NATIONAL LAW INSTITUTE UNIVERSITY

BHOPAL

PROJECT ON

INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW

TOPIC: BAN ON CHILD SOLDIERS

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY:

Miss. Neha Khurrana Rashi Ratna Baksh

Assistant Professor Section- A

NLIU, Bhopal ROLL NO. – 2017BALLB51

1
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

My vocabulary falls short on words to express our hearty gratitude towards International
Humanitarian Law professor Miss. Neha Khurana who gave me the opportunity to work upon
such an astonishing project which helped me in enhancing my thinking skills.

Also, I’d like to thank the prestigious library of NLIU with the material of which I was able
to supplement my project work I want to take out this moment to lastly (but certainly not the
least) thank my parents and The Almighty under whose blessings I am able to conclude this
project. I acknowledge the support of all the aforesaid and start with my project.

Thank you

Rashi Ratna Baksh

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Synopsis 4

2. Introduction 7

3. Significance 8

4. Role of control 10
5. Role of religion 11

6. Logic of evil 12
7. Case studies 14
8. INTERNATIONAL ORGANISTAIONS 17

9. CONCLUSION 20
22
10. BIBLIOGRAPHY

SYNOPSIS

Introduction

3
Throughout military history, children have been extensively involved in military campaigns
even when such practices were against cultural morals. Since the 1970s, a number of
international conventions have attempted to limit the participation of children in armed
conflicts through law. However, a recent report by the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child
Soldiers states that the use and active participation of children in armed conflict is
widespread. The Responsibility to Protect delegates that if a state is unable or unwilling to
protect its population from acts such as child-soldiering, the principle of non-intervention
yields to the international responsibility to protect which encompasses the prevention,
reaction, and rebuilding from mass atrocity crimes. Despite international and regional legal
standards that are put in place, in the last 13 years, the use of child soldiers has spread to
almost every region of the world and to every armed conflict.

The internationally agreed definition for a child soldier is “any person below 18 years of age
who is, or who has been, recruited or used by an armed force or armed group in any capacity,
including but not limited to children, boys and girls, used as fighters, cooks, porters,
messengers, spies or for sexual purposes.” Under this definition, child soldiers aren’t limited
to a child who is taking or has taken a direct part in hostilities. Although there are no exact
figures and the numbers of child soldiers are vaguely estimated, tens of thousands of children,
at least, under the age of eighteen currently serve in government and non-government
military forces. Some of those involved in armed conflict are younger than ten years of age
and nearly two thirds of governments recognize that banning those under eighteen years of
age from military orders is necessary to protect them from the risk of involvement in armed
conflict, to ensure their physical and emotional protection, and that their other rights as
children are respected.

Research Objectives

The research is focused on information on the recruitment of child soldiers for use in armed
conflict.

Statement of problem

Regardless of how children are recruited and of their roles, child soldiers are victims, whose

participation in conflict bears serious implications for their physical and emotional well-

4
being. They are commonly subject to abuse and most of them witness death, killing, and
sexual violence.

Hypothesis

There are many ways for children to become associated with armed forces and groups. Some
children are abducted and beaten into submission, others join military groups to escape
poverty, to defend their communities, out of a feeling of revenge or for other reasons

Research Questions

 What does the term ‘child soldier’ mean?

 What are the various factors that land the children to become a part of the armed
conflict?

Research Methodology

The method of research adopted in this project is doctrinal in nature. It indicates

arranging, ordering and analysis of the legal structure, legal framework and case laws
to search out the new things by extensive surveying of legal literature but without any
fieldwork. The author mainly depended on the primary sources like statutes,
judgements, committee reports and secondary sources like book, journals, articles,
case laws, websites, etc. Internet has provided with a major contribution of most
relevant and latest information on the web which has helped the researcher to explore
the research problem through various dimensions.

