Child SoldiersChild Soldiers

Youth Youth Who Who Participate Participate in in Armed Armed ConflictConflict

Child SoldiersChild Soldiers What do you know?What do you know?

During what years of your life are you considered a child?During what years of your life are you considered a child?

How many countries would you guess use child soldiers in How many countries would you guess use child soldiers in today’s world? A few? A lot? today’s world? A few? A lot?

Why would an army want to use child soldiers?Why would an army want to use child soldiers?

Child SoldiersChild Soldiers In FocusIn Focus

““Any child – girl or boy – under the age of 18, Any child – girl or boy – under the age of 18, who is part of any kind of regular or irregular who is part of any kind of regular or irregular

armed force or armed group, including butarmed force or armed group, including butnot limited to combatants, cooks, porters,not limited to combatants, cooks, porters,messengers, and anyone accompanyingmessengers, and anyone accompanying

such groups other than as family members. such groups other than as family members. This includes girls and boys recruited for This includes girls and boys recruited for sexual purposes and/or forced marriage” sexual purposes and/or forced marriage”

(UNICEF).(UNICEF).

Child SoldiersChild Soldiers Who is a child soldier?Who is a child soldier?

There are 300,000 children involved in armed conflicts around the world.There are 300,000 children involved in armed conflicts around the world.

Child soldiers are used in more than 30 countries around the world and range Child soldiers are used in more than 30 countries around the world and range in age from 5 to 17 years old.in age from 5 to 17 years old.

There are approximately 70,000 children in Myanmar’s (Burma’s) government There are approximately 70,000 children in Myanmar’s (Burma’s) government armed forces.armed forces.

Between 1986 and 1996 alone, 2 million children were killed in armed conflict Between 1986 and 1996 alone, 2 million children were killed in armed conflict and over 6 million children were injured. and over 6 million children were injured.

In past conflicts 80-90 percent of casualties were adult soldiers; today, 80-90 In past conflicts 80-90 percent of casualties were adult soldiers; today, 80-90 percent of casualties are women and children.percent of casualties are women and children.Source: “Child Protection: Armed Conflict,” <http://www.unicef.org/protection/index_armedconflict.html> (3 March 2004).Source: “Special Report: Child Soldiers,” 12 December 2003, United Nations: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian

Affairs,<www.IRINnews.org/webspecials/childsoldiers> (3 March 2004).Source: “Child Soldier Use 2003: A Briefing for the 4th UN Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict,” January 2004,

Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers.Source: “Special Report: Child Soldiers,” 12 December 2003, United Nations: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs,

<www.IRINnews.org/webspecials/childsoldiers> (3 March 2004).Source: “Special Report: Child Soldiers,” 12 December 2003, United Nations: Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs,

<www.IRINnews.org/webspecials/childsoldiers> (3 March 2004).

Child SoldiersChild Soldiers Basic FactsBasic Facts

Child soldiers often fight on the front lines of Child soldiers often fight on the front lines of conflict.conflict. They serve as scouts, spies, trainers, They serve as scouts, spies, trainers,

saboteurs, decoys, couriers, guards, and saboteurs, decoys, couriers, guards, and landmine clearers.landmine clearers.

Child soldiers also work indirectly as porters Child soldiers also work indirectly as porters

and domestic servants.and domestic servants. Girl soldiers are often used as sexual Girl soldiers are often used as sexual

slaves or are given as rewards to slaves or are given as rewards to male soldiers as “wives.” male soldiers as “wives.”

Child SoldiersChild Soldiers What do child soldiers do?What do child soldiers do?

Source: MSNBC

Child SoldiersChild Soldiers Where are child soldiers?Where are child soldiers?

Children at War Around the WorldChildren at War Around the World

Source: UN

300,000 children around the world are actively participating in more 300,000 children around the world are actively participating in more than 20 armed conflicts.than 20 armed conflicts.

More than 20,000 children have been abducted and trained as soldiers More than 20,000 children have been abducted and trained as soldiers by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Sudan since May 2002by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in Sudan since May 2002

Some of countries that use child soldiers are Burma, Columbia, Sri Some of countries that use child soldiers are Burma, Columbia, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, Liberia, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Cote Lanka, Rwanda, Liberia, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Cote d'Ivoire. d'Ivoire.

Source: “Child Protection: Armed Conflict,” http://www.unicef.org/protection/index_armedconflict.html (3 March 2004).Source: “UNICEF-led team finds 163 Congolese child soldiers in Uganda,” 22 November 2003, http://www.unicef.org/newsline/01pr19.htm (3 March 2004).Source: “UNICEF-led team finds 163 Congolese child soldiers in Uganda,” 22 November 2003, http://www.unicef.org/newsline/01pr19.htm (3 March 2004).

Child SoldiersChild Soldiers Where are child soldiers?Where are child soldiers?

Child soldiers increase the number of fighters.Child soldiers increase the number of fighters.

Children are more easily manipulated and controlled – they are Children are more easily manipulated and controlled – they are more likely to follow orders without question – than adults.more likely to follow orders without question – than adults.

Children can hide in tight quarters because they are physically Children can hide in tight quarters because they are physically smaller than adults.smaller than adults.

People generally do not suspect children to be soldiers, so they People generally do not suspect children to be soldiers, so they can slip through many security checks unexamined.can slip through many security checks unexamined.

Advances in technology have produced weapons light and Advances in technology have produced weapons light and cheap enough to be used by children.cheap enough to be used by children.

Child SoldiersChild Soldiers Why are there child Why are there child

soldiers?soldiers?

Children in extreme poverty Children in extreme poverty who are desperate for food and who are desperate for food and shelter.shelter.

Children without identification Children without identification papers.papers.

Orphans and children with Orphans and children with weak family structures.weak family structures.

Children living in refugee Children living in refugee camps or conflict zones.camps or conflict zones.

Child SoldiersChild Soldiers Which children are Which children are

affected?affected?

Source: UN

The The Convention on the Rights of the ChildConvention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) signed (CRC) signed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989 by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989 protects children under the age of 15 from involvement in protects children under the age of 15 from involvement in the armed forces.the armed forces. All countries but Somalia and the United States have ratified the All countries but Somalia and the United States have ratified the

CRC.CRC.

A 2000 Protocol (optional addition) to the CRC raised the A 2000 Protocol (optional addition) to the CRC raised the age from 15 to 18 years.age from 15 to 18 years. This Protocol also prohibits non-governmental armed groups This Protocol also prohibits non-governmental armed groups

from recruiting soldiers under the age of 18.from recruiting soldiers under the age of 18.

Child SoldiersChild Soldiers What’s being done to stop the use What’s being done to stop the use

of child soldiers?of child soldiers?

DisarmamentDisarmament: to remove all weapons from the child.: to remove all weapons from the child.

DemobilizationDemobilization: the point at which the child leaves : the point at which the child leaves military life.military life.

Rehabilitation Rehabilitation and and ReintegrationReintegration: : to prepare a child to return to to prepare a child to return to normal life.normal life. Can be difficult for child to readjust.Can be difficult for child to readjust. The UN and NGOs try to provide psychological support, The UN and NGOs try to provide psychological support,

education, and job training.education, and job training.

Child SoldiersChild Soldiers What’s being done to help child soldiers What’s being done to help child soldiers

return to normal life?return to normal life?

Source: BBC