the use of children in armed conflict
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
1/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 1
The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
Bryden Frankish
J Toole
May 11, 2016
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
2/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 2
Preface
The use of soldiers in ar is common, ith men ran!in! from a!es 1" u# to their late
60$s and %0$s as they fi!ht for their countries, &ut the countries in need of a more e'#enda&le
fi!hter ha(e resorted to the use of children) Children in the use of armed com&at, or *Child+oldiers, is a !lo&al issue hich has &een #re(alent in the #ast and the #resent, and has the
#otential to &ecome an e(en lar!er issue in the future) -t is estimated that ithin the last 10 years,
o(er 10 million children ha(e &een killed due to ar ./arreau) Many of these children ho
ere killed ere either ounded, dis#laced, or#haned or e'#loited, &ut a maority of those killed
ere child soldiers) Thou!h, due to the lack of co(era!e, this issue has remained a mystery to a
lar!e #art of the orld for a lon! time, hich has alloed the issue to increase in se(erity o(er
the years) ith #ro#er e'#osure and the circulation of knoled!e on the issue, the use of
children in armed com&at ould cease, those ho ha(e used them ould &e &rou!ht to ustice,
and many children$s li(es could &e #reser(ed)
The term child soldier is mentioned sometimes hen talkin! a&out armed conflict in third
orld countries, &ut not many #eo#le actually associate the ord ith its true meanin!) Many
#eo#le really don$t kno hat a child soldier is, hich is due to the minimal knoled!e on the
to#ic &ein! shared) The internationally a!reed u#on definition of a Child +oldier is
A child associated ith an armed force or armed !rou# refers to any #erson &elo 1"years of a!e ho is, or ho has &een, recruited or used &y an armed force or armed !rou#
in any ca#acity, includin! &ut not limited to children, &oys and !irls, used as fi!hters,
cooks, #orters, s#ies or for se'ual #ur#oses .Child 3ecruitment)
Children do sometimes oin the armed !rou#s as they may ant re(en!e or ant to fi!ht for their
countries, &ut the maority are in(oluntarily recruited, usually &ein! forced to oin or atch their
lo(ed ones &e tortured and killed) Currently, there are re#orts of u# to 240,000 children hich are
in(ol(ed ith these armed military !rou#s, and as many as 10 to 50 of them are !irls used asse' sla(es, or *i(es, to the male soldiers .Child +oldiers -nternational) The #resent use and an
increasin! num&er of Child +oldiers ha(e made it a !roin! issue in the orld today, and could
#otentially &ecome an e(en lar!er #ro&lem in the immediate future)
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
3/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 3
The issue of child soldiers is one of !lo&al si!nificance due to the amount of countries
hich use children in armed conflict, and the location of the children ho are affected) -n #ast
studies, the num&er of armed !rou#s hich de#loyed children in armed conflict !re from 70 in
2006, to 4% in 200%, hich is a 72)4 increase .8um&er of Armed) These !rou#s, for the most
#art, are located in de(elo#in! nations in the Middle 9ast, Asia, and Africa, due to their #o(erty
and de#ri(ed ays of life, hich !i(es the children little choice &ut to oin armed !rou#s as a
means to sur(i(e) As of January 2011, it has &een re#orted that there are at least 1: countries
hich de#loy the use of children in armed conflict .Child +oldiers -nternational, and those are
only the ones hich are knon) ith (ery little ne e(idence of countries hich make use of
child soldiers, it is unknon hether the issue has orsened, &ut hat is knon is that it is still
an on!oin! issue #re(alent in the orld today)
ith the shon increase in !rou#s hich recruit and de#loy children in armed conflict,
the !lo&al issue of child soldiers has !ron into a maor concern for countries hich not only
house these !rou#s &ut for countries around the orld hich o##ose them as ell) These factors
contri&ute to the reasons as to hy this issue should &e deemed an international #ro&lem and
should recei(e more attention to #otentially hel# sol(e it)
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
4/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 4
Table of Contents
;reface
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
5/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 5
Summary of Research Methods
This re#ort e'amines the use of children in armed conflict and #ro(ides information on
the history of child soldiers in the #ast and the #resent) -t analy?es the issue and ho it affects the
orld on an international scale) The aim of this re#ort is to #ro(ide a thorou!h understandin! ofthe to#ic and #resent the ma!nitude of ho ha?ardous the issue is on the international scale) The
maority of information included in this re#ort is from knoled!e ac@uired throu!h the use of a
(ariety of research techni@ues such as informational re#orts online, nes#a#er articles,
inter(ies, statements from international or!ani?ations, ellresearched nes articles, multi#le
;F files from or!ani?ations and scholars, and #u&lished orks of e'#erts #ertainin! to the
issue) iki#edia as used as a startin! #oint for research) hene(er #ossi&le, the inclusion of
information from trusted or!ani?ations like U8-C9F, Child +oldiers -nternational, and ar
Child, ere utili?ed in this re#ort) o#in! to #ro(ide a re#ort free of &ias toards any side on the
issue, the inclusion of articles and statements from the !rou#s hich utili?e children for armed
conflict ha(e &een researched so as to ensure that e(ery #ers#ecti(e as re#resented)
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
6/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 6
Background
The use of children in armed conflict, althou!h &rutal due to its unorthodo' recruitment
and trainin! #rocess, isn$t a recent occurrence in society) -t has actually &een a##arent in many
forms throu!hout history, from the ancient /reeks to the =ord$s 3esistance Army, and stillcurrently ith the -slamic +tate of -ra@ and +yria)
-n ancient /reece, it is said that children as youn! as se(en years old ere taken from
their homes and mothers &y +#artan soldiers .The +#artans) These &oys ould &e trained to &e
used on the &attlefield as s#ear carriers, messen!ers, or e(en mechanics, leadin! to them &ein!
thrust into adulthood due to their #artici#ation in conflicts) Much like the ancient /reeks, many
children in the last tenty years ha(e &een taken from their homes forcefully &y militari?ed
!rou#s and used as child soldiers in armed conflict) -n U!anda, children as youn! as ei!ht ha(e&een kidna##ed &y the =ord$s 3esistance Army D=3A for shortE and forced to either oin their
ranks as soldiers or &e killed .Mark) As ell as the =3A$s use of child soldiers, the !rou# hich
is knon as the -slamic +tate of -ra@ and +yria, or more commonly knon as -+-+, has &een
increasin! their use of children in armed conflict &y a sta!!erin! num&er) -n the #ast year, there
has &een a count of ei!htynine child soldiers hich ere killed as suicide &om&ers fi!htin! for
-+-+ .earden) -t is currently unknon ho many children are &ein!, or ha(e &een, recruited &y
-+-+, &ut it is e(ident that they are &ein! recruited and trained to fi!ht for them as child soldiers
due to se(eral #ro#a!anda (ideos, e(idence throu!h conflict, and direct statements from the
!rou# itself)
The maority of child soldiers in the #ast and #resent ha(e &een, and still are, recruited
in(oluntarily throu!h the means of force, &ut a small #ercenta!e of children oin the !rou#
(oluntarily) This is due to a num&er of factors such as maor #o(erty, the discrimination they face
from their (illa!es, and the fear im#osed on them &y the !rou#s themsel(es .3oot Causes) The
!lo&al issue hich is Child +oldiers has &een a #art of humanity$s history in conflicts and has
recently !ron si!nificantly in the #ast fe decades due to more consistent co(era!e around the
orld)
The ars and &attles in(ol(in! the ancient /reeks are classic e'am#les of e'em#lary
conflict ithin the history of society) Unfortunately, the e'#loitation of children to fi!ht for their
armies seem to &e o(erlooked &y many as they ha(e influenced ho child soldiers are used in
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
7/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 7
conflicts #resently) Boys as youn! as se(en years old ould &e taken from their mothers and
forced to train as soldiers, most likely s#endin! the rest of their li(es as a soldier for the +#artan
army .The +#artans) >nce recruited, the +#artan children ould !o throu!h a &rutal trainin!