Review of Literature

 About the Convention on the Rights of the Child. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2017, from
http://www.unicef.ca/en/policy-advocacy-for-children/about-the-convention-on-therights-
of-the-child
 Action Plans with Armed Forces and Armed Groups Office of the Special Representative of
the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2017,
from https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/our-work/action-plans/
 Enduring Scars: Child Soldiers and Mental Health. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2017, from
http://globalhealth.ie/enduring-scars-child-soldiers-and-mental-health/

5
  , UNICEF launch. (2015, May 19). Retrieved March 30, 2017, from
http://bangsamorodevelopment.org/milf-unicef-launch-children-not-soldiers-campaign/
 Youth, V. O. (n.d.). Liberating Child Soldiers in the Philippines. Retrieved March 30, 2017,
from http://www.voicesofyouth.org/posts/liberating-child-soldiers-in-thephilippines--2
 Child Recruitment and Use Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for
Children and Armed Conflict. (n.d.)., from https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/effects-
of-conflict/six-grave-
 violations/childsoldiers/ Children as soldiers. (n.d.)., from
https://www.unicef.org/sowc96/2csoldrs.htm
 Jazeera, A.). Hundreds of child soldiers released in Philippines. Retrieved March 30, 2017,
from http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/03/hundreds-milfchild-soldiers-released-
philippines-170311064133681.html

INTRODUCTION

A child soldier can be identified as anyone under the age of 18 who is recruited for military
purposes. 1These poor children's futures are taken from them at a very early age and

1
“Who are child soldiers? (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2017, from https://www.child-soldiers.org/who-are-child-
soldiers

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compelled to endure and do something that would be incomprehensible to a human of every
age. In 2003, the number of child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo so
dramatically increased that the military forces were described as "Children's Army." Today,
children are participating in almost every major armed conflict in the world.2

Young boys and girls are recruited as child soldiers. While many are abducted, beaten and
held against their will, there are also children who make their own decision to join a military
organization. Most of them make this decision when they see joining the armed forces or the
rebel group as a means to escape from hardship, compensate for the loss of families or lack of
education, and secure their lives..3 It is devastating to think that these poor young children are
desperate enough to avoid their living conditions that they will willingly join the armed
forces, where they will be subjected to terrible activities. Many child soldiers are engaged in
direct combat, experiencing and engaging in an astonishing amount of killing and violence,
often leading to adverse psychological consequences. It is undeniably wrong to compel a
child, or a person of any age, to bring an end to the life of another human being, but sadly this
is what child soldiers have been brought up to do. They are also seen on the front lines,
assigned to the minefields in front of the older forces, and engaged in a variety of suicide
missions. Any child soldiers are often forced to kill their family and people in their
neighborhood to ensure that they have nowhere to flee.4, The implications that this will have
on a young person are absolutely catastrophic. Many people cannot even try to believe that
they are responsible for murdering one of their own.

Members of the family or one of their best friends. The shame and self-hatred that these child
soldiers are dealing with after such an incident is incomprehensible. Not only are child
soldiers used in military fighting, but often children are often employed as cooks, porters,
messengers, informers and spies. In addition, all their officers and other children in their

2
Becker, J. (2005). Child Soldiers: Changing a Culture of Violence. Human Rights, 32(1), 16-18. Retrieved
from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27880465
3
Who are child soldiers? (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2017, from https://www.child-soldiers.org/who-are-child-
soldiers
4 Facts About Child Soldiers. (2015, April 17). Retrieved March 2, 2017, from
https://www.hrw.org/news/2008/12/03/facts-aboutchild-soldier”
4

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combat units are vulnerable to sexual assault.5These children are put through horrific things
that no child, or anyone, should have to experience.

SIGNIFICANCE

It was estimated that 300 000 child soldiers were used in military conflict around the world in
2003. 6 Each and every one of these children had their innocence taken from them, as they
had been compelled to see the unthinkable. Today, there is still an unresolved topic that
warrants the attention of the world. The mental and physical effects on children used in the
armed forces was devastating. Stuff these child soldiers are exposed to and encountered at
such a young age are likely to impact them for the remainder of their life, whether they are
fortunate enough to make it live. Studies have found that even children who have been
rehabilitated have extreme anxiety and depression. They are also unable to differentiate
between right and wrong, as they have grown up to learn that violence and cruelty are
appropriate to both gain and impose on others. Child soldiers frequently suffer from
headaches, anxiety, addictions, violent behavior and post-traumatic stress disorder. In
Liberia, 90 per cent of child soldiers showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, 65
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per cent showed signs of severe stress disorder and many had suicidal thoughts. It is
devastating to consider that so many young children are suffering from psychiatric illnesses
and psychological challenges due to the terrible experiences they are being forced to endure.
Their never-ending misery could be brought to an end if the preparation of children for use in
armed combat was brought to an end. In addition , young girls are the main targets of sexual
abuse, which not only causes social problems, but also causes sexually transmitted diseases
such as AIDS / HIV. These young children are also physically affected, and many suffer
injuries suffered during the war, including gunshot wounds and stabbing. Although many
suffer from physical injuries suffered although fighting in battle, many of these children are
vulnerable to viruses and other viruses.

