Washington, DC., 15 July 2025 —
The recruitment of children for armed conflict remains one of the most disturbing violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. It is a global crisis. Thousands of children, some as young as 8 years old, are exploited and recruited by armed groups, government forces, and warring parties across various regions of the world.
From Sub-Saharan Africa to Southeast Asia, from the Middle East to parts of Latin America, armed groups continue to exploit children. This practice not only robs children of their innocence and future but also perpetuates cycles of violence, poverty, and instability. Ending child soldiering is not just a moral imperative; it is essential for building lasting peace, protecting human rights, and reclaiming the childhoods of the most vulnerable in conflict.
The Most Vulnerable in Conflict
Child soldiers are defined as any person under the age of 18 who is recruited or used by an armed force or group in any capacity. Children are often targeted for recruitment because they are more easily manipulated, less likely to resist orders, and can be indoctrinated quickly. In conflict zones, where adult fighters may be scarce, children are seen as expendable and easily replaceable assets. The tactical advantage is that children often go unnoticed by enemies or interventional observers.
Some children volunteer to join armed groups, not out of ideological commitment, but due to a lack of alternatives, family separation, or the need for protection and sustenance. The “voluntary” recruitment is often still considered coercive, as the child’s consent cannot be freely given in such dire circumstances. The longer a child remains in an armed group, the harder it becomes to rehabilitate and reintegrate them into society.
Participation includes not only direct involvement in combat but also being used as human shields, cooks, porters, messengers, spies, forced labor, or for sexual purposes. Both boys and girls are affected. Girls often face additional risks of sexual violence, exploitation, abuse, and forced marriage.
Entire communities suffer when generations are raised amid violence. The social fabric erodes developmental traits, and cycles of conflict are perpetuated. The use of child soldiers has long-term psychological, emotional, and physical consequences. Children involved in armed conflict miss out on education and developmental milestones. Many children are subjected to intense trauma, including witnessing or committing atrocities.
Upon reintegration into society, former child soldiers often face stigmatization, social exclusion, and a lack of support systems. Girls who have been sexually abused often bear the additional burden of motherhood or sexually transmitted diseases.
Regions of Concern
Child soldier recruitment occurs in many parts of the world; however, it remains particularly prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, in countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Central African Republic (CAR), Somalia, and South Sudan, which have long struggled with armed groups recruiting children.
The UN has repeatedly listed the DRC among countries where the recruitment of child soldiers is widespread. The conflicts between Christian militias and Muslim armed groups in the CAR have led to the mass recruitment of children. Many are used in combat or for support roles. Since its independence in 2011, South Sudan has experienced recurrent civil conflict. Both the government and rebel forces have been documented recruiting children. Despite disarmament efforts, thousands of child soldiers remain active. Further, armed groups like Al-Shabaab continue to recruit and exploit children. Reports indicate that children are trained, radicalized, and used in combat and suicide missions.
In the Middle East, ongoing conflicts in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen have seen various factions, including extremist groups, deploying child soldiers. In the chaos of Syria’s civil war, various factions, including ISIS, Kurdish groups, and even state-affiliated militias, have recruited children. Some have been trained as fighters or used in propaganda. Likewise, the ongoing war in Yemen has seen both the Houthi rebels and the government-affiliated forces recruiting child soldiers. The UN has verified thousands of cases since the start of the conflict in 2014.
Child recruits are a concern in Southeast Asia and Latin America. In nations such as Myanmar, the military (Tatmadaw) and ethnic armed groups have both been implicated in the use of child soldiers, though recent reforms have led to some progress in demobilizing underage recruits. In Colombia, the FARC, ELN, and paramilitary groups have historically recruited children. Thousands of children were estimated to have served in various roles, including combat, intelligence, logistics, or were victims of sexual exploitation.
International Law
The use of child soldiers is explicitly forbidden under international law. Multiple legal instruments aimed at protecting children from recruitment, namely the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and its Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (OPAC). These documents prohibit recruitment under 18 and participation in hostilities. Additionally, the UN Security Council Resolution 1612 established a monitoring and reporting mechanism on grave violations against children in armed conflict.
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court classifies the conscription or use of children under 15 in hostilities as a war crime. The Paris Principles and Vancouver Principles provide guidelines for the reintegration of former child soldiers and the prevention of recruitment. However, enforcement of these legal instruments remains inconsistent. Armed groups often operate outside of state control, and even some national governments continue to recruit minors despite international condemnation.
UN peacekeeping missions and organizations like UNICEF, War Child, Save the Children, and Child Soldiers International work on monitoring violations, advocating for the release of children, and supporting the rehabilitation and reintegration of former child soldiers.
Accountability and Responsibility
Eradicating child soldier recruitment requires a holistic approach. Legal accountability has to be strengthened. It demands long-term investment in education, poverty alleviation, community resilience, and peacebuilding. Governments, NGOs, and ordinary citizens all have a role to play. Aid agencies must be funded and empowered to conduct humanitarian missions. Peacekeepers must be trained to identify and protect vulnerable children. Donors and voters must prioritize policies that uphold human rights and support conflict prevention.
Armed groups and governments must be held accountable when they engage in or tolerate child recruitment, and non-state actors must face international pressure. International bodies must impose sanctions or legal action where necessary. Awareness is also crucial. The more the world knows about these atrocities, the harder it becomes for the perpetrators to act with impunity.
Reclaiming Childhood
The recruitment and use of children in armed conflict is a gross violation of human rights that demands urgent and sustained international attention. Protecting children from being dragged into war is not only a moral obligation but a necessity for building lasting peace and justice in conflict-affected societies. Ending this tragic practice is achievable, but only through collective global action, accountability, and investment in the lives and futures of vulnerable children.
Photo Credit: Child Soldier by Voluntary Amputation. Licensed under CC BY NC ND 2.0
Lara Kajs is the founder and executive director of The Genocide Report, an NGO nonprofit organization in Washington, DC. She is the author of Assad’s Syria, and Stories from Yemen: A Diary from the Field, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, and independent bookstores worldwide. Distributed by Ingram. Ms. Kajs frequently speaks about atrocity crimes, forced displacement, state terrorism, and International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Follow and connect with Lara Kajs on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and Bluesky.