Girls and boys exposed to the horrors of war are often left with long-lasting psychological scars and frequently need psychosocial support upon their release.
If former child soldiers are not successfully reintegrated into society, there is a high risk of them being recruited again, according to Save The Children. Reintegration support programs are often underfunded, aid workers say.
A total of countries have ratified the Optional Protocol of the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict OPAC , which banned the participation of children under 18 in hostilities, but the practice continues in more than a dozen nations. Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict.
September 20, Commentary. June 22, News Release. June 16, News Release. January 27, Witness. November 30, Statement. June 29, Dispatches. May 25, Dispatches. February 7, Statement.
January 31, Dispatches. Others join armed forces to fight for a cause that they or their family support, often with little clear understanding of the implications of their decision.
Being poor, displaced, separated from their families or living in a combat zone can make children particularly vulnerable to being recruited. Armed groups target children for several reasons. Some children will be trained for and participate in armed combat, while others will be given a supporting role.
In almost all cases child soldiers will not have access to formal education. A number of former child combatants from the Central African Republic have reported that they were forced to perform horrific acts, such as killing their own parents as a form of initiation into the armed group. It is thought that this initiation hardens them to brutality and breaks the bonds with their community, making it difficult to return.
Fifty countries still allow children to be recruited into armed forces, according to Child Soldiers International. Many non-state armed groups also recruit children. The UN Secretary-General's annual "name and shame" list for highlighted the armed forces of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for recruiting and using unders for armed conflict.
But non-state armed groups also recruit children in these and other countries. The report said there were at least verified violations by government forces and over 11, by non-state armed groups in the 20 country situations it examined. Read our full policy recommendations here. According to the Paris Principles on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict , a child associated with an armed force State military or security force or armed group non-State actors with arms engaged in conflict refers to 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, spies or for sexual purposes.
Although child soldiers are often forcefully recruited, in a number of armed conflicts it is common for boys and girls to be "pushed" to join an armed force or group, out of fear, coerced, or when left with few other choices. During times of protracted violence, when families are internally displaced or have to cross borders as refugees, communities are attacked, destroyed or occupied, or as families are internally displaced, their lives become chaotic and disruptive.
This chaos can result in separation between family members, including children from their parents. The delicate networks that once offered protection and support to families are often irreparably damaged. This separation leaves children without any means of safety or security, so they choose to become child soldiers as a form of protection. In situations areas of armed conflict, education facilities and personnel routinely face attack. Schools often face interruptions or close entirely.
Where families are displaced by conflict, access to education may be even more limited or non-existent. We commissioned interviews with children affected by armed conflict, and found that when girls and boys can no longer safely access learning, they can begin to feel there is no hope for a job opportunity when they are older or for the future.
For child soldiers, personal financial or familial economic situations rank high as a reason to join. When food and other resources become scarce, the alluring promise of barracks that offer a warm bed and readily available food is difficult to resist.
Conflict can destroy local economies and livelihoods. When families suffer loss of income, the pressure to survive can push parents and caregivers to urge their children to join an armed group — as a hope for the child to be fed by the group or earn an income to contribute to the family. In times of uncertainty or displacement due to armed conflict, children often leave school, their homes, villages and even countries. These circumstances can lead to a sense of isolation.
Joining an armed group and becoming a child soldier provides a sense of identity in that they now belong to a community, despite the level of risk and violence a child often knows they will experience. Community members often feel pressure, or may even want, to play their part.
As a result, elders, leaders, families or parents can pressure children to join an armed group — to gain protection, or to support a cause.
As well, other family members may already be involved in a conflict situation and children will recognise this as an opportunity for deeper connection.
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