5
“Child Recruitment and Use Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and
Armed Conflict. (n.d.). Retrieved March 3, 2017, from https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/effects-of-
conflict/six-grave-violations/child-soldiers/
6
Children, Conflicts and the Military. (n.d.). Retrieved March 03, 2017, from
http://www.globalissues.org/article/82/childrenconflicts-and-the-military
7
Chatterjee, S. (2012, December 9). For Child Soldiers, Every Day Is A Living Nightmare. Forbes Magazine.”

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Both of these children deserve to have the right to access adequate medical care. The
disabilities, diseases and social trauma that these child soldiers are subjected to affect them,
as well as their potential families, and do significant damage to their well-being.

Human rights are the fundamental principles that any citizen is entitled to, to live and to grow
in dignity.8 The interests of children are protected under the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of the Child. Unfortunately, most child soldiers' rights are absolutely abused.
Article 3 of the Charter notes that the best interests of the child should be the primary priority
of any actions concerning the child. As specified in Article 9 of the Charter, all children have
the right not to be removed from their parents against their will if it is not in their best
interests to share with their parents. Article 19 of the Charter defends minors from mental,
emotional and physical violence , including sexual violence and negligent care. Article 27 of
the Charter notes that a child has the right to a quality of living that is sufficient for his or her
physical, emotional , spiritual, moral and social growth and that it is the duty of the parents or
others caring for the child to ensure that they have their basic needs.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child further prohibits children from
going to work that is harmful for their health or schooling, from the use of hazardous drugs,
sexual exploitation, kidnapping or selling, and from cruel and dangerous punishment. Article
38 of the Charter explicitly specifies that 'States Parties shall refrain from recruiting any
person who has not reached the age of 15 years into their armed forces.' 9 This are but a few
reminders of the rights to which every child is entitled. It is deeply tragic that nearly all
children drafted to join the armed forces do not have access to these simple privileges. In
reality, the rights of a child soldier are severely abused and they are totally deprived of their
childhood.

ROLE OF CONTROL

“About the Convention on the Rights of the Child. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2017, from
http://www.unicef.ca/en/policy-advocacyfor-children/about-the-convention-on-the-rights-of-the-child
9
About the Convention on the Rights of the Child. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2017, from
http://www.unicef.ca/en/policy-advocacyfor-children/about-the-convention-on-the-rights-of-the-child”

9
As far as management of child soldiers is concerned, the commanders hold all the influence.
They preserve control by instilling terror into children to keep them from running away and
to ensure that they do what they are told. Leaders have brainwashed the child soldiers to
assume that if they succeed in achieving the mission (including overthrowing the
government) they would be rewarded with money and a higher rank in the army. 10 Children
who violate even the most minor laws are punished with drastic punishments, including
excessive beatings, whipping, canning or being bound up for many days. Child soldiers are
also given alcohol, cocaine and other substances to make them behave "bravely" to carry out
activities that they would otherwise be too afraid to do. Commanders are trying to de-
esensitize child soldiers to brutality by pressuring them to watch and even to take part in the
abuse / killing of others. Child soldiers are often required to follow commands, as failure to
do so may lead to the possibility of being brutally beaten or killed. If the child recruit fails to
comply with the desires or guidelines laid down by their commander, they may theoretically
be tortured or murdered by another child soldier. This form of discipline allows the child
responsible for torturing or murdering the other child to feel a great deal of remorse and often
shines light on the potential outcome if they violate the laws themselves.11

