Here's how we can protect children, says child soldier

THE use of child soldiers is a profound human tragedy that continues to scar generations across the world.

- CHARLES WRATTO

According to the UN, over the years, thousands of children, some as young as six, have been manipulated, indoctrinated and coerced into joining armed groups.

Many of these children have fought against peacekeeping troops in Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and US-led coalition soldiers in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia.

The devastating effect of this grave, yet persistent, tragedy extends beyond the individual child. It tears communities and families apart and leaves generations scarred with the trauma of war long after the guns fall silent.

International agreements like the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the Paris principles and commitments, the Rome statute and the Cape Town principles have condemned the practice. They provided legal and practical ways to stop the use of child soldiers.

Intervention campaigns like Child Soldiers International, the Children, Not Soldiers campaign, and the Kony 2012 campaign were launched to combat unlawful recruitment. They also raise awareness to protect child combatants in conflict regions.

The International Criminal Court has held trials and convicted warlords who were responsible for the abduction and arming of children.

The UN has published a list to “shame” governments and non-state actors that enlist minors in their armies.

Despite these efforts, the problem persists as governments and insurgent groups recruit minors in various regions of the world. One of the reasons may be that children’s presence on the battlefield throws the training and ethics of professional soldiers off balance.

Children are considered innocent, harmless, and deserving of care and protection. Harming them can cause severe emotional and psychological distress that conventional soldiers are ill-equipped to handle.