Children in armed conflict

Children’s rights in conflict are often violated; their rights to be protected from violence, sexual abuse, terror and loss are disrupted. Under such conditions, practically all the necessary factors for child development are seriously harmed, and children may experience short- and/or long-term physical and/or psychological consequences.

21.09 2018

Worldwide, more than 5000 children are, on a daily basis, displaced due to armed conflict. Many of these children are able to run away from violence together with their families, but an increasing number may loose track of their loved ones and find themselves alone in a threatening situation. Among these, some will be recruited into armed groups. Whereas some children have been abducted and forcefully separated from their families, others have been driven to volunteer as a result of social exclusion, and family breakdown, or after witnessing atrocities.

Guides and manuals

The experience of war often evokes a spectrum of emotions, such as anger, outrage, anxiety, sorrow, fear, and helplessness. Recognizing this emotional impact highlights the significance of addressing the needs of vulnerable groups, such as child soldiers, through comprehensive support and recovery.

Child Soldier Teaching Guide

2022Citizen Kid

Michel is like many other five-year-olds: he has a loving family and spends his days going to school and playing soccer. But in 1993, the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Michel and his family live, is a country in tumult. One afternoon, Michel an...

Child Soldiers. Care & Protection of Children in E...

2001Save the Children

The “Field Guide to Child Soldier Programs in Emergencies” is one in a series compiled by Save the Children (SC) as part of its Children and War Capacity Building Initiative. The SC Children in Crisis Unit developed this initiative in order to suppor...

3 ways you can protect children in conflict zones

2023World Vision

The scenes of heartbreak, chaos and ruin from conflict are gut-wrenching. It’s hard not to feel hopeless and helpless in the face of it. But, child sponsors around the world bring hope into some of humanity’s darkest hours – even when they don’t real...

How to help children cope with war trauma

2024Amanda Ruggeri

But effects go beyond mental health. Children who had been exposed to bombing and combat in Germany during World War Two, for example, were more than twice as likely to suffer from a severe illness in their early sixties, possibly a result of an over...

How to talk to your children about conflict and war

2023UNICEF

When conflict or war makes the headlines, it can cause feelings such as fear, sadness, anger and anxiety wherever you live. Here are some tips on how to approach the conversation with your child and to provide them with support and comfort.

Here is how to talk to your children about conflict and...

2023UNICEF

During times of conflict and crisis, children, parents, caregivers experience anxiety and stress. More than ever, families should stand together, encourage, and support each other and strive to keep on one team – getting through these tough tim...

How to Talk with Children About the Conflict in Ukraine

2023Save the Children

As hostilities in Ukraine escalate, children may see and hear things about the crisis in the news, leading to feelings of uncertainty, anxiety and fear, which parents and caregivers need to address, Save the Children’s psychologists warn.

Children in war and conflict

2023Canadian Museum

In this guide, you will find links to resources related to children and their experiences during war and large societal conflicts, and the after‐effects of these events on children. Resources include books, media reports, documentaries, newspapers an...

 

Child soldiers and children’s protection needs in armed conflict

Children, both girls and boys, even under the age of 15 are cynically included and used as cheap and expendable tools of war, and too many are also exposed to sexual abuse and exploitation in the context of armed groups. Over the past decade we have seen the number of child soldiers increasing.

Stop the War on Children

2019Save the Children, in collaboration with researchers from the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)

The protection of children in conflict – and with it the realisation of the promises made in the declarations, conventions and statutes of the 20th century – is one of the defining challenges of the 21st century. The nature of conflict – and its impa...

Child Soldiers International Annual Report

2018Child Soldiers International

Protecting children in conflict is one of the most urgent human rights issues of our time. Around the world more than 240 million children are living in countries affected by conflict. Many of them face violence, displacement, hunger and exploitation...

Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Children – Im...

1996UN

This report (78 p.) presents a solid, historical study on the impact of armed conflict on children. It highlightens the topics of child soldiers, refugees, as well as sexual exploitation, landmines and promoting psychological recovery and integration...

I’ve moved, my rights haven’t: Towards a global a...

