Child Soldiers

Child soldiers

Thousands of children are fighting in wars and armed conflicts around the world. This includes both girls and boys in Latin America, Africa and Asia and also in Europe. The largest number of child soldiers, however, are in Africa. According to UN estimates there are over 100.000, particularly in Uganda, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sudan. Kindernothilfe is a member of the alliance "Deutsche Koordination Kindersoldaten", the German branch of the International Coalition to stop the Use of Child Soldiers. It also supports projects for former child soldiers.

Foto: Kindernothilfe

The Red Hand Campaign: One million red hands against the use of children in wars

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child it has been forbidden to use children as soldiers since 12th February 2002. Unfortunately, the number of child soldiers has hardly changed since then. There are still 250,000 children used in the wars of the adults. Children and teenagers have initiated the Red Hand Campaign and appeal to old and young to participate. Send your message on a sheet of paper including your name and your town to the UN politicians. As an expression of your protest, place your hand print with red finger paint on it! more

Picture: Reuters

Child Soldiers Global Report: International Efforts Still Failing Child Soldiers

(Duisburg/ Berlin, May 2008) Despite progress, efforts to end the recruitment and use of child soldiers are too little and too late for many children, according to the 2008 Child Soldiers Global Report, presented by the German Section of the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers in Berlin. more

Facts and figures on child soldiers

"Every child has the right of protection from armed conflicts" according to article 38 of the UN-Convention on the Rights of the Child (pdf, 1 MB) which was adopted on 20 November 1989 by the General Assembly of the United Nations. Almost all countries in the world have ratified it and thus undertaken to comply with it. On the 25 May 2000 the UN General Assembly added a so-called optional protocol to the convention. It came into force on the 12 February 2002 and forbids governments and armed groups to recruit children and young people under 18 for armed conflicts. Nevertheless, government armies are allowed to continue to recruit 16 year old volunteers. So far, more than 100 countries have ratified this convention. Nevertheless children are still being used as soldiers, for example in Rwanda, Uganda, Afghanistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. more

Picture: dpa

Shadow Report "Child soldiers" published

Berlin, December 2007) Kindernothilfe and terre des hommes have published the shadow report in the context of the States Report Procedure pursuant to Article 8 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts. more