Editor’s Choice

Dr Vassilia Orfanou, PhD, Post Doc
Headline Diplomat eMagazine

Child soldiering is a heinous violation of human rights, robbing children of their innocence and basic freedoms. Through extensive research, in our upcoming book, we uncover the harsh truth where children, often abducted or deceived, are thrust into armed conflicts, trained to kill, groomed to be killed or forced in combat in brutal environments.

We investigate South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, and Yemen, where extreme poverty, social upheaval, constant conflicts, and limited education opportunities push children into the horrors of war. Our research exposes the harrowing ordeals these young soldiers endure—forced into violent raids, suicide missions, especially boys, with girls equally being subjected to hitting, raping, various forms of sexual and forced marriages.

Despite the efforts of organizations like UNICEF and Save the Children, the scourge of child soldiering persists, with crucial statistics stressing the urgency of the issue and the necessary actions to prevent it. Our book is a direct call to arms, stressing the need for early warning, better media coverage, prevention, reintegration, and justice efforts, and highlights the role of media advocacy in addressing funding gaps, showing the issue to the world, pushing stakeholders to act, and promoting policies to tackle the root causes of child soldiering.

Our work underscores the vulnerability of children in conflict zones. They are not killers – they are victims unwillingly thrust and violently pushed to become killers, soldiers, sexual slaves, or laborers (CSC, 2001) without the necessary collaboration from international organisations, political entities, corporates, and more doing much to prevent it or support these children in any way. They are left in their own fate; dead or alive.

Despite the ratification of the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (OPAC) by 173 nations, child soldiers remain prevalent in over a dozen countries, posing a serious concern for international humanitarian law (Wuilbercq, 2021).

Factors such as poverty and illiteracy contribute to the doubling of child soldiers since 2012 (CSI, 2019), with some joining voluntarily to escape destitution or due to ideological convictions. This crisis is not remote; global tensions increasingly view children as national security threats, sacrificing their lives in the name of conflict.

This book exposes the injustice of child soldiering, discussing the manipulative recruitment tactics and the devastating psychological impact on both soldiers and their communities. It acknowledges the tireless efforts of human rights activists and organizations combating this issue, urging the media to amplify their voices and ensure accountability.

Immediate action from international bodies and political leaders is essential to protect children in conflict zones, with the media playing a crucial role in shaping policy and public perception. Delay in action only exacerbates the risks of violence, exploitation, and abuse for these vulnerable children.

The international community must prioritize children’s rights and facilitate their reintegration into society by providing the means to protect, heal and care for them. Ultimately, we must create a world where no child is coerced into military service, child labour, child abuse or any form of exploitation.

Every child wherever they are should thrive in safety and security.

References:

Wuilbercq, E. (2021) Factbox: Ten facts about child soldiers around the world, Reuters. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN2AC0CB/. Accessed: 17 January 2024.

Children Soldiers Coalition (2001) Global report on child soldiers 2001 launch: Child soldiers – an overview – Afghanistan, ReliefWeb. Available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/global-report-child-soldiers-2001-launch-child-soldiers-overview. Accessed: 17 January 2024.

Concern Worldwide (2023). 12 countries in conflict where concern is responding. Available at: https://www.concern.net/news/countries-in-conflict. Accessed: 18 January 2024.

Featured photo: Yan Krukau: https://www.pexels.com/el-gr/photo/4458033/