#rocess until they ere ei!hteen) Throu!h the &rutal trainin! techni@ues such as learnin! skills of
sur(i(al, &ein! fed (ery #oorly, and e(en &ein! forced to march e(eryhere ithout #rotecti(e
footear .Ancient /reek, children ere tau!ht hat as re@uired of them hen it came to
shoin! #ain) They ere told a story of a &oy ho alloed a fo' to che into his stomach
ithout shoin! #ain, so as not to alert his officer that he had hidden a fo' underneath his shirt)
The story concludes ith the line *This as the +#artan ay) .The +#artans) The #ur#ose of
the story as to teach the children to ne(er sho #ain or eakness, as it as ho +#artans
anted their soldiers to act) The use of this story ould #lace fear ithin the &oys and most
likely ha(e an im#act on their mental state, as, ironically, they ere forced to ne(er sho fear
and alays a&ide &y the +#artan ay) The recruitment and trainin! techni@ues used for child
soldiers in today$s society seem to &e influenced &y those used &y the /reeks in the #ast)
A more recent e'am#le of children$s use in armed conflict is the =ord$s 3esistance Army,
or =3A, as they kidna# and force children to fi!ht for them) This as achie(ed &y usin! a (ariety
of techni@ues hich are common#lace ithin the mani#ulation of recruitin! children) The =3A
as formed in the early :0$s, and since then ha(e ado#ted a #olicy hich includes forci&ly
recruitin! and usin! children ithin their armed forces as either soldiers, cooks, #orters or s#ies
.The =ord$s) To a&duct these children, the =3A constantly raided (illa!es in central U!anda,
until 200" durin! the Ju&a ;eace Talks) +ince then, they ha(e &een stayin! close to the &order
re!ions of the emocratic 3e#u&lic of Con!o, +outh +udan, and the Central African 3e#u&lic)
The leader of the =3A, Jose#h ony, has com#lete control o(er the soldiers, hich are mostly
children #resently due to his diminishin! num&ers) -t is said that *
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
8/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 8
identity for the =3A &y #erformin! s#ecial rituals, fa&ricatin! the identity of their
leader, Jose#h ony, into one hich is a !odly, all #oerful &ein!, and finally the
#romise of #oer and ealth to &ri&e the children into fi!htin! for them
Forcin! them to kill their #arents, causin! them to ha(e no family to esca#e to
aily &eatin!s, marchin!, &ullyin! and star(ation to tou!hen the recruits u# Forcin! them to &eat and kill soldiers ho tried to esca#e the =3A
.o Jose#h ony)
9(en if a child ere to esca#e the clutches of the =3A, the lastin! im#act of their &rutality ould
still ha(e an effect on them, #hysically and mentally) Traumati?ed, the children ould &e una&le
to reinte!rate &ack into society #ro#erly due to their #oor mental state) hen the children ould
return home, some ould dis#lay (iolent &eha(iour hich ould re@uire them to see s#ecialists
and hel# them reha&ilitate for multi#le years .Child +oldiers in U!anda) 8orman >kello, a
former child soldier ho as a&ducted &y the =3A, had trou&le &ein! &ack ith his #arents after
esca#in!) e admitted that *The ay - &eha(e, it as (ery rou!h, e(en to my #arents,$ says
8orman) I+ometimes e(en my #lan as a&out killin! them).+torr) The &rutal techni@ues the
=3A used to transform the children into killers, alon! ith the lastin! im#act it had on those ho
esca#ed, has led to thousands of children to &ecome affected .KA on Jose#h ony in a
ne!ati(e ay)
The #re(ention of children &ein! used in armed conflict has in(ol(ed the use of
com#anies and las hich ere #ut in #lace as a result of this issue) Many com#anies, such as
Invisible Childrenand Child Soldiers International, ha(e &een created as a means to #ro(ide
e'#osure for the issue, and to hel# #re(ent the recruitment of child soldiers) As ell, the
im#lementation of certain las, like in 200% ith the ;aris ;rinci#les on the -n(ol(ement of
Children in Armed Conflict, ha(e &een #ut in #lace to #re(ent the recruitment of children in
armed conflict .Child 3ecruitment and Use)
The #ast instances and increase in the use of children in armed conflict are e(ident in
o(er 1: countries s#annin! across the !lo&e) .Child +oldiers -nternational G FAs L+ee
A##endi' - The mani#ulation and e'#loitation of these minors not only affects the children
themsel(es, &ut also those ho ha(e to fi!ht a!ainst them) The soldiers ho see child soldiers in
com&at sometimes are hesitant a&out fi!htin! a!ainst children, as they are, for the most #art,
forced into the situation .a#lan) By knoin! the ma!nitude and e'#loitation of the use of
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
9/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 9
children in armed conflict, hich has &een e(ident in the #ast and currently in the #resent, one
can fully understand ho im#ortant it is that this issue !ains more su##ort from society to hel#
#ut a sto# to this horrific act)
Expert
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
10/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 1
r) ;eter ) +in!er is the author of se(eral aard innin! &ooks #ertainin! to the
different as#ects of ar) e studied at ar(ard Uni(ersity and recei(ed his ;h)) in /o(ernment,
and has also recei(ed his B)A) from ;rinceton Uni(ersity) e is the founder of his on
technolo!y ad(isory firm called 8eo=uddite, is an accom#lished author, and is currently an
editor forPopular Science. +ome of his most nota&le ork ha(e &een featured in many maor
media outlets, such as theBoston Globe, theWorld Policy Journal,theLos Angeles i!es and
the Washington Post. r) +in!er has s#oken at o(er %0 uni(ersities around the orld and has
&een named as one of the to# 100 inno(ators of the nation &y"e#ense $e%s.As ell, r) +in!er
has ritten a multitude of articles and an aard innin! &ook on the issue of child soldiers and
the atrocities they ha(e faced .+in!er =os)
hen #eo#le associate children ith ar, they don$t reali?e that they actually #lay a
much lar!er role ithin the conflict itself as a child soldier) r) +in!er tries to remedy that notion
&y educatin! those in the dark a&out the issue, and its effects on not only the outcome of the
conflict itself &ut also on those directly affected &y it) e &rin!s li!ht to the issues throu!h his
&ook, Children at War, and throu!h se(eral articles hich e'#lain the history &ehind children
in(ol(ed in armed conflict) e has also #ro#osed se(eral solutions to the #ro&lem itself, statin!
that endin! the use of child soldiers is *not only a moral o&li!ation &ut a strate!ic
mandate).+in!er, 3o&ots)
r) +in!er has &een an ad(ocate for the s#read of knoled!e on the issue of child soldiers
since 2001 hen he #u&lished his #a#er, Caution& Children at War) -n the #a#er, +in!er descri&es
hat he &elie(es are the main three factors hich lead to children &ecomin! in(ol(ed in armed
conflict) These factors include #ools of #otential recruits &ein! created due to ar, #o(erty and
!lo&ali?ations, inno(ations in !uns hich allo children to use them more effecti(ely, and the
lo cost of children com#ared to the normal adult soldier) e !oes on and says *The ultimate
aim is to foster a de#endency that &inds children to their armed or!ani?ation) .+in!er, 3o&ots)
Children ho ha(e &een recruited either (oluntarily or in(oluntarily soon &ecome accustomed to
their ne ay of life and start to conform to their ne leaders, hich is dan!erous to themsel(es
and those they affect directly)
r) +in!er has !athered research of hy children seem to follo orders &lindly and #ut
themsel(es at risk ithout thinkin! of the conse@uences) e connects these choices ith a
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
11/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 11
central theme #resent in almost e(ery case, hich is fear .+in!er 3o&ots) The fear is hat &inds
children to their armed !rou#s and dictates ho they res#ond to orders !i(en to them &y their
commanders) hen +in!er inter(ieed a ten year old &oy, he learned that the armed !rou#s
hich recruited him forced the &oy to kill another child soldier as a means to o(ercome the fear
he felt a&out killin! .+in!er Children) This is ironic &ecause &y killin! the &oy and *o(ercomin!
the fear, a ne fear as aakened ithinN one hich as of his su#eriors ho forced him to
kill)
r) +in!er$s #ersonal stance on child soldiers is that *There is no moral e'cuse for
sendin! children into &attle, &ut the dark reality is that this terri&le #ractice is a re!ular feature of
modern arfare).+in!er Fi!htin!) e &elie(es it isn$t ri!ht to send a child to fi!ht in a ar, and
also thinks that &y lettin! !rou#s similar to the ay Al aeda used children, that they further
their influence and !ras# on society .+in!er Fi!htin!)
ith a (ast knoled!e on the su&ect of child soldiers, r) +in!er has some #ro#osed
ideas hich #ertain to aidin! in the end of use of children in armed conflict) For forces hich
must en!a!e children on the &attlefield, +in!er su!!ests all soldiers should follo a sim#le set of
fi(e !uidelines) They areH
-ntelli!enceN kno the stren!th of o##osin! force
Force ;rotectionN some children #ose risks, meanin! all situations must &e
handled as if e(ery child is a risk
9n!a!ementN &e aare of e(ery situation &y firin! a arnin! shot.s to shock
o##osin! force, #ro(idin! esca#e routes for the affected child, and en!a!in! the
source of #oer, hich is usually the adult fi!ure
AftermathN those affected may re@uire immediate assistance after conflict
Break the CycleN #ro(ide and su##ort #ro#er reha&ilitation for those affected
.+in!er 3o&ots
Throu!h the use of these tactics, soldiers could #ro(ide sal(ation for child soldiers and !rant
them access to a much &etter #ostconflict life)
Attackin! the issue of child soldiers at the root of the #ro&lem is another key factor hich
could hel# a&olish the use of children in armed conflict) r) +in!er &elie(es that &y limitin! the
#otential for recruitment and restrainin! armed !rou#s access to children, the total num&er of
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
12/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 12
minors hich are recruited could encounter a hea(y decrease) e deduces that &y limitin! the
amount of !uns !i(en to !rou#s usin! children, a##rehendin! those in #oer hich allo the
#rocess to continue, eliminatin! #rofits hich com#anies !ain from !rou#s utili?in! child
soldiers, and im#lementin! aid #ro!rams to hel# reha&ilitate those affected .+in!er =os, the
on!oin! issue of child soldiers ould come to a halt) Most im#ortantly, +in!er &elie(es that the
issue is at the hands of those ith the res#onsi&ility, hich are the !o(ernments and militaries of
the countries affected directly) -f they reali?ed the se(erity of the issue and took a##ro#riate
action, +in!er thinks the cycle of child soldiers ould come to an end .+in!er, ;eter ) =os)
r) ;eter ) +in!er$s thorou!h knoled!e of child soldiers has the #oer to &rin! li!ht to
an issue cast in the darkness, and he has the a&ility to #ro(ide knoled!e of the use of child
soldiers to the orld due to his influence on society) The use of children in armed com&at is a
tra!edy un&eknon to most and is one hich should &e ended immediately)
Role of Control
/rou#s and countries hich utili?e children for armed com&at stri(e for com#lete control
o(er not only their actions &ut their minds as ell) They try to achie(e this &y the means of a
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
13/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 13
com&ination of mani#ulati(e techni@ues) Throu!h the use of &rainashin!, merciless killin!, and
fear, many armed !rou#s are (ery accom#lished at maintainin! the control they ha(e o(er
children)
A (ery common techni@ue used &y armed !rou#s to maintain control o(er the children is&rainashin!) As r) =arence ilson defines it, *Brainashin! is the systematic, and alays
(iolent, &ut not alays conscious, distortion or conditionin! of the mind of another #erson for
selfish or other harmful #ur#oses usin! o#erant conditionin!) .ilson) -n the case of children
&ein! &rainashed for armed conflict, the (ictim, hich is the child, is often mani#ulated for
selfish intentions &y the #er#etrator, hich are the armed !rou#s ho ha(e control o(er the child)
A common tactic amon! armed !rou#s to maintain control is usin! intimidation and constant
threats) As a ay to make the children com#ly ith their demands, the commanders ould
threaten the children ith death or #unishment directly, and if that didn$t ork, they ould mo(e
on and threaten the li(es of the child$s family .+alinas) These !rou#s usually inflicted (iolence
on the child, such as &eatin! them senselessly, or e(en forcin! the child to inflict (iolence on
others) This included their on families and other child soldiers, as a means to distort or
condition their minds into fi!htin! for them)
Throu!h the im#lementation of techni@ues such as &rainashin!, current radical !rou#s
such as the =3A and -+-+ are a&le to maintain their control o(er children and force them to
#artici#ate in armed conflict) From 1:"" to 2007 alone, the =3A ha(e kidna##ed o(er 50,000
kids .*ey +tatistics, and an estimated total of ei!htynine children under the a!e of ei!hteen
ha(e died since the &e!innin! of 2014 as suicide &om&ers for -+-+ .Bloom) /rou#s such as the
=3A and -+-+ are dan!erous as they are illin! to kidna# and em#loy children in com&at
situations) +imilarly, other military !rou#s hich use child soldiers are usually located in
im#o(erished areas torn a#art &y ar) This !rants them the o##ortunity to take ad(anta!e of the
situation and o##ose the !o(ernments they des#ise &y em#loyin! children in their ranks) As
e&ster Uni(ersity #rofessor, Ale'andre J) Oautra(ers states, *-t can &e ar!ued that #aramilitary
or re&el !rou#s ill more fre@uently resort to the use of child soldiers, as these !rou#s are often
acti(e a!ainst authoritarian re!imes) .Oautra(ers, Ale'andre J)) By utili?in! children ithin
their ranks, radical !rou#s similar to -+-+ and the =3A are a&le to mani#ulate their soldiers and
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
14/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 14
refuse to com#ly ith their !o(ernments, #uttin! them in control of not only their situations &ut
their soldiers as ell)
ith !rou#s like -+-+ and the =3A in control o(er children and forcin! them to
#artici#ate in armed conflict, countries ith o##osed !o(ernments located in im#o(erishedcountries need to take action to re!ain their control o(er !rou#s hich use child soldiers) *There
are thousands of child soldiers in(ol(ed in the conflicts affectin! Chad, Central African 3e#u&lic
DCA3E and +udan.U8-C9F +eeks stated Mar?io Ba&ille, a re#resentati(e and child$s ri!ht
acti(ist for the !rou# U8-C9F ho as stationed in Chad durin! 2010 and itnessed the
atrocities first hand) The im#o(erished countries and nations, much like Chad and +udan, hich
are affected &y radical !rou#s ho em#loy child soldiers ha(e lost control of the situation and
ha(e alloed the military !rou#s to commit crimes hich could &e held accounta&le in front of
the -nternational Criminal Court .U8-C9F +eeks) ith #ro#er control of the situation and the
im#lementation of ne re!ulations hich #re(ent the recruitment of children for armed conflict,
countries and !o(ernments could hel# #ut an end to the issue of child soldiers)
Children ho are used for armed conflict has &een an issue for countless years, affectin!