This child soldiers are only small, innocent children. No person of any age should be
compelled to rape or kill another human, and no one deserves to be violently tortured and
humiliated for any purpose whatsoever. The child soldiers' commanders are very barbaric in
their way of retaining dominance and instilling terror into the child recruits to ensure that
they remain obedient to the armed forces of which they are a member. Power is not only in
the hands of the commanders. In certain countries , the government also has a role to play in
the training and use of child soldiers. In South Sudan, for example, the government was
found guilty of drafting child soldiers into their armed units. UNICEF Deputy Executive
Director Justin Forsyth said, "The dream that we all had for the children of this young
country has become “nightmare.12. Both the government and rebel groups across the country
used child soldiers in their armed groups, and they were blackmailing these young boys and
girls to join forces. In 2016 alone, 650 children served in militant groups in South Sudan and
a total of 16 000 child soldiers have been trained since the start of the civil war in December
10
“ How Joseph Kony brainwashes child soldiers. (2014, October 30). Retrieved March 7, 2017, from
http://invisiblechildren.com/blog/2013/11/04/how-joseph-kony-brainwashes-child-soldiers/
11
Coercion and Intimidation of Child Soldiers to Participate in Violence. (2009, July 05). Retrieved March 9,
2017, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2008/04/16/coercion-and-intimidation-child-soldiers-participate-violence
12
(www.dw.com), D. W. (n.d.). South Sudan recruiting child soldiers as renewed civil war looms | News |
DW.COM | 19.08.2016. Retrieved March 9, 2017, from http://www.dw.com/en/south-sudan-recruiting-child-
soldiers-as-renewed-civil-war-looms/a-19486723”

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2013. All parties participating in the war within the country have consistently vowed to
resolve the question of the use of child soldiers in their military forces, but all have refused to
refrain from recruiting them.13 They do this because they think that children are easy targets
that they have the ability to control easily due to the fact that young brains are not difficult to
exploit and that children can do what they are told. It is utterly tragic that these young, naive
brains are being manipulated to the detriment of the welfare and well-being of the child. One
of the former child soldiers in South Sudan says that he expected cooking and cleaning when
he voluntarily joined the armed group in 2016, but was shocked when he was pushed into
direct fighting. If you don't kill on the front line, you're going to be killed. It is devastating to
consider that young boys and girls are continually faced with this problem as child soldiers,
and it is shameful that the government is almost as complicit as opposition groups in some
nations when it comes to hiring children to use in their military forces.

ROLE OF RELIGION

In certain cases , children may choose to join the armed forces to fight for their religious
beliefs. In other examples, the military's religious philosophy that a child may be part of
might be the complete opposite of the child's own religious beliefs. A new worldview can
also lead a child to fully alter what they value and believe in. Religion would also play a
major role in the reintegration of child soldiers after they have been released from the armed
groups that they have previously been part of. Returning to their former religious beliefs or
finding new ones could give children a new sense of purpose and allow them to connect with
something at a very deep and meaningful level. Based on the individual 's situation, this could
be a crucial part of their healing process and could have a huge impact on their lives.

Religion should be used both to restore civilization and to support child soldiers as well as to
abolish civilization, hindering the desire of a child soldier to recover. The goal of the Lord's
Resistance Army in Uganda was to create a community based on the Ten Commandments,

13
ibid

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the primary ethical code of the Old Testament. In certain instances, the texts and motifs of the
Old Testament are used by armed forces to justify the humiliation of female child soldiers.
The Book of Lamentations is an appropriate piece of literature to be used in the process of
reintegration of these child soldiers.

According to Lamentations 5:11, "They raped women in Zion and virgins in the villages of
Judah." Both narratives (cf. Genesis 34; Judges 19; 2 Samuel 13) and legal texts (cf.
Deuteronomy 22:25-27) in the Old Testament mention rape. However, what is echoed in
Lamentations 5:11 differs from the more common discussion of the singular occurrence of
rape in these scriptures. There appears to be a matter of rape as part of the military policy.