2016War Child UK

The sheer scale of child displacement, combined with a humanitarian system that is failing to meet their needs, means that the basic rights of millions of children are being denied. This is despite the fact that these rights are innate, and should st...

Impact of Armed Conflict on Children – Twenty Years of ...

2016Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict

Twenty years ago, Graça Machel’s report “Impact of armed conflict on children”, asked the international community to come together to address the plight of children affected by war. For two years, Machel had travelled to conflict zones and met childr...

Children and Conflict in a Changing World

2009UN/UNICEF

This is a very solid and broad study (236 p.), meant as a follow-up after the UN-report from 1996 mentioned above. Graca Machel who was responsible for the first report, together with lots of other organizations and persons came up with a “10-year st...

Documents – Secretary-General of Children and Armed Con...

2010UN

This UN site provides with reports of the Secretary-General and conclusions, concerning children, their situation and involvement in armed conflicts sorted by geography/regions. Useful.

Child Soldiers – Global Report 2008

2008Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers

The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers has published this report (3rd ed., 418 p.), in 2009, including the years 2004-07. It “details how a near global consensus that children should not be used as soldiers and strenuous international effort...

Child soldiers and Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabil...

2006Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers

This report describes current child soldier and DDR programs, as well as gaps, funding needs and overlaps identified by those organizations. It further outlines proposals for information sharing and more effective advocacy work on child soldier issue...

Chance for Change – Ending the recruitment and use of c...

2013Child soldiers

Since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1948, Myanmar?s military has been involved in armed conflict with over 35 armed groups seeking varying degrees of autonomy. The ethnic armed conflict in Myanmar has continued. The establishment of...

Child Soldiers – A National and Global Security Issue

2002Lisa Alfredson

The most vulnerable and marginalized segments of society, a category which includes child soldiers, are also most at risk of becoming ‘displaced’—as refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs) or asylum seekers.

Former girl child soldiers face hardships with reintegr...

2011WNN

Approaching the topic under a gender view, the article based on an interview with a former girl soldier concludes that reintegration after armed conflicts is more difficult for girls. Beatrice Lamwaka.

 

Mental health after armed conflict

Children’s rights in conflict are often violated; their rights to be protected from violence, sexual abuse, terror and loss are disrupted. Under such conditions, practically all the necessary factors for child development are seriously harmed, and children may experience short- and/or long-term phys

Psychosocial Care Package Children in Conflict Areas

2012HealthNet TPO

Children who experience violence are at increased risk of developing psychosocial and mental health problems; however, most children in these settings do not receive the care they need. The HealthNet TPO program delivers a multi-tiered psychosocial c...

Manuals helping children cope with their reactions to w...

Children and War Foundation

The foundation has developed five manuals to help children cope with their reaction to war and disasters. To get access to the manuals, please contact the foundation directly.

Mental Health Status in former Child Soldiers

2008JAMA,

This study compares the mental health of former child soldiers in Nepal with a group never-conscripted Nepalese children. The authors are giving an account of the health problems former child soldiers are suffering with.

War-trauma and PTSD in former child soldiers, connected...

2007JAMA

This study amongst former child soldiers in Uganda and the Dem. Rep. of Congo tries to elaborate in which way PTSD and trauma inflicts the capability to reconciliation.

Post-traumatic stress symptoms among former child soldi...

2016Betancourt et al.

The findings indicated improvement in PTSD symptoms among former child soldiers despite limited access to care. Family and community support played a vital part in promoting psychological adjustment

Mental States of Adolescents exposed to War in Uganda

2006Amone-P`Olak, Torture Vol 16,

The article (15 p) describes the rehabilitation of formerly abducted adolescents exposed to war in Uganda, and tries to point out appropriate methods.

When children affected by war go home – Lessons learned...

2003Save The Children Fund,

This study (9 p) provides a research in Liberia, where Save The Children UK undertook a study that tracked children associated with armed forces following the DDR process (disarmament, demobilization and rehabilitation).

The Psychological Impact of Political Violence on Child...

2007Wainryb and Pasupathi,

Discussion (15 p.) how children are reacting and being affected by political violence.