multi#le #eo#le and countries around the orld) Those affected directly, and indirectly from
child soldiers include the families ho lost their children, the !o(ernment ho o##ose the
!rou#s hich use children, and the soldiers ho ha(e to face the children on the &attlefield
.a#lan) These mentioned !rou#s and the countless others are affected &y the issue of child
soldiers and ha(e the most in(ested in #re(entin! the recruitment of children in the future) The
mani#ulation and e'#loitation of child soldiers ha(e also rallied the su##ort of do?ens of
inde#endent and international or!ani?ations hich fi!ht for the ri!hts of children from all o(er
the orld, includin! !rou#s such as ar Child, -n(isi&le Children, Child +oldiers -nternational,
and the U8)
Accordin! to a re#ort from the U8, 25 #arties, ele(en of them &ein! !o(ernment forces
and the other tel(e &ein! nonstate armed forces, ha(e si!ned an a!reement to follo an action
#lan hich hel#s #re(ent recruitment &y im#lementin! security measures, and #ro(idin! the
o##ortunity for reinte!ration &ack into society for child soldiers .Action ;lans) These !rou#s
mentioned are the ones hich ha(e &een affected &y this issue the most, &ut out of the tenty
three !rou#s hich si!ned, only nine ha(e actually folloed throu!h on their #lan to hel#
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
15/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 15
#re(ent recruitment, and reha&ilitate children ho ere affected) The countries affected directly
&y this issue aren$t the only ones ho should &e!in to take the issue more seriously, and as
author ;eter ) +in!er states, *The use of child soldiers makes conflicts easier to start, harder to
end and #eace a!reements more difficult to maintain) .+in!er) hen fi!htin! a!ainst !rou#s
hich utili?e children as soldiers, countries must reali?e that not assistin! in the resolution of the
issue is only im#edin! their #ro!ress in endin! the conflict sooner)
-n conclusion, ithout #ro#erly acknoled!in! the issue of child soldiers, it is e(ident
that it &ecomes much more accessi&le for armed !rou#s to start an unanted conflict) Those ho
ish to a(oid conflict and ar alto!ether should &e the ones ho care the most a&out the issue of
child soldiers, as it has the #otential to assist &oth those ho ant to a(oid hostilities and those
ho are directly affected &y child soldiers that are utili?ed for armed conflict)
Logic of Eil
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
16/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 16
To o&ser(e throu!h another$s #ers#ecti(e and deci#her hy they ustify their actions or
&eliefsN this is the #remise &ehind the lo!ic of e(il) -n the case of child soldiers, the lo!ic &ehind
the utili?ation of children for armed conflict is ho the !rou#s ustify their actions, or in other
ords, the lo!ic &ehind their e(il is hy they use child soldiers) Many s#eculate that !rou#s
hich use children in armed conflict are sim#ly e(il and must &e sto##ed) But to truly
understand the com#le'ity of the use of child soldiers, one must analy?e the thou!ht #rocess
hich armed !rou#s for!o to ustify hy they recruit children and reali?e ho they rationali?e
their actions)
Many radical !rou#s hich ha(e a stron! reli!ious &ack!round &elie(e that the use of
children as soldiers is ustified &ecause of ho they inter#ret hat is said in their reli!ious te't)
-n the ei!hth edition of the"abi', hich is the -slamic +tate$s #ro#a!anda ma!a?ine, it states
that
The -slamic +tate has taken u#on itself to fulfill the UmmahPs .the !lo&al community of
Muslims duty toard this !eneration &y #re#arin! it to face the crusaders and their allies
in defense of -slam) ))) -t has esta&lished institutes for these lion cu&s to train and hone
their military skills< .;aras?c?uk
-+-+$s &eliefs and inter#retations of their reli!ion aid them in ustifyin! their use of their *lion
cu&s, hich is ho -+-+ refers to their child militants, .;aras?c?uk in com&at)
+imilar to ho -+-+$s reli!ious (ies arrant their use of child soldiers, ;akistani and
Muslim militants ustify their actions of recruitin! children &ecause of their reli!ion) They
&elie(e that children are ust tools hich their !ods ha(e !i(en them, and they also thank Allah
for #ro(idin! them ith an unlimited num&er of children to use for com&at) .Franklin) These
may ust &e different inter#retations of se(eral reli!ious te'ts, &ut they do #ro(ide ustification
from the #er#etrators #ers#ecti(e, alloin! them to continue their actions as if they ere
folloin! their !od$s ishes)
Child soldiers are (ery &eneficial to armed !rou#s as they ha(e se(eral contri&utin!
factors that are desira&le, such as their (ulnera&ility and their effecti(eness in armed conflict)
/rou#s sometimes ha(e children (oluntarily oin as they are in com#licated situations here
they are more (ulnera&le if they aren$t #art of the !rou#) This allos armed !rou#s to !ain #lenty
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
17/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 17
of e'#enda&le soldiers, hich usually oin &ecause it !rants them access to food and shelter
.3oot Causes) +ome Maoist commanders ustify their use of these children ho (olunteer &y
sayin! *e cannot sto# the children ho are im#ressed ith our ideolo!y and interested in our
#arty acti(ities
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
18/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 18
thousands of youn! men and middle a!ed men, they also take hundreds if not thousands of
children .hy +outh +udan$s) ithout the fear of &ein! #rosecuted for their actions of
recruitin! children, +outh +udan commanders ha(e little incenti(e to sto#, due to their need for
the num&ers to fill their ranks) As ell, ith &irth rates in +outh +udan reachin! almost dou&le
the orld a(era!e in 2015, .Birth 3ate and the #o(erty headcount in 2010 &ein! ust o(er 40
.;o(erty K 9@uity, there is a #lentiful su##ly of children hich ould &e easy tar!ets for the
commanders to recruit) 3ecent estimates &y the U8 declare that the median a!e of +outh +udan
is 1")% years old .+outh +udan ;o#ulation, meanin! that the country has a (ery youn!
#o#ulation) This all #ertains to the issue of the commanders$ lo!ic, hich is that they need to fill
their ranks, and they aren$t afraid to use children since they make u# a lar!e #art of the
#o#ulation)
To understand a situation in hich a !rou# or country uses child soldiers, one must look
from the #ers#ecti(e of the #er#etrators and reali?e the lo!ic to the e(il they commit) For some,
the reliance on children in armed conflict is too im#ortant for their cause, hile for others, they
&elie(e the use of child soldiers is an atrocity hich must &e sto##ed, no matter the
conse@uences) The de#endence on children &y the !rou#s hich utili?e them for conflict is one
hich is unnecessary, and the most lo!ical course of action for them mi!ht &e to find a more
feasi&le alternati(e)
Case Study !" # Syria
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
19/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 19
+yria, or officially knon as the +yrian Ara& 3e#u&lic, is a country located in
southestern Asia and in the heart of the Middle 9ast) The +yrian Ara& 3e#u&lic is currently led
&y ;resident Bashar AlAssad) -n March of 2011, the Ara& +#rin! caused a (iolent dis#ute
&eteen the !o(ernment and the #eaceful #rotesters, #ro(okin! those ho o##osed the
!o(ernments$ ays to &e!in or!ani?in! re&ellion !rou#s a!ainst them) This escalated into a full
&lon ci(il ar, ith many different !rou#s contri&utin! to the com#lications of the conflict)
The use of children in these armed conflicts has de(elo#ed into a maor issueN des#ite se(eral
#romises to demo&ili?e the child soldiers, many !rou#s still utili?e them) ;arties ithin +yria
hich recruit and use children is e(ident on either side of the conflict, includin! !rou#s such as
the -slamic +tate of -ra@ and +yria .-+-+, the Free +yrian Army .F+A, the ;eo#le ;rotection
Units .Q;/, Jha&at Al8ursa .Ja8, and arakat Ahrar ash+ham al-slamiyya .+yrian Ara&
3e#u&lic) -n 2017 alone, it is estimated that o(er %6,000 +yrians ere killed due to the ci(il ar,
and of those deaths, 5,401 ere children, makin! u# a##ro'imately 7 of the casualties
./ladstone) -t is difficult to determine the e'act num&er of children hich ha(e &een
im#lemented as soldiers in conflicts in the #ast and the #resent, &ut it is knon that the
recruitment and utili?ation of child soldiers has &ecome common#lace in se(eral !rou#s residin!
