Child Soldiers in LibyaBy Clare, Zoe, and Alex

Area of Slavery: Libya

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/africa/libya/

Murad, 16, lost his leg fighting in Libya’s front line. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2014236/Libya-Children-young-7-trained-fight-Gaddafi.html

A Libyan boy cleaning his gun. Children as young as 7 are being recruited into wars in Libya. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2014236/Libya-Children-young-7-trained-fight-Gaddafi.html

Organizations Combating Child SoldiersUnicef called a conference with the

Government of Chad to get other countries to end the recruitment of child soldiers. Countries that attended were Chad, Central

African Republic, Cameroon, Sudan, Nigeria, Niger and Libya

Unicef not trying to finalize a certain plan for Libya and child soldiers

More Groups Against Child SoldiersUnited Nations closely watching the child

soldier situation in Libya The UN is reminding the Libyan Government

of the laws and morality of protecting the children from being involved in warfare

UN doesn’t seem to be initiating solid action plan either

What Causes Children to Become Soldiers?Armed conflicts are occurring and children are being used to fight in the wars.

Poverty intensifies the situation.All the surrounding countries in the area have

borders that are hard to monitor so vulnerable children are easily recruited

Lack of education and livelihood increases the risk of recruitment for children

Most recruitments take place in rural areas where clan cultures dominate

Lack of authority, authority is initiating recruitment

LRAThe Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA, is a

group with a mix of Christian and native African beliefs.

They were engaged in a revolution up through 2007.

The LRA makes heavy use of child soldiers, abducting them from villages throughout Africa.

Why use Child Soldiers?Child Soldiers are used throughout the world

for a number of reasons:Children can be bought off with offerings of

electronics and moneyChildren have more energy than adultsChildren often don’t have as developed senses

of morality as adults do

Child Soldiers are IllegalSoldiers of the ages 16-18 are legal, but

scorned.Having soldiers younger than that is illegal,

and is an international criminal offense.Despite these laws, there is not real law

enforcement to prevent it from happening

Libya: Political Back Story

Muammar Gaddafi, the general and political leader of Libya for 41 years after seizing power in a military coup, dictated Libya and was involved in multiple terrorist -linked incidents, including 1988’s Lockerbie Bombing.

Gaddafi involved

in bombing of UTA

flight 772 in

retaliation of the French

Gaddafi involved

in bombing of West Berlin night

club 1986

Gaddafi involved

in Lockerbie

1988

Gaddafi involved

in terroris

m

Libyan Opposition Emerges“The demands of the Libyan people began much like those of their neighbors in North Africa and the Middle East--for the protection of their universal rights, for greater political freedom and representative government, for justice and opportunity. But the response of Gaddafi and those still loyal to him stood in stark contrast to the inspiring events of what some called the Arab spring. Gaddafi unleashed a merciless campaign of violence against the Libyan people, including civilian noncombatants, using every tool at his disposal, from artillery barrages, to airstrikes, to the employment of foreign mercenaries.”

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/libya-civil-war.htm

Libyan Rebels Want:• Universal Rights•Greater political freedom•Representative government•Justice•Opportunity

Nato gets involvedThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization

(NATO) becomes involved in the Libyan tension when Gaddafi threatens opposition to death

NATO and the Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) partnered together to end the injustice caused by Gaddafi

At the end of the Libyan Civil War, NATO supports the NTC’s constitutional declaration in August 2011

 By early 2011, Libyan protestors began anti-government demonstrations, organized by activists who rallied by social media. They met in the second largest city in Libya, Benghazi, where they clashed with police and the first of many fatalities began. In February 2011, Gaddafi threatened his opponents with death and reversal of advances of rebel groups to counter their stronghold, initiating response from NATO.From February to September, Gaddafi’s control over Libya quickly dissipated after rebel groups began opposing the dictator’s power.