The Voices of Girl Child Soldier

2002Keairns,

Violence against children is unacceptable. Addressing this problem requires the work of governments, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector and individual men and women. It also requires that we listen to the voices of...

The Voices of Girl Child Soldiers Colombia

2003Keairns,

This report on the voices of girl child soldiers in Colombia is part of a larger study that carried out in-depth interviews with 23 girl soldiers from four different conflict areas around the world.

Psychological First Aid Field Operation Guide

National Child Traumatic Stress Network – National Center for PTSD.

Gives guidance on responding to disaster or terrorism events using the Psychological First Aid intervention. This evidence-informed approach helps to assist children, adolescents, adults, and families in the aftermath of disaster and terrorism. The m...

Easy Prey: Child Soldiers in Liberia

1994Human Rights Watch,

Children who have been used as soldiers are among the most tragic victims of the war in Liberia.1 Although international law forbids the use of children under the age of fifteen as soldiers, many thousands of children have been involved in the fighti...

Children and Adolescents – Guidelines Position Pa...

2019ISTSS

For the past two decades, there has been substantial debate about whether there are qualitatively different symptom profiles that can develop in children from different types of traumatic events and life circumstances. The term “complex trauma” is of...

Helping Children After a Natural Disaster: Information ...

P.J. Lazarus, S.R. Jimerson, S. E. Brock, NCSP

Natural disasters can be especially traumatic for children and youth. Experiencing a dangerous or violent flood, storm, or earthquake is frightening even for adults, and the devastation to the familiar environment (i.e., home and community) can be lo...

Helping children overcome disaster trauma through post-...

Robert Henley, SAD

The primary aim of this report is to review possible theoretical underpinnings and practical methods utilized by psychosocial sports programs in helping children traumatized in disaster. The method of assessment will be to examine existing research a...

MHHRI psychological first aid and Ukrainian resources

2022Mental Health and Human Rights Info

We have here gathered some of the resources that we have used in our work together with AHALAR, in Ukraine over the last two years. Here you can find the toolbox which is a collection of the tools that contains grounding exercises, metaphors, window ...

Posttraumatic resilience in former Ugandan child soldie...

2012Children Soldiers International, Klasen et a.

Child development The present research examines posttraumatic resilience in extremely exposed children and adolescents based on interviews with 330 former Ugandan child soldiers. Despite severe trauma exposure, 27.6% showed posttraumatic resilience a...

Psychosocial Care and Protection of Tsunami Affected Ch...

2005Inter-Agency working group on separated and unaccompanied children

Exposure to natural disasters has a devastating impact on the psychological and social well-being of children, adolescents and adults. It is now widely accepted that early psychosocial interventions that help to mitigate the effect of trauma, allevi...

Psychology of the Refugee, the Immigrant and their Chil...

2000Binnie Kristal-Andersson, Dep. of Psychology, University of Lund, Sweden

In recent years, awareness has grown of the necessity of understanding the inner world of refugees (in particular traumatized refugees), immigrants, and their children. These groups have come in increasing numbers to Scandinavia, and otherwise confid...

Therapy with Refugee Children

Nooria Mehraby

Refugee children living in Australia have usually survived a multitude of traumatic experiences in their country of origin. Exposed to war, persecution, extreme deprivation and sometimes torture, they are prone to post traumatic stress disorder and p...

 

Rehabilitation and Reintegration

It is very important to focus not only on how to prevent recruiting of child soldiers but also on demobilization and reintegration in the aftermath of armed conflicts. These programs are called DDR-programs are very important to start a process f healing not only for these children.

Healing child soldiers

2009Bulletin of the World Health Organization,

A United Nations treaty prohibiting the use of children in hostilities has been ratified by 126 countries, but at least 250 000 child soldiers are currently involved in armed conflicts worldwide. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and its pa...

Child Soldiers: From recruitment to reintegration

2011Alpaslan Özerdem & Sukanya Podder (editors),

This volume is about the important processes involved in young people’s participation in civil conflict. It seeks to define the trajectories of children’s lives in war zones, and highlights the interlinkages, connections and mediated impacts of recru...

EDUCATION – Care & Protection of Children in...

