Introduction
In many parts of the world where we have experienced armed conflict, children have been the majority of victims. Whether the conflict is internal, national or international children have suffered the most. Many countries, non governmental organizations and relief agencies have for as long time now been struggling with coming up with a framework that will completely end the demise that comes upon children.
Not only have children been direct victims they have also been indirect victims. There are three main ways that children have been used in armed conflicts. One of the main ways and the major topic of study is the use of children either voluntarily or involuntarily as child soldiers. The second main way is the use of children as supportive instruments of war, either as sex slaves, spies, look outs, porters or even as messengers. The thirds main way is the use of children as human shields.
Thesis Statement
Throughout the history of human civilization and in many cultures around the world children have been extensively used in military campaigns. The problem with this fact is the knowledge that some of these actions have taken place in societies where such use of child soldiers is considered a taboo. In order to evaluate this phenomenon extensively we will take a case study of the east and central Africa region where child soldiers have been extensively deployed in military campaigns. In analyzing this region we shall also look at the effectiveness of measures taken to curb the use of child soldiers.
Analysis
According to article 38 of the 1989, United Nations convention on the rights of the child, stated that state actors were to take all necessary measures to ensure that anybody below the age of 15 years would not be used in active military campaigns. In addition to the above named article, the optional protocol, to the convention on the rights of the child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, that was signed and adopted in 2002 non-state actors like guerrilla movements and liberation movements are barred from recruiting persons under the age of 18 for any purposes. On the other hand state actors are allowed to recruit persons under the age of 18 as long as they do not deploy them into active combat1
A symposium held in cape town in 1997 and sponsored by UNICEF, defined a child soldier as any person male or female under the age of 18 years, that is part of any regular or irregular armed force. As of the year 2007 Africa, especially the east and central African region was estimated to have the largest share of child soldiers in the world. Most of these soldiers are used by guerrilla movements although some of the governments in the region have been purported to also recruit child soldiers.
Burundi, central Africa republic, Uganda, Sudan, Chad and Somalia have been reported to have the greatest concentration of child soldiers.
Why Use Child Soldiers?
There are many reasons why different state and non-state actors use children in armed conflicts. One of the main reasons why children are used as soldiers especially in the east and central Africa region is the fact that they can maneuver their way to potential targets with less suspicion. This belief that children are less likely to be suspected has led to massive kidnapping of children, to participate in military campaigns, especially by the lords resistance army led by Joseph Kony in Uganda.
In addition to this there is also the issue of lack of enough adults to wage war especially against a well trained army. Many child soldiers in Africa have been recruited into guerrilla movements as a result of kidnappings and abductions. This is usually taken as a last result, due to inability of having a massive force to wage the war.
A lack of education compounded by poverty has also led to an increase of child soldiers in the east and central Africa region. The region is one of the poorest regions of the world. As a result of this many children have turned to guns in order to forget the status they are in since they are promised better status once the war is over.
Impacts Of The Use Of Children In Armed Conflicts
Whether we have child soldiers or adult soldiers there are some guaranteed impacts of war. These include; deaths, destruction of property and infrastructure, massive injuries among others. When child soldiers are used there are extra impacts including a massive decline in population growth, an increase of the elderly as compared to children leading to a decline of economic growth.
The Way Out Of This Situation
There are 3 major international conventions that govern how children should be treated especially when they are being recruited in the military. These conventions include the international labor’s organization, convention 182. This convention came into effect in 2000, and it aims at the elimination of the worst forms of child labor. The second convention is the optional protocol to the convention of the rights of the child on the involvement of children in armed conflicts.
This convention took effect in 2002. The third convention is the United Nations convention on the rights of the child that came into effect in 1989. However, these conventions have been unable to combat the escalation of use of child soldiers. In addition to these conventions, international organizations and non-governmental organizations should participate more in trying to eliminate child soldiering. Secondly more protocols and standards should be implemented globally to prevent this vice.
In addition to this the United States, being a global watchdog needs to ratify some international treaties in order to help curb the vice. The United States, Russia and china being major weapons suppliers globally should stop financing guerrilla or state actors that use child soldiers in their military campaigns.
Conclusion
Child soldiering is a crime and a vice that needs to be dealt away with at all costs. It has been one of the major reasons for children’s abuse of drugs. This is mainly as a result of children being forced to take drugs like Marijuana in order for them not to feel guilt when they are committing acts of atrocities.
References
UNICEF: Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Web.
UNICEF, 1997 Cape Town Principles and Best Practices.
Slinger, P. 2005, Children at War. New York: Pantheon Books.