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Millions of children are targets in war, facing death and trauma. This study examines the factors contributing to child soldiery and proposes raising the age limit to 18.
Area of Science:
- Childhood studies
- International relations
- Conflict resolution
Background:
- Children are direct targets in armed conflicts, experiencing death, injury, and severe trauma.
- There is ongoing debate regarding the psychiatric management of trauma symptoms in child soldiers.
- Despite the Convention on the Rights of the Child, many boys are recruited as active combatants, especially in African conflicts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss the background factors leading to the recruitment of boy soldiers.
- To explore the rehabilitation processes for boy soldiers post-conflict.
- To address the proposed increase in the minimum age for child soldiers.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on child soldiery.
- Analysis of reports concerning child soldiers and international conventions.
- Discussion of rehabilitation strategies and policy recommendations.
Main Results:
- Children are victims and active participants in warfare, facing significant physical and psychological harm.
- The recruitment of boys as soldiers, particularly in Africa, is a persistent issue.
- Rehabilitation challenges and the need for improved international standards are highlighted.
Conclusions:
- The Convention on the Rights of the Child is frequently breached regarding child soldiers.
- A United Nations report suggests raising the minimum age for child soldiers from 15 to 18.
- Governments must establish mechanisms to enforce and monitor the Convention for child protection.
Abstract:
Millions of children are not merely bystanders but targets of war. Many are killed by bombs, bullets and landmines, many more are severely traumatized, though there is disagreement among carers as to how far the resulting symptoms should be managed as conventional psychiatric illness. Although a clear breach of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, large numbers of boys become active combatants, particularly in conflicts in Africa. The background factors to this and the rehabilitation of the boy soldiers at the end of the conflicts are discussed. A recent report to the United Nations proposes that the age limit of 15 for child soldiers under the Convention should be raised to 18. Governments should set up official machinery for implementing and monitoring the Convention.