The Global Rise Of Child Soldiers: Why We All Should Be Concerned

Abstract

The use of child soldiers is not new, children have been used in armed conflicts essentially since the very first recorded armed conflict. While the international community does not support this, we have nevertheless come to expect it, particularly in certain regions of the world. Alarmingly, however, over the past ten to fifteen years the use of child soldiers has spread to virtually every region of the world and can be seen in virtually every armed conflict. Current estimates are that there are thousands of child soldiers, male and female, currently serving in armed conflicts with some under the age of ten years old. Some of these soldiers are forcibly recruited, but many are volunteers. This paper examines the rise of this phenomenon, attempts to understand its origins from a historical perspective, and discusses the underlying causes along with examining the lives of these children after serving as child soldiers. Finally, this paper focuses on the efforts being made and solutions being offered to quell the rise of the use of child soldiers and reintegration efforts.