Committee: Disarmament

Question of: The Use of Child Soldiers

Submitted by: South Africa

Alarmed by the fact that 300,000 children from over 30 different countries are serving as
soldiers in current conflict, some as young as 8 years old,

Realizing that children are physically vulnerable and easily intimidated, making them
obedient soldiers,

Taking into account that children as young as 12 years old are being forced to conscript,

Bearing in mind that once separated from their families, many children regard war as a way
of escaping poverty and as their best chance for survival,

Noting that children are used to gather intelligence, wield AK-47s and M-16s on the front
line, serve as human mine detectors and participate in suicide missions,

Noting with deep concern that children witness and participate in beheadings, amputations,
rape and burnings, which can leave them psychologically traumatised,

Further alarmed by the fact that girls are used as soldiers and subjected to sexual abuse and
undesired pregnancy,

Noting with regret that children are drugged to overcome their reluctance to fight,

Deeply conscious that the immaturity and lack of experience of children may lead them to
suffer higher casualty rates,

Observing that child soldiers may only be schooled in war, which means they are more likely
to be drawn into crime,

Concerned that once children stop fighting they are denied their education and opportunity to
learn civilian job skills,

Recalling that all children are entitled to all rights and freedoms stated in the Convention on
the Rights of a Child, regardless of race, religion or sex,

1. Declares that at least 18 years be the minimum age for all forms of voluntary
recruitment as stated in the optional protocol on the rights of a child;

2. Urges that all member countries ratify the Optional Protocol on the Rights of a
Child;

3. Calls upon member countries to educate children on the reality of war and
strongly suggests that schools be set up in refugee camps, combat zones and
 places where children lack opportunity and security with education offered
through means, such as but not limited to:

a. Setting up temporary buildings for teaching of the children until

permanent settlement is created for the refugees;
b. Employing voluntary teachers to teach the children basic reading and
writing skills and understanding of health, diet and the risk of sexually
transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy;
c. Educating children on the reality of war with special emphasis on the
horrors that becoming a child soldier can entail;
d. Making children aware of the options available to them other than
becoming a child soldier;
e. Getting financial support from charities set up to support the children
subject to exploitation as child soldier;

4. Further urges member countries to take the necessary steps to prevent companies
and other individuals from making small arms available to governments and
armed groups who recruit children as soldiers;

5. Asks to end military training programmes for children that encourage

aggressiveness and discrimination;

6. Requests that in the case of army recruitment any person has to provide age
documentation or an affidavit from parents;

7. Encourages NGOs to set up rehabilitation programmes for former child soldiers

to help reintegration into society, which could include the opportunity for
children to participate in vocational training or apprenticeships;

8. Further asks international organisations, NGOs and civil societies such as

OHCHR (Office of High Commissions for Human Rights), UNHCR (United
Nations High Commission for Refugees), UNICEF (United Nations Children’s
Fund), Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement to work for the implementation of
monitoring of the misuse of children as soldiers;

9. Further requests that action is taken to prevent the spread of drug, alcohol and
sexual abuse, which many child soldiers (especially female ones) are subject to,
which can be done by:

a. Supplying medical and psychological help to the areas where children are
at risk;
b. Offering medical support to prevent the spread of common diseases such
as malnutrition, respiratory and skin infections;
c. Ensuring the provision of immunisation, medicine and other health
services in areas where children are at risk;
 d. Offering education about the risks involved in drug, alcohol and sexual
abuse;

10. Urges that food be supplied to the areas of poverty where children suffer from
malnutrition in order to provide the children with a better diet and to reduce the
need to join the armed forces for sufficient food.