2001Save the children

The Field Guide to Child Soldier Programs in Emergencies is intended for Save the Children staff and partners designing and implementing either a program focused fully on child soldiers, or a child soldiers-focused component of a broader program for ...

The impact of armed conflict on children

2012HPN

The report on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children is testimony to the millions of children who have been killed, injured and permanently disabled as a result of armed conflicts. It is testimony to countless others who have been forced to witness...

Reintegration of former child soldiers

2018UNICEF

These reports discuss effective guiding principles of reintegration among child soldiers. The aim is to bring global attention to the challenges related to the reintegration of children associated with armed forces and groups, and promote better poli...

Rethink Child Soldiers

2019War Child

More than 20 years after the establishment of my office, children are still recruited into armed forces and groups in almost every armed conflict in the world. The UN estimates that tens of thousands of children are associated with armed forces and g...

Louder than words An agenda for action to end state use...

2012Child Soldiers International

Child Soldiers International (previously known as the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers) was established in 1998 to campaign for the adoption of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of childr...

Past horrors, present struggles: The role of stigma in ...

2010Betancourt, T. S. et al., Social science & medicine,

Upon returning to their communities, children formerly associated with armed forces and armed groups–commonly referred to as child soldiers–often confront significant community stigma. Much research on the reintegration and rehabilitation of child so...

Reintegration of former child soldiers – a survey of pr...

2001Ministry of foreign affairs, Japan

The author has undertaken a research on the DDR(disarming, demobilization, reintegration)- programs exemplary on seven countries. The survey discusses difficulties, necessities, problems. Some aspects highlight mental support.

Care and Protection of Children in Emergencies. A Fiel...

2001Save the Children, Carl Triplehorn

This field guide is one in a series compiled by Save the Children (SC) as part of its Children and War Capacity Building Initiative. The SC Children in Crisis Unit developed this initiative in order to support SC staff in responding to the priority c...

Child Soldiers – Care and Protection of Children ...

2001Save the Children

Every day it is estimated that some 5000 children are newly displaced due to conflict somewhere in the world. Many may be able to flee violence with their families, but an increasing number become separated and are being recruited into armed groups a...

Assessing Trauma in Sierra Leone

2000MSF

Sierra Leonean children are growing up amidst civil unrest and armed conflict as well as disease and deprivation. It is an everyday life for these children. But even children from less violent surroundings sometimes experience the death of a loved on...

A Handbook on Planning Projects to Prevent Child Traffi...

2007Terre des hommes, Dottridge Mike

Although a lot has been learnt already about practical ways in which adults and children who have been trafficked can be protected and assisted, much less attention has been given in recent years to drawing lessons about what techniques succeed in pr...

Children Born of War – A Decade of International and In...

2017Mochmann. Children Born of War – A Decade of International and Interdisciplinary Research. Historical Social Research

Children Born of War” (CBOW) commonly refers to children who have one parent (usually the mother) that is a member of the local community and the other parent (usually the father) that is part of a foreign army or peacekeeping force (Grieg 2001, 6; M...

Children in Emergency and Crisis Situations

European Commission

Commission Of The European Communities, 2008. A framework for community humanitarian actions covering children in crisis situations with focus on separated and no accompanied children, child soldiers and education in emergencies. This general framewo...

Manuals to help children cope with their reaction to wa...

Children and War Foundation

This manual and accompanying workbook will help you to provide assistance for large numbers of children as quickly as possible. It is designed to help you teach children in a step by step practical way to develop some skills and techniques which are ...

Guiding Principles for the Domestic Implementation of a...

2009IRCR

The Guiding Principles suggest a number of practical, regulatory and legal measures as means to encourage States to improve such protection. They are based mainly on binding international rules (taking into account the specific obligations of all rel...

Helping Children After a Natural Disaster: Information ...

P.J. Lazarus, S.R. Jimerson, S. E. Brock, NCSP

Natural disasters can be especially traumatic for children and youth. Experiencing a dangerous or violent flood, storm, or earthquake is frightening even for adults, and the devastation to the familiar environment (i.e., home and community) can be lo...

Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and...

National Institute of Mental Health, USA

The purpose of this fact sheet is to tell what is known about the impact of violence and disasters on children and adolescents and suggest steps to minimize long-term emotional harm.

