Neither war nor peace: children and youth in organised armed violence

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Criminology
• International Relations

Background:

• The global community underappreciates the involvement of armed children and youths in non-political disputes.
• While 'child soldiers' in war zones are recognized, many children participate in organized armed groups outside traditional conflict areas.
• This issue is particularly severe in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where small-arms fire mortality among children may exceed that in many armed conflicts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the overlooked problem of child and youth participation in armed groups outside of war zones.
• To draw attention to the specific and acute situation in Rio de Janeiro regarding armed children in drug trafficking conflicts.
• To underscore the high mortality rates associated with small-arms fire in urban conflict settings like Rio's favelas.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of existing literature and reports on child soldiery and armed groups.
• Case study approach focusing on Rio de Janeiro and its internal conflicts.
• Comparative analysis of mortality data from urban violence versus traditional armed conflicts.

Main Results:

• Children and youths are involved in organized armed groups in both developed and developing nations.
• Rio de Janeiro experiences significant child involvement in drug trafficking-related armed conflicts within favelas.
• Mortality rates from small-arms fire in Rio de Janeiro among children may be higher than in many recognized armed conflicts.

Conclusions:

• The participation of children in armed groups outside of war zones is a significant and growing global concern.
• Rio de Janeiro presents a critical case study of urban violence where children are heavily involved in armed factions, leading to high casualties.
• Urgent international attention and intervention strategies are needed to address the complex issue of armed children in non-traditional conflict settings, particularly those driven by organized crime.