In the post-World War II, the use of children as soldier spreads quickly.

The us
e of child as the front combatant to confuse their enemy and also to reduce thei
r cost in recruiting military; duty to the tribal, economic factor, power strugg
le.
Minimum legal --> 16 Burundi
spies, messengers, sex slaves, suicide bomber, porter
voluntary-- theyve been educated for killing, raping, many inhuman acts
States do have variations in determining the 'adult' or mature age of someone.Di
fferent standard for military age?
UN should really define age limit
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What kind of conflicts these children are fighting for as well as what are their
motivations
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Cultural Belief
Religious beliefs had made children lured to become a child soldier cause theyve
been promised in getting into heaven and well-served to the God.
Ideology--- exact revenge of enemies, fight for social justice
CURRENT SITUATIONS
non-state armed group offer a semblance of government by providing basic social
services, availability of education, level of development in many nations
voluntary-- poverty, demographic need or cultural practice (science and internat
ional human rights law) UN Convention on the Rights of the Childs
Prevalence of terrorism and the ensuing use of children in terrorist activities
(universal protection of children vs the need to respect cultural practices)
REINTEGRATION PROCESS
The 1996 Study of the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children,
1. backed by extensive rearch from NGOs-- Optional Protocol raises the minimum a
ge for participation in armed conflict to 18 years.
2. Determining best practices with child soldiers is an ongoing effort,require l
ocal analysis and planning
Local families UNICEF host children
RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL ACTION
- Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvem
entof Children in Armed Conflict(2000)
- Guide to theOptional............ (2003)
-International Standards
for Action
Proposed Solutions
- Internatonal community -- emphasizes the diversion of resources to the mainten
ance of education and psycho-social community initiatives during and after confl
ict.
-UNICEF could launch and spread a campaign to support adoption and adherence to
the Optional Protocol.....
-Attention to the social circumtances that exacerbate the use of child soldiers,
including arm transfers, the use of landmines, and lack of education/healthcare
.
formation of an international enforcement mechanism for treaties such as CRC, an
nual reviews of states and punishments in terms of fine, sanctions, and removal
from human right bodiesfor sustained abuses
Finding NGOs willing to provide free advocacy to former child soldiers on an ind
ividual or class-level basis, trust-building mechanism
warlords, drug lords, gangs
MACEDONIA
SOS Children's Village, one Youth Facility and two SOS Social Centres in the for
mer Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
one of the lowest per capita gross domestic product in Europe, Unemployment rate
s are persistently high (32%); the population lives below the nationally-establi
shed poverty line (29%)