This text explores the limitations of these young girls who are seen as child soldiers. For this
cause, these texts may possibly be of benefit to these youngsters, since they can connect to
them and understand that they are not alone.14

LOGIC OF EVIL

Child soldier officers have several explanations as to why they want to enlist individuals
under the age of eighteen into their military forces. It is much easier to frighten and scare a
child into listening to what they are told. A small child will very rarely disobey the orders of
one of their commanders, since they are aware of torture and even fatal repercussions that
come if they violate the law. Kid soldiers are often less likely to run away than adult soldiers,
since they are more quickly confronted by their commanders. These sad, terrified children are
compelled to do the impossible with the relentless danger of torture and death hanging above
their heads if they refuse to follow instructions, and this is something that no adult should
ever have to experience. Their ideals and convictions are often most readily affected by the
fact that their minds are still evolving and very amazing.

Recruiters take advantage of this to brainwash naive children to feel that murdering to
exploiting people is appropriate. Young children, too, have yet to develop a true
understanding of what death is, making it much more effortless for them to kill another

14
“Culture, Religion and the Reintegration of Female Child Soldiers in Northern Uganda . (2010). New York ,
NY: Lang Publishing Inc.”

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person unconsciously. Children or people of any generation, they weren't supposed to destroy
others. The fact that these young child soldiers have been so desensitized to the thought of
death is almost as devastating as it is terrifying. They take full advantage of their young,
impressive brains. Jo Becker says, They are easy to exploit and can do the unspeakable
without challenge or complaint, partially because their values and belief structures are not yet
completely developed. In certain communities, child soldiers—40 per cent of whom might be
girls—are deemed 'cannon feed' to be expendable.15 These young children are human beings,
not material to be wasted on battle. Their lives are just as valuable as everyone else's, but they
are being handled in the worst way possible. In general, children have not developed a great
sense of fear that keeps them from challenging any risky activities they might be assigned.
"Children's and adolescents' personalities are still being developed, which means that they
can be more readily manipulated and managed when they rely on security and direction,"
which makes them more preferable than adults in war. 16. Compared to adult fighters, infants
are often much cheaper to use in battle units. Unlike adults , children do not seek salaries,
17
which make them seem much more favorable to recruiters. It is practically free to hire child
soldiers, since all of them are taken from their homes and are less costly to feed because they
do not need the same servings of food since adults. For these reasons, numerous militant
forces around the world have opted to enlist children over adults to engage in armed struggle.
18

While children are easily intimidated and will do what they are told without question, it is
totally unfair to include them in armed forces. There is no reason to strip a young person of
their youth. The children get the worst treatment possible, since armed gangs greedily take
advantage of their impressionable brains and use them to commit horrific crimes. Any child
soldier deserves the right to his or her childhood, and it is the responsibility of people around
the world to come together and liberate these little children.

CASE STUDY:

15
Stolen kids turned into terrifying killers. (n.d.). Retrieved March 7, 2017, from
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/02/12/child.soldiers/
16
Understanding the Recruitment of Child Soldiers in Africa. (n.d.). Retrieved March 7, 2017, from
http://www.accord.org.za/conflict-trends/understanding-recruitment-child-soldiers-africa
17
Children as soldiers. (n.d.). Retrieved March 7, 2017, from https://www.unicef.org/sowc96/2csoldrs.htm
18
Reich, S. G. (2009, May 22). Think Again: Child Soldiers. Retrieved March 7, 2017, from
http://foreignpolicy.com/2009/05/22/think-again-child-soldiers/”

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 Democratic Republic of Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is situated in West Central Africa, the second largest
country on the continent next to Algeria. Since 1996, more than 20 000 children have been
recruited and used by all the warring parties in the region. These children have considerable
trouble emerging from the camps, which are situated very far from the capital, in order to
discourage the child soldiers from returning to their homes. Out of all these children, girls are
the most abused. Not only are they recruited and used as warriors, but these young girls are
also sexually assaulted, leaving them scarred for the remainder of their life.19