in +yria)
The ;eo#le$s ;rotection Unit .Q;/ is a urdish armed !rou# that controls areas in the
north of +yria) -t as formed in 2007 durin! the amishli u#risin!, and has since !ron
si!nificantly after the &e!innin! of the +yrian ci(il ar) They are ali!ned ith the re&els in the
+yrian ci(il ar and stand a!ainst !rou#s such as -+-+ and the +yrian !o(ernment) ue to the
ithdraal of !o(ernment forces in 2012, the Q;/ has &een the leadin! !rou# and most
dominant force located in urdish areas) To assist in the fi!hts a!ainst -+-+, Al8ursa, and other
o##osin! !rou#s, the Q;/ recruited children under the a!e of ei!hteen) 3e!ardless of #re(enti(e
measures a!ainst the recruitment of children, there still as a num&er of minors documented
ithin the ranks of the Q;/) -t asn$t until June of 2017 that the Q;/ #ut forth a !reater effortto end the use of children in their forces) This resulted in the si!nin! of the eed of
Commitment, hich dis#layed their illin!ness to a&ide &y international la, such as
demo&ili?in! children utili?ed for armed conflict) As Q;/ e#uty /eneral Commander 3edur
Relil stated, *e ha(e decided to record all under1" com&atants in our ranks and to demo&ili?e
them) This ill &e done ithin a month .+yrian urdish Armed 8on+tate)
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
20/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 2
es#ite the e#uty /enerals$ statement and the demo&ili?ation of 17: children .+yriaH
urdish Armed Forces, the continued use of children in Q;/$s ranks is still #re(alent, affectin!
the mental state of the children, and those directly in(ol(ed in the conflict !reatly) >ne year after
si!nin! the eed of Commitment, there ha(e se(eral re#orts of children &ein! recruited,
(oluntarily and in(oluntarily &y the !rou#) The uman 3i!hts atch has documented a list
hich includes 4: children hich ere recruited from 2017 to 2014 .+yriaH urdish Forces
Oiolatin!) The Q;/ later res#onded to these claims and assured that these ere isolated
instances due to recruiters and commanders diso&eyin! orders) oe(er, there is a se#arate
cate!ory hich the Q;/ has im#lemented ithin its ranks for noncom&atants) This cate!ory
allos any child a&o(e the a!e of si'teen to &e recruited &ut not take #art in military actions) -t is
unknon ho many children are currently in(ol(ed ithin this cate!ory, or the duties hich
these children must #erform, &ut it is knon that the im#lementation of these children in the
Q;/$s ranks is still considered ille!al accordin! to the >#tional ;rotocol to the Children$s 3i!hts
Con(ention on Children and Armed Conflict .>#tional ;rotocol)
>n the other side of the conflict, the -slamic +tate of -ra@ and +yria .-+-+ is a radical
military !rou# hich se#arated from alaeda in 2017 and relies hea(ily on their inter#retation
of the ur$an) They currently control a lar!e #ortion of +yria located in the middle of the
country, and they are led &y A&u Bakr alBa!hdadi) ue to the !rou#s$ location and threats
toards those ho o##ose them, it is difficult to !et e'act num&ers of their forces, &ut it is
estimated that -+-+ has a force of a##ro'imately 50,000 70,000 soldiers .-slamic +tate) As a
result of their diminishin! num&ers &ecause of their #artici#ation in conflicts such as the +yrian
ci(il ar, -+-+ has &e!un usin! child soldiers as a means to fill their ranks and carry out military
actions for the !rou#)
-n the #ast year, the num&er of children -+-+ has utili?ed for armed conflict has !ron &y
a sta!!erin! amount, and accordin! to a re#ort done &y /eor!ia +tate Uni(ersity researchers,
*>n a month&ymonth &asis, the rate of youn! #eo#le dyin! in suicide o#erations rose, from si'
in January 2014 to 11 in January 2016) .earden) This fi!ure has almost dou&led in such a
short amount of time, and from January 2014 to January 2016, ": children ha(e &een used in
-+-+$s #ro#a!anda (ideos .Bloom) These (ideos dis#lay the children &ein! tau!ht the ays of
the ur$an .or -+-+$s inter#retation of it anyays, ho to kill and not to fear death) These
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
21/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 21
(ideos ere released &y the !rou# as a means to dis#lay their #oer and ho they ha(e &e!un
usin! children in armed conflict, ith some (ideos e(en dis#layin! children killin! men ith
!uns or usin! children as suicide &om&ers) +tate e#artment s#okes#erson John ir&y stated,
*>ri!inally, they ould rely on children for intelli!ence streams, !ettin! information ))) and then
usin! them to conduct suicide attacks, hich they still do < 8o e !et more re#orts a&out
them usin! children in actual en!a!ements side &y side ith adult fi!hters) .Ca#lan
Trainin! cam#s also #lay a (ital role in the use of children for conflict ithin -+-+$s
ranks) There ha(e &een at least three recorded child trainin! cam#s in 3a@@a alone, here
children ould learn ho to kill and fi!ht for -+-+ on the front lines) As ell, hundreds of &oys
ere taken #risoner in Ale##o, here they ere *forced to attend indoctrination seminars and
#romised salaries, mo&ile #hones, ea#ons, a martyr$s #lace in #aradise and the *!ift of a ife
u#on oinin! -+-=) .+yrian Ara& 3e#u&lic These trainin! cam#s ser(ed as an area for the
children to learn o&edience and loyalty toards their su#eriors, and they also &rainashed the
children into thinkin! that there as no alternati(e in life &ut the ays of the ur$an)
Children continue to &e recruited and used for conflict ithin the ranks of the re&el
!rou#s in +yria) oe(er, solutions #ro#osed &y !rou#s such as the Q;/ themsel(es ha(e come
to fruition in the #ast year) They #resented the &efore mentioned alternati(e noncom&atant
cate!ory for si'teen and se(enteenyearolds, hich remo(ed the children from the frontlines)
They also ha(e called u#on the assistance of the Asayish, hich is the urdish run #olice force
in(ol(ed in the internal re!ulations of the !rou#, to hel# cease the recruitment of children &y
commanders diso&eyin! orders .+yriaH urdish Forces Oiolatin!) -n a letter addressed to the
uman 3i!hts atch in 2014, the Q;/ noted that they had #unished se(en officers for alloin!
children to &e recruited into their ranks, three of hich ere e'#elled and the other four &ein!
demoted .=etter From Q;/) The Q;/ end the letter &y askin! for hel# from the *free orld to
su##ort them and *o(ercome these o&stacles &y assistin! in creatin! the #rinci#les of freedom
and democracy) The solutions hich the Q;/ ha(e im#lemented may ha(e aided in endin! the
use of child soldiers, &ut the #ractice ill continue into the future until a much more #ermanent
and sustaina&le solution if found)
The use of these children in armed conflict is distur&in! and in some cases, !roin! at an
un#recedented rate) The &est #ossi&le solution for this issue ould &e to demo&ili?e all children
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
22/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 22
in(ol(ed in conflict immediately, &ut there is little chance of that ha##enin! in the foreseea&le
future) -+-+$s use of children in armed conflict has increased ra#idly in the #ast year, and ithout
e'act fi!ures, it is unknon ho many continue to &e im#lemented in their conflicts #resently)
+olutions #ro#osed to a&olish the use of child soldiers &y -+-+ are s#arse as the !rou#s intentions
do not coincide ith the intentions of those hich o##ose the use of children in armed conflict)
8e(ertheless, Charlie inter, a researcher of -+-+ #ro#a!anda at /eor!ia +tate Uni(ersity,
su!!ests,
There is no ay that e can en(isa!e a #ost-+ orld, unless e can really think
carefully a&out ho e are !oin! to demo&ilise, disarm and reinte!rate these children
into normal life) There arenPt really any !ood #recedents for a (iolent e'tremist
or!anisation like -+ indoctrinatin! children on such a ide scale) .=on!man
Child soldiers are a #re(alent issue and some may think it is one hich only needs to &e sol(ed
&y demo&ili?in! them) But hat they don$t reali?e is that children in(ol(ed in armed conflicts
ha(e also &een affected mentally, and it is im#ortant to note that ithout #ro#er treatment and
reha&ilitation, the children ill ne(er ha(e another life &ut one hich in(ol(es them as a soldier)
Case Study !$ # South Sudan
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
23/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 23
The 3e#u&lic of +outh +udan is a country located in northeastern Africa and !ained its
inde#endence from +udan in 2011) +outh +udan is currently led &y ;resident +al(a iir
Mayardit) The +udan ;eo#le$s =i&eration Mo(ementSArmy is the #arty hich hel#ed the country
!ain its inde#endence, &ut in late 2015, #olitical infi!htin! and corru#tion caused &y the (ice
#resident attem#t of o(erthroin! the !o(ernment has caused fi!htin! &eteen the sides loyal to
se#arate o##osin! #arties) +ince then, fi!htin! has increased due to the o(erthro and se(eral
other reasons #ertainin! to ine@uality, and the conflict &ecame more &rutal, ith hundreds of
thousands of ci(ilians &ecomin! dis#laced and a&out %0 #ercent of schools &ein! closed
.Mont!omery) ith the nation in #o(erty and no food or education for the children, many
@uickly &ecame in(ol(ed in the conflict as soldiers) The to main #arties hich recruit children
are the +udan ;eo#le$s =i&eration Army .+;=A and the +udan ;eo#le$s =i&eration Army -n
>##osition .+;=A->) As ell, the =ord$s 3esistance Army .=3A led &y Jose#h ony also
o#erates in a lar!e area of +outh +udan, &ut their force has diminished in #oer in the #ast fe
years and they remain to &e unheard from, e'cludin! se(eral cases of children &ein! li&erated
from their ranks) U8-C9F estimated in 2017 that around :,000 children ere recruited as child
soldiers .+outh +udan Child +oldiers, &ut a more recent re#ort &y them states that 1714,000
children ha(e &een in(ol(ed on either side of the conflict as soldiers .heeler) Child soldiers
aren$t unheard of in +outh +udan, as they ha(e &een im#lemented for conflict from se(eral
earlier conflicts datin! &ack to 1:"5N this #ractice of usin! child soldiers in(ol(ed many re&el
!rou#s, includin! the +;=A)
The +udan ;eo#le$s =i&eration Army .+;=A is the official army of +outh +udan and has
hundreds of thousands of soldiers s#lit u# into different sections from ithin) -n 2002, the U8
released a list of !rou#s hich utili?e and de#loy children as soldiers ithin their ranks and
asked the !rou#s to im#lement #ro#er solutions to demo&ili?in! all children from conflict) The
+;=A as included on that list and com#lied ith the U8 as they had #re(iously &een de#loyin!