Clinical management of rape survivors

2004UNHCR

This guide describes best practices in the clinical management of people who have been raped in emergency situations. It is intended for adaptation to each situation, taking into account national policies and practices, and availability of materials ...

Helping Children Outgrow War

2002Global Information Network in Education Miller, Vachel W.; Affolter, Friedrich W.

The number of countries in Africa where there is internal armed conflict has grown steadily over the past decade. Children are the most vulnerable population affected; they are the first victims of physical, social, and emotional violence, and of fai...

Manual Psycho-social support of orphans

1999Humuliza Project, Terre des Hommes, Switzerland

Representing a different crisis, our aim is to contribute to the discussion of and the search for new coping mechanisms needed in such a situation. Our focus goes on children and the way how the Tanzanian society is looking to them.

My hero is you

2020Stanford Medicine

This video is an adaptation of the children’s book, My Hero is You, released in early 2020 to help educate children around the world about COVID-19. The original book was created by mental health and psychosocial support experts from the Inter-Agency...

Psychological First Aid Field Operation Guide

National Child Traumatic Stress Network – National Center for PTSD.

Gives guidance on responding to disaster or terrorism events using the Psychological First Aid intervention. This evidence-informed approach helps to assist children, adolescents, adults, and families in the aftermath of disaster and terrorism. The m...

Psychosocial Care Package Children in Conflict Areas

2012HealthNet TPO

Children who experience violence are at increased risk of developing psychosocial and mental health problems; however, most children in these settings do not receive the care they need. The HealthNet TPO program delivers a multi-tiered psychosocial c...

 

Human rights framework

A number of international conventions and laws have come into effect since the early 1970s (some going back to the Geneva Convention in 1949), in the effort to try to limit the participation of children in armed conflict. There have been discussions about those between 15 and 18 years of age.

Convention on the Rights of the Child

1990OHCHR

Legal text from the UN, concerning children`s rights, to be implemented nationally. It is proclaimed that “State parties shall take all feasible measures to ensure that persons who have not attained the age of 15 years do not take a direct part in ho...

Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of th...

2002OHCHR

This represents an optional protocol/ supplement to the convention mentioned above, concerning especially the involvement of children in armed conflict. States are required to demobilize children within their jurisdiction who have been recruited or u...

Guide to the optional protocol on the involvement of ch...

2003UNICEF

As armed conflict proliferates around the world, increasing numbers of children are exposed to the brutalities of war. In numerous countries, boys and girls are recruited as child soldiers by armed forces and groups, either forcibly or voluntarily. C...

UN resolution 1261

1999UN

This resolution from the UN Security Council was the first to address the topic, the Council condemned the targeting of children in armed conflict including the recruitment and use of child soldier.

UN Resolution 1612

2005UN Security Council

This resolution implements a monitoring and reporting mechanism regarding the use of child soldiers. It is reaffirming several former UN-resolutions, all contributing to comprehensive framework for addressing the protection of children affected by ar...

Security Council Resolution 1882

2009

The SCR 1882 was adopted to expand the gateway for parties to be listed by the Secretary General, and requesting action plans for sexual violence against children in armed conflict and killing & maiming of children in armed conflict.

Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 1949...

ICRC

A Party to the conflict which violates the provisions of the Conventions or of this Protocol shall, if the case demands, be liable to pay compensation. It shall be responsible for all acts committed by persons forming part of its armed forces.

Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention

1999International Labour Organization

The Convention C 182 defines the worst forms of slavery, and the use of children in armed conflicts is equated with slavery in art.3/a: “all forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery…..including forced or compulsory recruitment of children for...

Louder than words An agenda for action to end state use...

2012Child Soldiers International

Child Soldiers International (previously known as the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers) was established in 1998 to campaign for the adoption of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of childr...

The Paris Commitments to protect children from unlawful...

2007UN/OSRSG CAC

This is a declaration (partly recalling the Capetown Principles etc) made in Paris, were the participants agree on necessity to strengthen childrens rights.

Child Soldiers – Care and Protection of Children ...

