Children have been used in warfare throughout history, not only as soldiers on the front line, but as spies, porters and sexual slaves. Cultural acceptance of children fighting alongside their families is still widespread in many nations, despite increased public awareness of child soldier issues and knowledge of the long-term ramifications of children engaging in warfare. Poverty and lack of opportunity directly contribute to children joining military organizations. Others are kidnapped and forced to fight – their being children reduces the likelihood that they will resist or escape. Furthermore, in recent history the ready availability of small arms has increased the number of child soldiers due to their lightweight nature and ease of operation.

It is estimated that some 300,000 children – boys and girls under the age of 18 – are today involved in more than 30 conflicts worldwide.

According to the 1997 Capetown Principles, a child soldier is anyone under the age of 18, “who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity, including but not limited to cooks, porters, messengers and anyone accompanying such groups, other than family members. The definition includes girls recruited for sexual purposes and for forced marriage.”

Child soldiers are used in practically every region of the world. Currently, there are child soldiers fighting in 17 countries: Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Côte d?Ivoire, the DRC, India, Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Myanmar, Philippines, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand and Uganda.

For the last three decades, human rights organizations have pressured nations and armed groups to eliminate the use of child soldiers in their ranks, with only limited success.

For more information, go to Overview.

Photos by Endre Vestvik, CRN/Hope In Action – Former child soldiers in DRC.