Located in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there has been a great deal of
violence and there are more than ten paramilitary groups active in the area, including Mai-
Mai and RCD-Goma. The country has been in a perpetual state of war since 1996. Children
make up the bulk of the armed forces, accounting for more than 60 per cent of the troops in
the region. These children are young boys and girls between the ages of eight and sixteen
who are either drafted or volunteered to be part of the armed forces. Many children are
allowed to enlist, often even their guardians. In fact, 35% of children drafted to the armed
forces have the approval and consent of their parents. The problem of child soldiers is of
considerable concern in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This country has been going
through conflict and instability for decades, but in 1994, conflict and disarray erupted when
Interahamwe, the Rwandan Hutu rebels, came to the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
fleeing the reprisals that would have come after they had taken part in the mass murder of
Rwandan Tutsis. An extraordinarily complicated conflict broke out, killing millions of
people, half of whom were children under the age of five. It has been estimated that one in
ten child soldiers was identified in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to the
United States, 15-30% of all newly enrolled soldiers in the country's army are under the age
of 18. The use of children in war is beneficial to the army and rebel parties, since the enemy
cannot bring themselves to kill children, resulting in fewer recruits being killed in action.
these children are experiencing and going through have a huge effect on them for their whole
lives. At the age of 15, a child soldier was forced to kill a family, cut their bodies and eat
them. He says his life is now ruined, and he doesn't have much to fight for.20

19
“W. (2007, December 13). Retrieved March 25, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
time_continue=268&v=FIWIQ4Wt4o8”
20
“ Child Soldiers in DRC. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2017, from http://www.child-soldier.org/child-soldiers-
in-drc

14
The Philippines

The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7000 islands situated in South East Asia. The
use of child soldiers is said to have been a significant issue in the Philippines. In 2003, the
Secretary-General 's report to the UN Security Council acknowledged the use of child
soldiers in military struggle by the New People's Army (NPA) and Islamist factions,
including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Abu Sayyaf, as well as government troops.
21
In 2016 , the United Nations confirmed that 17 children have been enlisted and used by the
armed forces in the Philippines. Of those 17 girls, 15 were used as human shields by the
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and the other two were recruited by the NPA. 22 Many
people of the Philippines are living in poverty, frequently unable to feed their families and
fulfil their basic needs. This is one of the key reasons that a child decides to join the armed
forces. They hit a point that they become so anxious to flee their present living condition that
they willingly become a child soldier, without realizing the precarious situation in which they
find themselves.

Some claim that the NPA is seriously breaching children's rights by placing them in very
risky circumstances. Although the Philippines has signed the Convention on the Rights of the
Child and its Optional Protocols, as well as vowed to abolish the practice, progress is slow.
This is mainly because 'children are easily recruited for military purposes because of their
vulnerability. Most are captured and hired by coercion, whilst some are forced to enter to
23
avoid extreme poverty.” While conscription or enrolment of children in military groups is
considered a war crime, this has not prohibited the NPA from using child soldiers.

While the problem of child soldiers is not as common in the Philippines as it is in the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, it still persists in the country and needs to be addressed. It
is important that people become aware of the presence of child soldiers in the Philippines
take steps to make a difference. These children need as much support as they can and deserve
to live a normal life, just like every other child.

Colombia

21
Dispatches: Fighting Over Child Soldiers in the Philippines. (2016, February 16). Retrieved March 30, 2017,
from https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/02/16/dispatches-fighting-over-child-soldiers-philippines
22
Philippines Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.
(n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2017, from https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/countries-caac/philippines/
23
Ibid”

15
Colombia is a country situated in South America, which shares land borders with Venezuela,
Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Brazil. 24The estimates on the number of children participating in
the war varies between the Ministry of Defense, NGOs and other organisations. Some claim
that more than 5000 children have been discharged from criminal groups during this century,
although others suggest that more than 7500 children have been recruited between 1985 and
2014 from all war participants, including guerrillas, and military and state-aligned groups.
The study indicates that of the "more than 5000 youngsters" from criminal groups operating
in Colombia, seventy per cent are boys and thirty per cent are girls. In the latest study from
the Allied Youth, Social Development and Research Organisation, the bulk of the 7,722
youth enlisted between 1985 and 2014 were engaged in war until they were 14 years of age.
Almost thirty-six percent of these children came from environments where problems such as
domestic abuse were present.