2001Save the Children

Every day it is estimated that some 5000 children are newly displaced due to conflict somewhere in the world. Many may be able to flee violence with their families, but an increasing number become separated and are being recruited into armed groups a...

Child Soldiers. The shadow of their existence

2007War Child

This report outlines the know problems of child soldiers and the different forms of recruiting. The report zooms in on the Colombia situation and the motives with which Colombian children join these armed groups. Finally there's a list of actions tha...

Child soldiers and Disarmament, Demobilization, Rehabil...

2006Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers

This report describes current child soldier and DDR programs, as well as gaps, funding needs and overlaps identified by those organizations. It further outlines proposals for information sharing and more effective advocacy work on child soldier issue...

Child soldiers as zones of violence in The Democratic R...

2009Kitwe Mulunda Guy, IRCT

This article sets medico-legal light on torture of three former child soldiers by comparing torture methods, consequences of torture and medical observations. It is focused on these child soldiers as representatives of the many abuses of children as ...

Children and Armed Conflict

International Bureau for Children`s Rights, Rachel Harvey

A guide to international humanitarian and human rights law.

 

Children born out of war

The term “Children born of war” commonly refers to children who have one parent (usually the mother) that is a member of the local community and the other parent (usually the father) that is part of a foreign army or peacekeeping force.

Children Born of War – A Decade of International and In...

2017Mochmann. Children Born of War – A Decade of International and Interdisciplinary Research. Historical Social Research

Children Born of War” (CBOW) commonly refers to children who have one parent (usually the mother) that is a member of the local community and the other parent (usually the father) that is part of a foreign army or peacekeeping force (Grieg 2001, 6; M...

Closing the protection gap for children born of war: Ad...

2017Joanne Neenan, London School of Economics,

“National and international policymakers have largely overlooked the protection needs – and indeed, existence – of children born of sexual violence in conflict. Despite a growing body of research exposing the unique vulnerabilities this group of vict...

Protecting children born of sexual violence and exploit...

2005GSPIA and Ford Institute for Human Security

“Generally, we found that humanitarian practitioners agreed that children born of wartime rape and exploitation are appropriately understood as particularly vulnerable in conflict-affected areas. The conversations echoed much of what is known anecdot...

Children born of war

International Network for Interdisciplinary Research on Children Born of War (INIRC-CBOW)

This is the site of ‘Children born of war’, an International Network for Interdisciplinary Research on Children Born of War (INIRC-CBOW). Their aim is collecting data and information on children born of war across time and nations and thereby expandi...

Caught in the Middle: Mounting Violations Against Child...

Watchlist, 2005

This report combines information collected from a variety of sources to document violations against children and adolescents in the context of the armed conflict in Nepal ( in Nepali and English).

Background Information on Sexual Violence used as a Too...

2014UN Prevent Genocide Rawanda

The victims of modern armed conflict are far more likely to be civilians than soldiers. According to UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict, the vast majority of casualties in today’s wars are among civilians, mostly women and children. Women ...

Burundi: Child soldiers – the challenge of demobi...

2004Amnesty International

Military leaders have fuelled Burundi`s 10 year armed conflict by recruiting and abducting children, destroying their childhood and their future. Children, including children under the age of 15, have been cynically used as a cheap and expendable too...

Child Soldiers International Annual Report

2018Child Soldiers International

Protecting children in conflict is one of the most urgent human rights issues of our time. Around the world more than 240 million children are living in countries affected by conflict. Many of them face violence, displacement, hunger and exploitation...

Child Soldiers – Global Report 2008

2008Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers

The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers has published this report (3rd ed., 418 p.), in 2009, including the years 2004-07. It “details how a near global consensus that children should not be used as soldiers and strenuous international effort...

Child Soldiers. The shadow of their existence

2007War Child

This report outlines the know problems of child soldiers and the different forms of recruiting. The report zooms in on the Colombia situation and the motives with which Colombian children join these armed groups. Finally there's a list of actions tha...

Child Soldiers: From recruitment to reintegration

2011Alpaslan Özerdem & Sukanya Podder (editors),

This volume is about the important processes involved in young people’s participation in civil conflict. It seeks to define the trajectories of children’s lives in war zones, and highlights the interlinkages, connections and mediated impacts of recru...