a fe thousand children for armed conflict) They trained child #rotection officers and militaryofficers to assist in #re(entin! children from &ecomin! recruited for conflict) By ecem&er of
2015, the +;=A had demo&ili?ed :44 children from its ranks and refused the recruitment of 740
children) -t as estimated that around 400 children ere still ser(in! in the +;=A hen the
current conflict &e!an .hy +outh +udan$s) The ci(il ar &roke out, and many children ere
affected !reatly) undreds of thousands of ci(ilians ere dis#laced and they lost access to food,
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
24/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 24
ater and education) This resulted in children &ein! recruited forci&ly and (oluntarily &y armed
!rou#s) -n 2017, there ere re#orts of 61% children &ein! recruited, here the maority, 510
children, ere recruited &y the +;=A hile 10" children ere recruited &y the +;=A-> .+outh
+udan) Also in 2017, the !o(ernment of +outh +udan si!ned a #eace a!reement ith the +;=A,
hich &rou!ht li!ht to the massi(e use of child soldiers &y the !rou# to the !o(ernment) This
ended u# ith the !rou# releasin! 1,%44 soldiers from their ranks) Currently, the +;=A continues
to a!e ar a!ainst the o##osition, and althou!h it is unknon ho many children are still
utili?ed &y the +;=A, it is knon that they continue their use of child soldiers)
The +udan ;eo#le$s =i&eration Army -n >##osition .+;=A-> is a #arty hich
se#arated from the +;=A after the !o(ernment incident in 2015) They are led &y former Oice
;resident 3iek Machar and they are currently one of the main o##ositions to the +;=A in the
conflict of +outh +udan) Bein! a fairly ne !rou# in a youn! country, the +;=A-> doesn$t ha(e
much information on their military, &ut accordin! to se(eral re#orts, includin! ones from
U8-C9F and the U8, they do utili?e children in their ranks) U#on hearin! the accusations that
they recruit children, the +;=A-> dismissed the alle!ations) The s#okes#erson for the +;=A->
took to the #ress and stated,
+ince ecem&er 14, 2015 hen the ar &roke out in Ju&a, +outh +udan !o(ernment had
lost %4 of its national army to re&ellion in Jon!lei, Unity and U##er 8ile also &ecame furious a&out ere from a 64 #a!e re#ort titled We
Can "ie oo and it as released &y the uman 3i!hts atch in late 2014) -ncluded in the re#ort
are inter(ies ith 101 former child soldiers, and they state the atrocities !rou#s such as the
+;=A-> and the +;=A ha(e committed a!ainst children) These atrocities in(ol(e usin! children
as soldiers, se' sla(es and &ody!uardsSser(ants .heeler)
To end the use of child soldiers &y !rou#s in +outh +udan ould certainly come from the
end of the conflict, &ut ith the ci(il ar &ecomin! much lar!er and deadlier, only a fe
solutions ha(e a##eared to hel# demo&ili?e as many children from conflicts as #ossi&le) The
+;=A and the +;=A-> ha(e already made ste#s to #re(entin! the recruitment of children, &ut as
the conflict orsens, these im#lementations &e!in to ha(e a a(erin! effect) Before the conflict
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
25/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 25
&e!an, +outh +udan trained 1,000 child #rotection officers and 55,000 military officers hich
hel#ed #re(ent children &ecomin! recruited) As ell, the commanders ere ordered to follo the
#rocess and not #re(ent child recruitment or face sanction .hy +outh +udan$s) The U8 ha(e
launched the cam#ai!n Children, $ot Soldiers as a means to #re(ent child soldiers &ein! utili?ed
in conflicts) This cam#ai!n as used as a means to #ro(ide education to children, raise
aareness of the issue, and assist in releasin! children in(ol(ed in armed conflict from !rou#s)
As a result of these im#lementations, the U8 recei(ed re#orts of %7 &oys #re(ented from &ein!
recruited to the +;=A-> .The Crisis in +outh +udan) ith the situation orsenin! in +outh
+udan, it$s difficult to end the utili?ation of children for armed conflict, &ut ith the assistance of
+outh +udanese !rou#s, no matter their affiliation ith one another, and outside or!ani?ations, it
has &een made #ossi&le to demo&ili?e children from their ranks hilst #re(entin! more children
from &ein! recruited as soldiers)
Case Study !% # Myanmar
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
26/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 26
Myanmar, or also knon as Burma, is a country located in southeastern Asia) Myanmar is
currently led &y ;resident tin ya) For the #ast decade, the recruitment of children under the
a!e of ei!hteen has &een #re(alent in se(eral !rou#s located in Myanmar, includin! !o(ernment
forces themsel(es) The !rou#s hich commit this act include the emocratic aren Bene(olent
Army G Bri!ade 4 .BA4, achin -nde#endence Army .-A, the aren 8ational =i&eration
Army .8US8=A, the aren 8ational =i&eration Army ;eace Council, the arenni Army
.8;;SA, the +han +tate Army +outh .++A+, the United a +tate Army .U+A, and the
Tatmada, hich are the official !o(ernment forces) ue to on!oin! conflicts o(er the #ast si'
decades and the e'treme #o(erty the country faces, children ha(e &een dran into the &attles,
(oluntarily and forci&ly recruited to &e utili?ed for armed conflict) -n 2002, it as estimated that
there ere as many as %0,000 children in(ol(ed in armed conflict in Myanmar .BurmaH orld$s
i!hest) +ince then, the Burmese army has !ron si!nificantly and the #ractice of recruitin!
children is still a##arent) oe(er, the num&er of children recorded in the ranks of military
!rou#s has diminished and the children hich are acce#ted into the !rou#s are ones hich
acti(ely seek out recruitment) 8onetheless, the re!ional director of U8-C9F, aniel Toole, stated
his concern that *the num&ers Dof undera!e soldiersE are not lar!e &ut it$s still im#ortant) 8o
child should &e recruited) .U8-C9FH Child +oldier)
The Tatmada is the official army of Myanmar, one only for (olunteers, &ut still ith
o(er 700,000 soldiers, makin! it one of the lar!est forces ith acti(e troo#s in the orld)
Unfortunately, Myanmar is also considered one of the #oorest and most underde(elo#ed
countries in the orld &y the U8 .=east e(elo#ed Countries, hich means the Tatmada is a
(ia&le o#tion for many citi?ens to esca#e their #o(erty) This holds true for children under the a!e
of ei!hteen as ell, ith an incenti(e such as food and money for those ho oin and fi!ht) 9(en
thou!h the Tatmada ha(e had #olicies a!ainst the recruitment of children for years, they
continue the #ractice as it hel#s re#lace the hi!h desertion rates they face) Accounta&ility issues
also #lay a lar!e role in the recruitment of children in the Tatmada, ith e'cuses such asim#ro#er (erification of a!e) -n the year of 2017, there ere 54% cases of child recruitment, ith
2% of them &ein! as youn! as 17 years old .Myanmar) -n June of 2012, the !o(ernment of
Myanmar met ith the U8 and si!ned a Joint Action ;lan here they committed to demo&ili?in!
all children from armed conflict) This #lan has assisted in the demo&ili?ation of se(eral child
soldiers, &ut the #ractice has continued in the years folloin! the si!nin!)
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
27/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 27
The aren 8ational =i&eration Army .8=A is the armed military force hich mer!ed
ith the aren 8ational Union .8U in 2012, hich is a #olitical or!ani?ation in Myanmar)
The 8=A are a small military force ith around %,000 soldiers, and they are led &y +a Johnny
and the 8U) -n 2005, the 8=A as #laced on the U8$s atch list of countries hich recruit
and use children in armed conflict .Myanmar atchlist) +ince then, they ha(e continued to &e
included on the list for their #ractice of recruitin! and utili?in! child soldiers) -n 200%, Bah +oh
/ay, a 8=A commander, stated that children under the a!e of ei!hteen ere free to oin their
army and could lea(e if they ish, &ut accordin! to se(eral re#orts from child soldiers used &y
the 8=A, they ere coerced into oinin! and #unished if they talked a&out lea(in! .Child
+oldiers 3ecruited)
The emocratic aren Buddhist Army .BA is a re&el military !rou# hich o##oses
the 8U and the 8=A) -n 1::7, after the 8U ould not !rant the construction of Buddhist
#a!odas, U Thu?ana, the leader of the BA, tried to con(ince 8=A soldiers to desert their
!rou#) This led to the BA s#littin! from the 8U, and the BA has &een a maor fi!htin!
o##osition a!ainst the 8=A and the 8U e(er since) The BA &e!an to conscri#t soldiers
from (illa!es to meet the demand of soldiers they needed &ut didn$t care a&out the a!e of the
soldiers hich the (illa!es sent) A unior BA officer told uman 3i!hts atch that, *;eo#le
ha(e to take turns sendin! a recruit, so some #arents send &oys under 1") They need to fulfill this
o&li!ation) -f they don$t fulfill it, the BA can make lots of trou&le for them hich is a #olitical !rou# in northern Myanmar) The leader
of the -A is currently a Too) The -A as #laced on the U8 atch list of countries hich
recruit children in 200%, and has &een a mem&er of that list since then) Althou!h they deny the
recruitment of children, there has &een re#orts datin! &ack to the 1:60$s, and still to this day,
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
28/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 28
there are re#orts of recruitment of children under the a!e of ei!hteen) A -> s#okes#erson
stated, *e already decided on the a!e limitation for the #ro!ram and e ill not allo those
under 1" years old to ser(e) .A an!erous 3efu!e) This statement conflicts ith Child +oldiers
-nternational, as they inter(ieed children hich ere recruited &y the -A on si' se#arate
occasions) There has &een no e(idence of the children &ein! utili?ed for front line action as of
yet, &ut they continue to &e recruited &y the -A for se#arate unknon ser(ices) The -A has
stated they ill com#ly ith international la and end the #ractice of recruitin! children, &ut no
action has &een taken as of yet to #re(ent the issue)
ith se(eral !rou#s usin! children for armed conflict, drastic measures must &e taken to
a&olish the #ractice, &ut fortunately, a cou#le solutions ha(e &een #ro(ided recently) -n 2012, the
U8 and the Tatmada came to!ether and si!ned a Joint Action ;lan, hich is here the
Tatmada commits itself to demo&ili?in! all children in(ol(ed in their military !rou#) -n 2017
alone, the Tatmada demo&ili?ed a total of 5": children .Myanmar) The Tatmada also
stren!thened their recruitment #rocedures in 2015, hich #re(ents children from &ein! recruited
e(en ithout #ro#er (erification of a!e) For the other !rou#s, there ha(en$t &een any solutions
#ut in #lace other than them denyin! their use of child soldiers) This issue is also in #art the
!o(ernments fault as they ha(e limited the access of the country to certain indi(iduals that try to
determine the amount of children &ein! im#lemented for conflict)
&nternational 'rgani(ations
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
29/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 29
-nternational or!ani?ations #lay an inte!ral role ithin the issue of child soldiers, ran!in!