The analysis also found that one of the groups most impacted was the indigenous population.
While they constitute three percent of the total population of Colombia, children in these
classes accounted for fourteen percent of those enrolled as demobilized Rebel Armed Forces
of Colombia (FARC) recruits. The25Indigenous children are the most targeted in Colombia,
since this group of people is often disadvantaged and perceived as an easier target. The
problem of child soldiers has been and continues to exist in Colombia.

For decades, the separatists have coerced children against their will to become soldiers. These
children were trained as guerrillas to lay mines and fight. 26 Under a ceasefire deal negotiated
between the government and the FARC, ending fifty-two years of conflict, the guerrilla group
agreed to free all of its surviving child soldiers, most of them between the ages of 16 and 17.
The Government has promised to provide assistance, including psychiatric therapy, to assist
in the demobilization process, since many of the former child soldiers are illiterate and
traumatized.27 While this would be a tough transition for these youngsters, they would obtain
the help they need to re-enter their families properly..

24
“84 Where is Colombia? (2015, October 02). Retrieved March 30, 2017, from
http://www.worldatlas.com/sa/co/where-is-colombia.html
25
The reality of Colombia's child soldiers. (2015, February 26). Retrieved March 30, 2017, from
http://colombiareports.com/realitycolombias-child-soldiers/
26
Clarke, S. M. (2016, September 10). Colombia's FARC rebels release child soldiers. Retrieved March 31, 2017,
from http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/10/americas/farc-colombia-release-child-soldiers/”
27
“R. (2017, January 31). Last Child Soldiers From Colombia's Rebel Ranks to Be Freed. Retrieved March 30,
2017, from http://www.voanews.com/a/last-child-soldiers-from-columbia-rebel-ranks-to-be-freed/3701144.html

16
 International Organizations

The United Nations is making strides in ending the recruiting of child soldiers around the
world, keeping millions of children from being deprived of their childhood and potential. A
global consensus has been reached between Member States that no individual under the age
of 18 should be enlisted and used in military conflict. In 2016, all national armed forces
reported by the Security General as using child soldiers are collaborating with the United
Nations to bring an end to this problem. It is very obvious from the influence of the United
Nations and Member States that 115 000 children have been released from the armed forces
since the year 2000. The priority of the organization is to avoid and settle disputes while
preserving peace.28

This is significant, since causing further tension will only make the situation harder and more
difficult to overcome. The United Nations has since established action plans to be signed by
the parties identified as having perpetrated serious infringements against children in the
Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict. Every action plan is crafted individually for
each group, detailing clear, time-bound actions that will bring the party to an agreement on
international law, de-listing and a much better future for children. Any of the actions
contained in the action plans include criminalizing the recruiting and use of children in armed
conflict, issuing military orders to discourage and avoid the recruiting of child soldiers,
ensuring release and recovery services for former child soldiers, freeing all children listed in
the security forces and carrying out national awareness-raising campaigns and putting an end
to the recruitment of children in armed forces.

To date, twenty-six actors have signed twenty-seven action agreements, including eleven
security forces and fifteen non-state militant groups. Nine of these groups pursued their
action

28
Ending the Use of Child Soldiers Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children
and Armed Conflict. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2017, from https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/press-
release/ending-the-use-of-child-soldiers/”

17
plans in detail and were subsequently de-listed.29 This is a very positive move forward in the
same direction and, as this persists, the number of children used by military forces around the
world will be significantly diminished.

Child Soldiers International, formerly known as the Alliance to Discourage the Use of Child
Soldiers, was founded in 1998 by a number of leading human rights organizations including
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Save the Children. The initial purpose of
this organization was to lobby for a human rights treaty. Prevents the use of minors in the
armed services.30 Conflict (OPAC) was adopted in 2002. Child Soldiers International, based
in London, England, has been an independent human rights organisation operating globally
for six years. The ultimate aim of Child Soldiers International is to end all recruits.

Child Soldiers International is raising awareness about this issue and working tirelessly to get
child soldiers rescued and to get back into society properly. One of the projects on which they
are currently operating is based in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Child Soldiers
International aims to discourage the use of child soldiers in military groups by preparation
and awareness-raising. At the beginning of 2016, 150 girls, former child soldiers, were
interviewed and told about their experiences and needs.