Child soldiers as zones of violence in The Democratic R...

2009Kitwe Mulunda Guy, IRCT

This article sets medico-legal light on torture of three former child soldiers by comparing torture methods, consequences of torture and medical observations. It is focused on these child soldiers as representatives of the many abuses of children as ...

Child soldiers world index. Database mapping child recr...

2019Child Soldiers Initiative

Child soldiers world index is the first-ever online global database mapping child recruitment practices, laws and policies of all 197 UN Member States. This global map visualises trends in the military exploitation of children,  if you click on any c...

Child soldiers: understanding the context

2002British Medical Journal, Somasundaram

We need to ask why children join armies. If we are to prevent children fighting we need to understand the conditions under which children become soldiers and work to improve these conditions. One such context, that of Sri Lanka, may shed some light o...

Children affected by armed conflict: UNICEF actions

2002UNICEF

More than a decade ago, in September 1990, the Convention on th Rights of the Child (CRC) entered into force. Today the Convention, the most universally ratified human rights instrument, is the standard against which we measure the success or failure...

 

Organisations working for and with (former) child soldiers or children and war

There are many organizations working with child soldiers and children in war and conflict, trying to prevent children from being used in armed conflicts and supporting them in the aftermath. Most of these children suffer of severe posttraumatic stress, and need extra help.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for...

United Nations

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict serves as the leading UN advocate for the protection and well-being of children affected by armed conflict. The mandate of the Special Representative of the Secretary...

Children and War Foundation

The Children and War Foundation has been created to ensure that more solid knowledge about children can be gathered, and then used to improve the care of all children affected by war and disaster. Two professional groups, the Center for Crisis Psycho...

The Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict

This “watchlist” strives to end violations against children in armed conflicts and to guarantee their rights. They strategically collect and disseminate information on violations against children in conflicts in order to influence key decision-makers...

The Roméo Dallaire Child Soldier Initiative

This organization has as a goal to support former child soldiers worldwide. Here we find a broad collection of articles (conc. For example laws, legal decisions and more), as well as links to movies, documentations, TV, and lots of important related ...

The Child Rights Information Network CRIN

This is a global network that disseminates information about the Convention on the Rights of the Child and child rights amongst non-governmental organisations (NGOs), United Nations agencies, inter-governmental organisation (IGOs), educational instit...

Childsoldiers

Childsoldiers.net is the website of the Belgian organisation “Childsoldiers/ Kindsoldaten”, established by Belgian journalist Els De Temmerman in the year 2000. Its objective is to help ex-child soldiers in Uganda to re-enter mainstream society by me...

Documents – Secretary-General of Children and Armed Con...

2010UN

This UN site provides with reports of the Secretary-General and conclusions, concerning children, their situation and involvement in armed conflicts sorted by geography/regions. Useful.

Child Soldiers International

This organization works to prevent the recruitment and use of children as soldiers, to secure their demobilisation and to ensure their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.

Defence for Children International (DCI)

The DCI International Secretariat (IS) is the focal point for DCI as an international movement, focusing mainly on lobbying, research, networking and advocacy work, primarily around the issue of juvenile justice. Moreover, the IS offers technical ass...

Childwatch International Research Network

This network represents a global network of institutions that collaborate in child research for the purpose of promoting child rights and improving children`s well-being around the world.

Children born of war

International Network for Interdisciplinary Research on Children Born of War (INIRC-CBOW)

This is the site of ‘Children born of war’, an International Network for Interdisciplinary Research on Children Born of War (INIRC-CBOW). Their aim is collecting data and information on children born of war across time and nations and thereby expandi...

Action for Children in Conflict (AfCiC)

Action for Children in Conflict (AfCiC) works to break cycles of violence, hatred and despair by providing psychological, emotional and educational support to the survivors of conflict. AfCiC focuses its activities on children and young people, who h...

War Child

War Child is a network of independent organisations working across the world to help children affected by war. War Child UK was founded in February 1993 by Bill Leeson and David Wilson, two film makers, after they had returned from the former Yugosla...