recruitment and manipulation into violence because they are innocent and impressionable. As a result, children suffer on both physical and emotional levels. If cultures and cycles of violence are perpetuated through children, the ideals of peace and sustainable development come under threat. This reality makes child soldier recruitment a dangerous and urgent issue.
The most disturbing part of this issue is that children are forced to give expression to the hatred of adults.
Quick Facts:
- Child soldiers are active in approximately 17 countries around the world.
- As of 2008, there are over 33 situations of conflict around the globe where children are being exploited to advance the agendas of adults.
- It has been estimated that over 2 million children have been killed in armed conflicts; another 6 million have been permanently disabled; and more than 250,000 children continue to be taken advantage of as child soldiers.
- Girls, as well as boys are recruited to become child soldiers. Many girl soldiers are subjected to serious sexual abuse.
Where are child soldiers used?
The problem is most critical in Africa in places such as Uganda, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Sudan. The issue is also a concern in various parts of the Middle East, Asia and South America.
What do child soldiers do?
The majority of the world's child soldiers are involved in armed political groups including government-backed paramilitary groups and militias. Others are involved in clan-based or factional groups fighting governments and each other to defend territory, resources, religion and culture.
Child soldiers perform, and are forced to perform a range of tasks including:
- participating in combat
- laying mines and explosives
- scouting, spying, acting as decoys, couriers or guards
- training drills or other preparations
- logistical and support functions
- carrying supplies, cooking and domestic labor
- sexual slavery
Children involved in armed conflict are frequently killed or injured during combat or while carrying out the tasks above. Child soldiers are usually forced to live under harsh conditions with insufficient food and little or no access to healthcare. They are almost always subjected to beatings and humiliating treatment. Punishments for mistakes or desertion are often very severe.
Why do they join?
Research by the Human Rights Watch has shown that many adolescents who join armed groups see few alternatives to enlisting. In situations of extreme social and economic pressure, joining a military group may be the only way to ensure food and security. War itself is a major reason for becoming a soldier—when economic, social, community and family structures are ravaged by armed conflict, joining the ranks of the fighters is often the only means of survival. Many child soldiers have reported that their desire to avenge the killing of relatives and to gain status or social recognition is an important motive in their decision.
Family and peer pressure can mean that the choice to become a soldier is more of an ideological or political decision. Joining can sometimes be a necessary path to preserving family honour or tradition. Girl soldiers have joined up to escape domestic service or forced marriage, or to get away from domestic violence and abuse. Unfortunately, armed forces often do not provide much of a break from sexual or physical abuse and forced labour.
What’s being done?
In recent years, the problem of child soldiers has finally come to be taken seriously in a legal framework. In particular, countries have been signing international documents which aim to protect the rights of children and prevent them from involvement in violent groups and conflicts. These include protocols to the UN Declaration of the Rights of a Child and The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. You can get more information at
http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/crp/int-law.htm.
But obviously it’s takes a big leap to convert words on a piece of paper to saving a young child’s life in Uganda. And when you remember it’s not one life but 300, 000 lives all around the world – the idea of taking action becomes even more important.
The International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court (ICC) now seeks to prosecute and punish any person who recruits children under the age of 15 to become soldiers. In June 2007, the ICC convicted three Sierra Leonean military leaders for conscripting child soldiers. This may be a slow start but it sets an important precedent for others to be caught and punished as well.
The United Nations
The UN Security Council has published a series of resolutions condemning the use of child soldiers. The Council recommended the need to target and punish any person who uses children as soldiers or continues to recruit children into armed units. The UN suggested measures such as the suspension of military assistance and weapons to help discourage countries from allowing child soldiers.
Where does Australia stand?
World Vision Australia runs two shelters in Uganda so that children who commute to the military, or have been rescued from the armed forces can enjoy food, blankets, education and support. Ongoing funds are needed to keep these and other projects going.
In 2002 Australia signed an Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. The Protocol raises the age for participation in armed hostilities to 18, and the age of voluntary recruitment to 16. In Australia, the youngest age you can join the army is 17.
This page was updated by kate elise
How do I know this?
Amnesty International
http://www.amnesty.org/en/children
Coalition to stop the use of child soldiers
http://www.child-soldiers.org/childsoldiers/legal-framework
Institute of War and Peace Reporting
http://www.iwpr.net/?p=acr&s=f&o=336525&apc_state=henh
Invisible Children
www.invisiblechildren.com
Human Rights Watch
http://www.hrw.org/campaigns/crp/where.htm
Government Media Release Archive
http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2002/fa151c_02.html
UN site for Children and Armed Conflict
http://www.un.org/children/conflict/english/issues.html
World Vision Australia
http://www.worldvision.com.au/wvconnect/content.asp?topicID=137