from raisin! aareness to the situation, all the ay to #ro(idin! aid and solutions in forei!n
countries) These or!ani?ations #ro(ide indirect and direct relief in the countries hich are most
hea(ily affected) ithout the on!oin! su##ort and cam#ai!nin! of these international
or!ani?ations, the atrocities committed &y many !rou#s ould continue, and the (iolations on
children im#lemented for conflict ould see no ustice) The im#ortance of these international
or!ani?ations is (ital to the demo&ili?ation and reinte!ration of child soldiers, and ith their
#ersistent efforts, the utili?ation of children for armed conflict has a #ossi&ility to come to an
end)
Child +oldiers -nternational is an international non!o(ernmental or!ani?ation hich
ad(ocates for the demo&ili?ation of any soldier #artici#atin! in military recruitment or armed
hostilities under the a!e of ei!hteen) Formerly knon as the Coalition to +to# the use of Child
+oldiers, Child +oldiers -nternational as formed in 1::" in coalition ith se(eral other
or!ani?ations such as Amnesty -nternational and the uman 3i!hts atch, alon! ith se(eral
others) Child +oldiers -nternational also assisted !reatly in the formation of the treaty knon as
the >#tional ;rotocol on the -n(ol(ement of Children in Armed conflict, and they #lay *A key
role in ensurin! im#lementation at e(ery le(el is #layed &y non!o(ernmental institutions and,
e(en more crucially, &y the in(ol(ement of children themsel(es) .10thAnni(ersary As
ell, alon! ith U8-C9F in 2005, Child +oldiers -nternational #u&lished the /uide to the
>#tion ;rotocol on the -n(ol(ement of Children in Armed Conflict, hich ser(es as a means to
assist other or!ani?ations on the im#lementation and u#holdin! of the treaty) Finally, the
or!ani?ation #u&lishes a !lo&al re#ort e(ery four years to document the current condition of child
soldiers) The most recent re#ort as released in 2012 under the titleLouder than Words) The
re#ort summari?es the #ast four years and the ste#s taken to a&olish the use of children for armed
conflict) Accordin! to the Child +oldiers -nternational, *3esearch for the re#ort shos that child
soldiers ha(e &een used in armed conflicts &y 20 states since 2010, and that children are at risk ofmilitary use in many more) .=ouder Than ords
ar Child -nternational is a oint non!o(ernmental or!ani?ation of ar Child U, ar
Child olland and ar Child Canada) 9(en thou!h each is an inde#endent or!ani?ation, they all
colla&orate under one (ision, hich is ar Child -nternational) They ad(ocate for the end of use
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
30/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 3
of child soldiers orldide and ho#e to reinte!rate the children affected &ack into society)
Fundraisin! e(ents also #lay a lar!e role as it allos ar Child to raise money to fund their
#ro!rams, such as &uildin! reha&ilitation centers in forei!n countries, &uildin! schools for those
affected, and their TO documentaries hich hel# raise aareness for the issue) ith the
continued su##ort and ad(ocacy of the or!ani?ation, *ar Child is a&le to increase the num&er of
children &enefittin! from our #roects in 11 conflictaffected areas, reachin! 5)4 million #eo#le,
of hom 1)" million are children and youn! #eo#le) .istory of ar Child) ar Child has also
recei(ed numerous aards for their ork, such as the Trans#arency Aard in 2006, 200% and
2010, the Freedom from Fear Aard in 200", and the Carne!ie ateler ;eace ;ri?e in 2012
.istory of ar Child) The success of ar Child -nternational is a##arent, and the on!oin!
efforts made &y the or!ani?ation has made it (ery successful in the demo&ili?ation of children
affected &y armed conflict orldide)
The United 8ations Children$s 9mer!ency Fund .U8-C9F is an inter!o(ernmental
or!ani?ation hich focuses on #ro(idin! a &etter ay of life for children all across the !lo&e)
The or!ani?ation formed in 1:76 and has &een a maor #layer in the #rotection of children and
the ad(ocacy of child soldiers around the orld e(er since) They released the >#tional ;rotocol
on the -n(ol(ement of Children in Armed Conflict in 2005 and ha(e cam#ai!ned from the
&e!innin! a&out the a!e limit, statin!, the a!e limit of 1" years should not only a##ly to
#artici#ation in hostilities &ut also to all forms of recruitment) ./uide to the >#tional) From
1::" to 2001, U8-C9F as the lead a!ency for child #rotection in +ierra =eone and they hel#ed
de(elo# #ro!rams hich su##orted !irls$ education and family unification ./uide to the
>#tional) U8-C9F has also instituted se(eral reinte!ration #ro!rams for children in countries
affected &y armed conflict and ha(e &een (ery successful in demo&ili?in! child soldiers) -n 2007,
almost 7,000 children ere demo&ili?ed in 14 #ro(inces across Af!hanistan as a result of
U8-C9F$s efforts) +#okes#erson 9dard Carardin said, *The success of the child soldier
#ro!ramme to date is a maor achie(ement and it is a (ery #ositi(e si!n that youn! #eo#le in thiscountry really ant to make a #ositi(e contri&ution to the future of their communities)
.U8-C9F el#s) ;resently, U8-C9F continues to #ro(ide re#orts of children hich are utili?ed
for armed conflict, and they u#hold their #latform of endin! the use of Child +oldiers orldide)
They still #ro(ide reha&ilitation in countries affected the most &y this issue and ho#e that the use
of child soldiers ill see an end in the near future)
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
31/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 31
Canadian Connection
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
32/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 32
The use of children in armed conflict is considered a !lo&al issue, hich means its effects
are felt on the international scale) ith many countries ste##in! u# to #ro(ide su##ort and
solutions to the issue, Canada is one of the leadin! su##orters) They ha(e #ro#osed lastin!
solutions to the #ro&lem and continue to raise aareness hilst #ro(idin! aid in many forms)
Their im#act on the use of child soldiers has &een lar!e and has #layed an inte!ral #art in
demo&ili?in! and reha&ilitatin! children affected &y armed conflict)
Canada$s efforts can &e dated as far &ack as 2000 hen they hosted the -nternational
Conference on ar Affected Children in inni#e!) At this conference, they addressed the risin!