They determined that nearly all the girls interviewed did not emphasize sufficiently how
important schooling was to them. They strongly believe that education is a vital factor in
supporting their reintegration process and will allow them to be embraced by their
communities. One girl in particular said, "If we could go to school, the community will be
kind to us, we'd get some thought, it would benefit us a lot..” 31 These girls should all have the
right to pursue schooling, but sadly their background as child soldiers has stopped them from
doing so. Ensuring that these girls have access to schooling also helps keep them out of
trouble and keeps them from joining the armed forces only to earn enough money to pay for
tuition. For these causes, Child Soldiers International is doing its best to offer education to
these retired child soldiers. Many who didn't miss a lot of school were sent back straight to
the classroom, but the girls who had either had an education or were too old to enter school
were sent back the reading classes. This remarkable group has and aims to do very much for
29
“ Action Plans with Armed Forces and Armed Groups Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-
General for Children and Armed Conflict. (n.d.). Retrieved March 28, 2017, from
https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/our-work/action-plans/
30
C. (2017, June 03). Who are child soldiers? Retrieved March 29, 2017, from https://www.child-
soldiers.org/who-are-child-soldiers 96
31
7 C. (n.d.). Democratic Republic of Congo. Retrieved March 5, 2017, from https://www.child-
soldiers.org/democratic-republic-ofcongo”

18
child soldiers not only in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but also in other countries
around the world.

Solution

One of the alternatives to the problem of child soldiers is the promotion of the adoption of
universal legal principles, particularly those found in the applicable sections of the Optional
Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the prohibition of military recruiting
and use in battle against any citizen under the age of 18. It is important that citizens work
towards fostering the acceptance and enforcement of these principles by all armed forces,
including those who are governmental and non-governmental. This appears to work very
well, as seen in the results from regions across the world, but it also takes some time for
armed forces to begin to free all their child soldiers. An international commitment must be
made to bring an end to the use of child soldiers around the world. Both civil society and
foreign players would continue to campaign.

Children's troops themselves must still be involved in peace negotiations and procedures. In
addition, schooling and other youth programmes, food protection and refugee camp
protection will also help deter the recruiting of child soldiers. This is because many children
enlist to become part of the armed forces when they come from an poor home and want a safe
means of food , housing and schooling. Eliminating these issues will discourage these
children from finding improved living conditions. While this approach would succeed, it is
impossible to ensure that everyone in the world has a healthy supply of food, shelter and
education.

In order to assist in this situation and discourage these children from willingly joining the
armed forces, sustainable growth must take place and ensure that the needs of these children
are fulfilled without hindering the capacity of future generations and fulfil their own needs,
breaking the cycle of children actively deciding to take part in armed conflict. Simply
disseminating knowledge of this horrific problem has the potential to create an impact and
make a difference. When more and more people around the world become aware of the
recruiting of child soldiers, more people can contribute to the cause and continue to take care
of the issue. It is unlikely for a person to be serious about the issue and able to take steps to

19
bring an end to it if they are unaware that the epidemic exists and is taking place in nations all
over the world today.

20
 CONCLUSION

To this day, the problem of child soldiers is very important and significant. It impacts
hundreds of thousands of children all around the world in the most harmful ways imaginable.
Not only are these wretched children deprived of their childhood, but if they are lucky
enough to survive, they will be scarred for the remainder of their life by the terrible
experiences they have been subjected to. Every child soldier 's rights have been severely
abused, and it is vital that they are remembered in the world.

The use of child soldiers in military conflict is utterly unjustified and morally false. These
innocent children should have the right to a happy childhood in which they can succeed and
mature into special individuals. They should not be brainwashed to think that killing and
harming people is reasonable. Their young, stunning brains make them an easy target for
recruiters who take advantage of the fact that they are easily influenced and do what they are
told without doubt. These recruiters are turning these fragile children into heartless murders,
oblivious that what they are doing is wrong and numb to the reality that murdering or
harming another human is not all right. No infant should be used in military conflict under
any conditions. The recruiting of child soldiers must be delayed and stopped at all times. If
people want to make a difference, they have to come together to fight for these girls, after all
they are our future.

21
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