On the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers, No Peace Without Justice reaffirms its condemnation of the use of child soldiers and reiterates that the recruitment and exploitation of children as child soldiers is a profound violation of the rights of the child and of international humanitarian law.
Since its inception, NPWJ has worked on national and international efforts to restore the rule of law and provide accountability and redress to victims of violations of international law, including child soldiers. Our work on international criminal law generally, and on accountability mechanisms in particular, highlights crimes committed against children, by children, or to which children are witnesses. NPWJ strongly believes the rights of the child should play a central role in international criminal justice and has consistently worked towards justice and redress for child victims of crimes under international law with the goal of eliminating impunity for those crimes and facilitating non-repetition.
The enormity of the issue is clear: it is estimated that there are over 250,000 child soldiers worldwide today and that 50 countries still permit the recruitment of children into armed forces. While all children can be subjected to exploitation, abuse and violence through their conscription, enlistment or use as child soldiers, the situation of girls is particularly concerning, due to gender-based vulnerabilities. Girls often endure sexual slavery and violence as child soldiers, commonly being taken as child ‘brides’ for fighters, and are subsequently placed at a significant risk of being widowed, abandoned, or maimed. Because of these circumstances, girls also face a more challenging road to rehabilitation due to increased levels of trauma from sexual abuse and stigma and rejection from their communities.
With only a minority of children released benefiting from reintegration programs, NPWJ reiterates its commitment not only to preventing the conscription, enlistment or use of child soldiers, but also to encouraging effective reintegration and rehabilitation programs for child soldiers at the international level and preventing investigational neglect and disregard for these crimes.
While the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers raises awareness and encourages activism in relation to condemnation of the use of child soldiers, NPWJ believes that these efforts should be consistent all year round. We encourage civil society, international organisations, regional bodies and national institutions to do more outside of this international day of recognition to raise awareness and take action on the inhumane recruitment and use of child soldiers.
For further information, contact Alison Smith, International Justice Director, on asmith@npwj.org or Nicola Giovannini, Press & Public Affairs Coordinator, on ngiovannini@npwj.org org.