issue hich as the use of children in armed conflict) They also #layed a role in the creation and
inte!ration of the >#tional ;rotocol on the -n(ol(ement of Children in Armed Conflict) Canada
has also contri&uted o(er 1)5 million to se(eral #roects associated ith children and armed
conflict since 2006 .Children and Armed Conflict)
Canada also houses one of the lar!est non!o(ernmental or!ani?ations hich cam#ai!ns
for children$s ri!hts and the end of the use of child soldiers orldide) ar Child Canada as
founded in 8orth America &y +amantha 8utt and 9ric oskins in 1:::) ar Child Canada has
orked in -ra@, Af!hanistan and on the ThaiBurmese &order as they orked toards
demo&ili?in! children from military !rou#s) ar Child Canada$s locally focused a##roach
currently reaches o(er 240,000 #eo#le in ei!ht countries .istory of ar Child) They also ha(e
se(eral fundraisin! cam#ai!ns hich hel# fund their numerous #ro!rams that assist in the
reha&ilitation and reinte!ration of children affected &y armed conflict) These #ro!rams are the
Alicia eys *e Are ere Cam#ai!n, the Art of the /uitar, the Body +ho# oliday Cam#ai!n,
and the *3eclaim Childhood 9(ent .Annual 3e#ort 2014)
Althou!h Canada has &een orkin! toards the demo&ili?ation of child soldiers in
countries affected &y the issue, they don$t ha(e a #erfectly clean record hen it comes to the
#ro#er ustice of children utili?ed for armed conflicts, such as the case of former child soldier,
>mar hadr) They detained >mar for a num&er of years due to his actions toards an American
soldier hen he as still a child soldier himself) -n 2002, after &ecomin! in(ol(ed in a firefi!ht
in Af!hanistan hich ended ith a dead American +oldier, fifteen year old >mar as &rou!ht to
America and s#ent ten years in /uantanamo Bay) e then #lead !uilty in 2010 and as
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
33/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 33
transferred to a Canadian #rison in 2012 to ser(e the remainder of his sentence) U8-C9F$s
9'ecuti(e irector, Anthony =ake, in res#onse to >mar hadr &ein! detained, stated,
The recruitment and use of children in hostilities is a ar crime, and those ho are
res#onsi&le G the adult recruiters G should &e #rosecuted) The children in(ol(ed are(ictims, actin! under coercion) .+tatement &y U8-C9F
hen asked ho ;rime Minister +te#hen ar#er felt a&out >mar$s #redicament, he stated *Mr)
hadr, as e all kno, #lead !uilty to (ery !ra(e crimes, includin! murdermar
hadr as asked ho he felt a&out ;rime Minister +te#hen ar#er$s o#inion, he res#onded ith
*-$m &etter than the #erson he thinks - am) .Mackrael) Canada may not ha(e &een the ones to
arrest and #rosecute >mar hadr, &ut they certainly did #lay a role in detainin! him)
Canada continues to #ro(ide su##ort a!ainst !rou#s usin! children for armed conflict,
and throu!h the ad(ocacy for their #ro!rammin! efforts, they ho#e to #ro(ide as much assistance
as #ossi&le in the future) +ome key areas of maor focus for Canada$s #ro!rammin! and
ad(ocacy efforts !oin! forard into the future areH
Strengthening the Monitoring and Reporting MechanismG teams ill #ro(ide data
hich ill hel# raise international attention to the issue and make #arties hich commit
the (iolations accounta&le for their actions
)ccountability of parties *ho commit grae iolations against children in situations
of conflictG follou# on data collected as soon as #ossi&le to &rin! those ho commit
the (iolations to ustice
Supporting efforts to expand the Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism to
encompass all grae iolationsG e'#and the monitorin! and re#ortin! mechanisms as a
means to encom#ass all !ra(e (iolations .Children and Armed Conflict
ith a stron! action #lan for the future in #lace, and a focus on endin! the use of child soldiers,Canada u#holds their status of a leadin! country hich ad(ocates for the ri!hts of children and
the demo&ili?ation of children utili?ed for armed conflict) *Canada is committed to endin! the
use of !irls and &oys in hostilities and to hel#in! ensure that children affected &y armed conflict
around the orld are #rotected) .Children and Armed Conflict
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
34/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 34
Solutions
The use of children in armed conflict is a reoccurrin! !lo&al issue hich currently enlists
u# to 240,000 children .FAs) ith so many #eo#le &ein! affected directly and indirectly &y
this issue, many ould think it ould &e considered a to# #riority to #ut an end to) There ha(e&een many #ro#osed solutions hich ha(e &een im#lemented ith some success, &ut ithout a
massi(e #ush &y the !lo&al community and su##ort of the solutions on an international scale, the
#ractice of usin! child soldiers on$t &e sto##ed in the foreseea&le future)
Accordin! to a re#ort done &y U8-C9F in 2002, the three key factors to sol(in! the issue
of child soldiers are ;re(ention, emo&ili?ation, and 3einte!ration .Child +oldiersH ;re(ention)
They &elie(e that the heart of the issue is the recruitment of children, so to end the #ractice, it
should &e!in at the recruitment sta!e) Takin! aay any chance of a child &ein! recruited &y amilitary !rou# could #ro(ide the child a means to dod!e &ecomin! in(ol(ed in armed conflict
alto!ether) emo&ili?in! children already in(ol(ed in armed conflict is the ne't ste# if the use of
#re(ention didn$t succeed) To release children &ein! utili?ed for armed conflict is a re@uest many
or!ani?ations ha(e for armed !rou#s hich use child soldiers) -n some cases, if the !rou#s refuse
to com#ly, they are #laced on lists hich re(eal them for these (iolations) The Child +oldier
;re(ention Act .C+;A is a la #assed in 200" hich states that any !rou# hich doesn$t
demo&ili?e the children ithin their ranks ill &e #laced on a list) As ell, *=isted countries are
su&ect to restrictions on security assistance for military trainin! and e@ui#ment) .o?ak
hen the children are released, the final ste#, hich is 3einte!ration, is critical as it
allos the child to return to society ithout the lin!erin! mental effects of conflict) U8-C9F
states *3einte!ration of child soldiers should em#hasi?e three com#onentsH family reunification,
#sychosocial su##ort and education, and economic o##ortunity) .Child +oldiersH ;re(ention)
These three com#onents are im#ortant as they ha(e #ro(ed in the #ast to #ro(ide some of the
&est results of reinte!ration into society) -t is said that stayin! ith family is hat$s &est for the
child as it allos them to feel safer and more familiar ith their surroundin!s) The #sych of the
child also #lays an im#ortant role as !oin! throu!h maor traumas do tend to affect the mental
state of any (ictim) 9ducation and economic acti(ity are the last #art of the reinte!ration #rocess
as they allo the child to fully immerse themsel(es &ack into society) Unfortunately, there are
many o&stacles a child faces hen it comes to education) These include ha(in! to earn an income
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
35/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 35
to #ro(ide for their families instead, lack of money to #ay for school fees or su##lies, schools
&ein! destroyed, lack of teachers, children are too old to oin ith youn!er children, and the
feelin! of shame or resentment due to ha(in! to learn ith much youn!er children .Child
+oldiersH ;re(ention)
There are also se(eral solutions or!ani?ations and !o(ernments ha(e created to hel# end
the use of child soldiers, such asH or!ani?ations ad(ocatin! to end the use of child soldiers like
ar Child, U8-C9F, and Child +oldiers -nternationalN many las #ut in #lace to #re(ent the use
of child soldiers like the >#tional ;rotocol on the -n(ol(ement of Children in Armed Conflict,
the 200% ;aris ;rinci#les, and the Child +oldiers ;re(ention Act) Althou!h the use of children in
armed conflict continues, more is &ein! done no than e(er &efore to sto# the (iolations the
!rou#s utili?in! child soldiers are committin!)
Another key role in endin! the #ractice of usin! children for armed conflict is
accounta&ility) To &rin! those committin! the (iolations and &rin! them to ustice not only forces
the commanders and recruiters to take res#onsi&ility for their actions &ut also con(inces other
!rou#s to not &e!in usin! children in the first #lace) -n 200%, the United +tates #assed The Child
+oldiers Accounta&ility Act) This la *ena&leDsE the U+ to #rosecute military commanders ho
recruit or use child soldiers under the a!e of 14, hether committed here or a&road &y either U+
citi?ens or nonciti?ens #resent in the United +tates) .-n +u##ort) This la is a ste# forard in
the #re(ention of child soldiers as it holds all !rou#s accounta&le for their actions) oe(er,
&ein! held accounta&le is one thin!, anserin! for your crimes is another) An e'am#le of this is
Jose#h ony utili?in! children for com&at for many years, &ut then !oin! into hidin! and
continuin! the #ractice)
The issue of children &ein! utili?ed for armed conflict is a com#licated one, as there are
many different sides to it) But one thin! for certain is the #ractice (iolates se(eral international
las and has ne!ati(e effects on many #eo#le) Therefore, the use of child soldiers shouldn$t
continue into the future, &ut unfortunately, it a##ears the #ractice ill last as lon! as no
#ermanent solutions are #ut in #lace) As of this #oint, no lastin! solutions ha(e &een
im#lemented, hether it$s due to the difficulty to create lastin! fi'es to the #ro&lems in times of
armed conflict, or &ecause some !o(ernments and international or!ani?ations are unillin! to
#ro(ide their concentrated su##ort to findin! an indefinite solution) -t may &e ithout a lack of
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
36/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 36
tryin!, &ut ithout any solutions in #lace, the use of children in armed conflict remains an issue
on the international scale)
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
37/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 37
)PPE+,&CES
A##endi' -
a!ener, +te(e) VChildren on the Front =ineH 8early 500,000 Used in ar ones Today)V
(dyssey (nline) >dyssey, 2" A#r) 2014) e&) 6 Mar) 2016)
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
38/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 38
Bibliography
PRE-)CE
VChild 3ecruitment And UseV) )nited $ations (##ice o# the Special *epresentative o# theSecretary+General #or Children and Ar!ed Con#lict) e&) 7 Mar) 2016)
VChild +oldiers -nternational Fa@sV) Child Soldiers International) e&) 7 Mar) 2016)
/arreau, >li(ia) VChildren -n arV)u!aniu!) 8)#), 2012) e&) 7 Mar) 2016)
V8um&er >f Armed /rou#s >r Forces Usin! Child +oldiers -ncreases From 70 To 4%V)
)$IC-) 8)#), 200") e&) 7 Mar) 2016)
B)C./R'0+,
VAncient /reek 9ducationV) Crystalin/s) e&) 6 Mar) 2016)
VChild 3ecruitment And UseV) )nited $ations (##ice o# the Special *epresentative o# the
Secretary+General #or Children and Ar!ed Con#lict) 8)#), 2016) e&) 6 Mar) 2016)
VChild +oldiers -n U!andaV) +>+ ChildrenPs Oilla!es) e&) 6 Mar) 2016)
VChild +oldiers -nternationalV) Child Soldiers International) 8)#), 2016) e&) 6 Mar) 2016)
VChild +oldiers -nternational Fa@sV) Child +oldiers -nternational) 8)#), 2016) e&) 6 Mar)
2016)
earden, =i??ie) V-sis -s Usin! Far More Child +oldiers Than The orld 3ealisedV) The
-nde#endent) 8)#), 2016) e&) 4 Mar) 2016)
Vo Jose#h ony Brainashes Child +oldiersV) -n(isi&le Children) 8)#), 2015) e&) 6 Mar)
2016)
a#lan, 9&en) VChild +oldiers Around The orldV) Council on oreign *elations) 8)#), 2004)
e&) 6 Mar) 2016)
Mark, Monica) VJose#h ony Child +oldier 3eturns To Terrorised Boyhood Oilla!eV) The
/uardian) 8)#), 2015) e&) 4 Mar) 2016)
VKA >n Jose#h ony And The =ordPs 3esistance ArmyV)u!an *ights Watch) 8)#), 2012)
e&) 6 Mar) 2016)
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
39/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 39
V3oot Causes >f Child 3ecruitmentV) )nited $ations (##ice o# the Special *epresentative o# the
Secretary+General #or Children and Ar!ed Con#lict) 8)#), 2016) e&) 4 Mar) 2016)
+torr, ill, and Tom ;ietrasik) VonyPs Child +oldiersV) The Tele!ra#h) 8)#), 2017) e&) 6 Mar)
2016)
+torr, ill, and Tom ;ietrasik) VonyPs Child +oldiersV) The Tele!ra#h) 8)#), 2017) e&) 6 Mar)
2016)
E1PERT
+in!er, ;eter ) Children at ar) 8e QorkH ;antheon, 2004) ;rint)
+in!er, ;eter ) VFi!htin! Child +oldiers)V The Brookin!s -nstitution) Brookin!s, 01 May 2005)
e&) % Mar) 2016)
+in!er, ;eter ) V=os 8ue(os 8iWos +oldados e =a /uerra)V ;rimer Trimestre) ;rimer
Trimestre, 20 Mar) 200") e&) % Mar) 2016)
+in!er, ;eter ) V3o&ots at arH The 8e Battlefield)V CautionH Children at ar .2001H n) #a!)