LIBYAN GLOBAL REPORT 2008

CHILD SOLDIERS IN LIBYAMany child soldiers were forced to take part

in combat in the governmentally organized army when Gaddafi’s troops began to die and bodies were needed on his sideRecruitment of young people

Libya child soldier statsRecruitment

ages for voluntary

and compulsory services are

18

People younger than minimum age

of conscription are involved

in armed forces

Libyans rejoiceLibyans rejoice in the streets of Libya after Gaddafi was killed last week on October 20, 2011. They are finally free from the injustice they endured for around 42 years.

HOW TO TAKE ACTIONMultiple Steps are needed to combat child soldiers in Libya; through these four steps, the problem should quickly diminish:1. Raising Awareness

2. Education3. Government stability with

gradual independence from international organizations

4. Sustainability within Libya and prevention

STEP ONE: raising awarenessNow that Gaddafi died, the demand in Libya

for child soldiers will decline steadily, though the change will not happen overnight

Many national organizations like Unicef and Nato can help spread awareness by writing articles, publishing news stories, and linking up with BBC for broadcasting radio pieces talking about child soldiers

STEP TWO: educationThe public needs to be educated about the effects

of child soldiers and what they endure on a day to day basis

During rehabilitation for saved child soldiers, education needs to be a key part in helping them achieve a different lifestyle and come back to a successful life of job opportunities and knowledge

Education for children should be available as well as other resources to encourage them not to give in to joining the militia, though this will require the government stepping up to help this happen

STEP THREE: Government stability with gradual independence from international organizations

Nato and Unicef can help support Libya in their post civil war state of disarray by economically helping, supporting their movement to more democratic government, and helping to rehabilitate victims of war, including child soldiers

As Libya builds culturally, economically, and politically more independent, local organizations can start partnering with the government and Nato and Unicef can retreat

More organizations should step in to prevent child soldiers being recruited by trying to pass laws and raise awareness instead of simply warning Libya of what is going on

STEP FOUR: Sustainability within Libya and prevention As Libya develops political and economic

stability, the government should increase job opportunity so vulnerability of being trafficked is lower

A self sustained country will be easy to maintain if there is an effective leader who keeps a balance of power and listens to the community

Economic prosperity will come with justice and job productivity. With fair wages and real opportunities, the wealth of Libya will continue to grow as they become more independent

Works CitedSherlock, Ruth. "Child Soldiers sent by Gaddafi to Fight Libyan Rebels."Channel 4 News. N.p., 23 Apr. 2011.

Web. 20 Oct. 2011. www.channel4.com/news/child-soldiers-sent-by-gaddafi-to-fight-libyan-rebels "Libya: Children as young as 7 being trained to fight against Gaddafi | Mail Online." Home | Mail Online. N.p.,

13 July 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2014236/Libya-Children-young-7-trained-fight-Gaddafi.html

"Worst Forms of Child Labor Data."Global March. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. www.globalmarch.org/worstformsreport/world/libya.html/

"Trafficking in Persons." Central Intelligence Agency. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2196.html

"General Assembly Launches Global Plan of Action Against Trafficking in Persons." United Nations. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2010/ga10974.doc.htm

"Press Release - Children and Armed Conflict." Welcome to the United Nations: It's Your World. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2011. http://www.un.org/children/conflict/english/pr/2011-03-09255.html

BBC. Map of Libya. N.d. Map of Libya, Libya. Lonely Planet. Web. 23 Oct. 2011.New York Times. "The Perfect Weapon for the Meanest War." New York Times. New York Times, 29 Apr. 2007.

Web. 26 Oct. 2011. http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/04/29/weekinreview/29gett_CA0.190.jpg"LRA Crisis Tracker." LRA Crisis Tracker. Invisible Children + Resolve, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2011.

www.lracrisistracker.com/ "Children and Human Rights." Amnesty International. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2011.

www.amnesty.org/en/children "Children in Conflict: Child Soldiers ." SOS Children's Villages. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2011.

www.child-soldier.org/