+trate!ic +tudies -nstitute) +trate!ic +tudies -nstitute, 200:) e&) % Mar) 2016)
R'LE '- C'+TR'L
VAction ;lans ith Armed Forces and Armed /rou#s)V )nited $ations (##ice o# the Special
*epresentative o# the Secretary General #or Children and Ar!ed Con#lict) United 8ations
>ffice of the +#ecial 3e#resentati(e of the +ecretary /eneral for Children and Armed
Conflict, n)d) e&) " Mar) 2016)
Bloom, Mia, John or!an, and Charlie inter) Ve#ictions of Children and Qouth in the -slamic
+tatePs Martyrdom ;ro#a!anda, 20142016)V Co!bating erroris! Center at West Point)
Com&atin! Terrorism Center at est ;oint, 1" Fe&) 2016) e&) " Mar) 2016)
a#lan, 9&en) VChild +oldiers Around the orld)V Council on oreign *elations) Council on
Forei!n 3elations, 02 ec) 2004) e&) " Mar) 2016)
Vey +tatistics)V he *esolve L*A Crisis Initiative) The 3esol(e, n)d) e&) " Mar) 2016)
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
40/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 4
+alinas, Marcelo) VCoercion and -ntimidation of Child +oldiers to ;artici#ate in Oiolence)V
u!an *ights Watch) uman 3i!hts atch, 16 A#r) 200") e&) " Mar) 2016)
+in!er, ;eter ) Children at ar) 8e QorkH ;antheon, 2004) ;rint)
VU8-C9F +eeks to 9nd Use of Child +oldiers across Central Africa)V )$ $e%s Center) U8, 0%
June 2010) e&) " Mar) 2016)
Oautra(ers, Ale'andre J) Vhy Child +oldiers Are +uch a Com#le' -ssue)V*e#ugee Survey
0uarterly) 3efu!ee +er(er uarterly, 200") e&) " Mar) 2016)
ilson, =arence, r) VBrainashin!)V"r. L Wilson) The Center for e(elo#ment, Fe&) 2017)
e&) " Mar) 2016)
L'/&C '- E2&L
VBirth 3ate)V he World Ban/) The orld Bank /rou#, n)d) e&) 10 Mar) 2016)
C?y?, Ma!dalena) V+to##in! the Use of Child +oldiersH A /lo&al ;ers#ecti(e)V 9d) 3onald )
Tuschl)-P) *esearch Papers.n)d)H n) #a!)-P)) 9;U) e&) : Mar) 2016)
Franklin, =arence A) VChildren as +uicide Bom&ers in -slamic Countries)V Gatestone Institute)
/atestone -nstitute, 1" +e#t) 2017) e&) : Mar) 2016)
V---) 3ecruitment and Use of Child +oldiers)Vu!an *ights Watch) uman 3i!hts atch, Fe&)
200%) e&) : Mar) 2016)
Mc/ee, Caitlin) V+outh +udanH 14,000 Children 3ecruited to Fi!ht)VAlJa1eera) AlJa?eera, 14
ec) 2014) e&) 10 Mar) 2016)
;aras?c?uk, >anna) V-salmic +tatePs ;ro#a!anda Ma!a?ine)V*adio ree -urope *adio Liberty)
3F93=, 51 Mar) 2014) e&) : Mar) 2016)
V;o(erty K 9@uity)V he World Ban/) The orld Bank /rou#, n)d) e&) 10 Mar) 2016)
V3oot Causes of Child 3ecruitment)V )nited $ations (##ice o# the Special *epresentative o# the
Secretary+General #or Children and Ar!ed Con#lict) 8)#), n)d) e&) : Mar) 2016)
V+outh +udan ;o#ulation)V Worldo!eters) orldometers, n)d) e&) 10 Mar) 2016)
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
41/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 41
Vhy +outh +udanPs Children Are Fi!htin! A!ain)V Child Soldiers International) Child +oldiers
-nternational, 12 Fe&) 2014) e&) 10 Mar) 2016)
C)SE ST0,3 !" S3R&)
Bloom, Mia, John or!an, and Charlie inter) Ve#ictions of Children and Qouth in the -slamic
+tatePs Martyrdom ;ro#a!anda)V Co!bating erroris! Center at West Point) Com&atin!
Terrorism Center at est ;oint, 1" Fe&) 2016) e&) 24 Mar) 2016)
Ca#lan, Michael) V-+-+ ;ushes Child +oldiers To The Front =ines Amid a(e >f -slamic +tate
efections)VIBi!es) -BTimes, 14 Mar) 2016) e&) 26 Mar) 2016)
earden, =i??ie) V-sis -s Usin! Far More Child +oldiers than the orld 3ealised)V he
Independent) -nde#endent i!ital 8es and Media, 1: Fe&) 2016) e&) 24 Mar) 2016)
/ladstone, 3ick, and Mohammad /hannam) V+yria eaths it 8e i!h in 2017, >&ser(er
/rou# +ays)V he $e% 2or/ i!es) The 8e Qork Times, 01 Jan) 2014) e&) 27 Mar)
2016)
V-slamic +tate of -ra@ and the =e(ant)V Wi/ipedia) iki#edia, 2016) e&) 24 Mar) 2016)
V=etter from Q;/ in 3es#onse to uman 3i!hts atch)Vu!an *ights Watch) uman 3i!hts
atch, 25 July 2014) e&) 26 Mar) 2016)
=on!man, James) V-+ -ncreases Use of Child +oldiers, +ays U+ 3e#ort)V BBC $e%s) BBC 8es,1: Fe&) 2016) e&) 26 Mar) 2016)
V>#tional ;rotocol to the Con(ention on the 3i!hts of the Child on the -n(ol(ement of Children
in Armed Conflict)V )nited $ations u!an *ights (##ice o# the igh Co!!isioner)
United 8ations, 12 Jan) 2002) e&) 24 Mar) 2016)
*+yriaH urdish Armed Forces emo&ili?e 17: Child +oldiers)V Geneva Call) /ene(a Call, %
July 2017) e&) 27 Mar) 2016)
V+yriaH urdish Forces Oiolatin! Child +oldier Ban)Vu!an *ights Watch) uman 3i!hts
atch, 14 July 2014) e&) 27 Mar) 2016)
V+yrian Ara& 3e#u&lic)V )nited $ations (##ice o# the Special *epresentative o# the Secretary
General #or Children and Ar!ed Con#lict) U8, n)d) e&) 27 Mar) 2016)
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
42/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 42
V+yrian urdish Armed 8on+tate Actor Commits to Ban Anti#ersonnel Mines, +e'ual
Oiolence and Child 3ecruitment)V Geneva Call) /ene(a Call, 16 June 2017) e&) 27
Mar) 2016)
C)SE ST0,3 !$ S'0T4 S0,)+
Mont!omery, elly) Vuick FactsH hat Qou 8eed to no a&out the +outh +udan Crisis)V
3ercy Corps) Mercy Cor#s, 0: Mar) 2016) e&) 2% Mar) 2016)
V+outh +udan Child +oldiers)V )$IC-) U8-C9F, 12 May 2017) e&) 2% Mar) 2016)
V+outh +udan)V )nited $ations (##ice o# the Special *epresentative o# the Secretary+General #or
Children and Ar!ed Con#lict) United 8ations >ffice of the +#ecial 3e#resentati(e of the
+ecretary/eneral for Children and Armed Conflict, 4 June 2014) e&) 2" Mar) 2016)
Tekle, TesfaAlem) V+;=M-> ismisses 3$s 3e#ort on Child +oldier$s 3ecruitment)V
Sudan ribune) +udan Tri&une, 17 ec) 2014) e&) 2" Mar) 2016)
VThe Crisis in +outh +udan)V3onitoring and *eporting 3echanis!.n)d)H n) #a!) )$IC-)
U8-C9F, 22 >ct) 2014) e&) 2" Mar) 2016)
heeler, +kye) Ve Can ie Too)Vu!an *ights Watch) uman 3i!hts atch, 17 ec) 2014)
e&) 2% Mar) 2016)
*hy +outh +udan$s Children Are Fi!htin! A!ain)V Child Soldiers International) Child +oldiers
-nternational, 12 Fe&) 2014) e&) 2" Mar) 2016)
C)SE ST0,3 !% M3)+M)R
VBurmaH orldPs i!hest 8um&er of Child +oldiers)Vu!an *ights Watch) uman 3i!hts
atch, 16 >ct) 2002) e&) 2" Mar) 2016)
VChild +oldiers 3ecruited to +u##ort 9'#ansion of the 8U8=A ;eace Council)V4aren
u!an *ights Group) aren uman 3i!hts /rou#, 2" May 200%) e&) 2" Mar) 2016)
VA an!erous 3efu!eH >n!oin! Child 3ecruitment &y the achin -nde#endence Army)V ChildSoldiers International) Child +oldiers -nternational, July 2014) e&) 2" Mar) 2016)
e##ner, e(in, and a(id Mathieson) Sold to Be Soldiers& he *ecruit!ent and )se o# Child
Soldiers in Bur!a) 8e Qork, 8QH uman 3i!hts atch, 200%) ;rint)
-
7/25/2019 The Use of Children in Armed Conflict
43/44
The Use of Children in Armed Conict Frankish 43
V=east e(elo#ed CountriesH U8 Classification)V he World Ban/) The orld Bank /rou#, n)d)
e&) 2" Mar) 2016)
VMyanmar)V )nited $ations (##ice o# the Special *epresentative o# the Secretary+General #or
Children and Ar!ed Con#lict) United 8ations >ffice of the +#ecial 3e#resentati(e of the+ecretary/eneral for Children and Armed Conflict, 4 June 2014) e&) 2" Mar) 2016)
VMyanmar atchlist)V Watchlist) atchlist, n)d) e&) 2" Mar) 2016)
VU8-C9FH Child +oldier 3ecruitment in Myanmar +till a ;ro&lem)V S(S Children5s 6illages)
+>+ ChildrenPs Oilla!es, 6 >ct) 2010) e&) 2" Mar) 2016)
&+TER+)T&'+)L 'R/+)&5)T&'+S
V/uide to the >#tional ;rotocol on the -n(ol(ement of Children in Armed Conflict)V
C(ALII($ ( S(P - )S- ( CIL" S(L"I-*S.2005H n) #a!) )$IC-)
U8-C9F, ec) 2005) e&) 1 A#r) 2016)
Vistory of ar