Ending child soldiering practices for the sake of future generations

Olara A. Otunnu, United Nations, Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, New York

Feb. 12, 2002 could be a good day for children around the world. On that day, an international treaty will come into force that bans the use of child soldiers. That treaty is the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict.

The problem of child soldiers is immense and has been growing: there are currently estimated to be more than 300,000 children under 18 used as combatants, camp laborers, sex slaves, and runners in more than 30 armed conflicts worldwide. Using children as soldiers is one of the worst forms of brutalization -- and it is practiced in every corner of the globe. Once in force, this treaty will be a valuable tool for exerting pressure on states and rebel movements that engage in this particularly cynical exploitation of children.

It is in countries where the conflicts are the most protracted and the most intractable that children are in the greatest danger. Thousands of children, often abducted from schools or refugee camps, risking beatings or death killed if they attempt to escape, become at times not only victims but also perpetrators. And once childhood is snatched from them, they are cut off from their normal development, education and human relationships. Devastated by suffering and hardened against the suffering of others, these children require psycho-social rehabilitation, education and economic opportunities within their communities.

There are many reasons why young people end up in armed groups: some are coerced or induced, some are abducted, some join because economic and social systems around them have collapsed, and still others join for ideological reasons, because they have been manipulated by religious or political forces. Root causes of war, such as poverty, repression and devastated economies take their toll on children as well as adults. Children become susceptible and vulnerable to being induced to bear arms before they can make decisions for themselves. But, as of Feb. 12, 2002, governments and rebel groups that condone the use of children will face the consequences from the international community.

As the United Nations Secretary General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, I have talked with many child soldiers in many different parts of the world. These children have recounted to me the committing of atrocities and being forced to kill their friends as proof of loyalty to their captors. Their nightmares never leave them, but they dream of returning to normal life. The treaty will help them achieve that dream. Not only does it outlaw the use of child soldiers, but it urges signatories to allocate the necessary resources for their rehabilitation and reintegration. It is not enough to demand that a child disarm; we must break the cycle of violence. A former child soldier must be given education, training and psycho-social treatment. It is in the interest of the international community to commit far greater resources to this goal. A society cannot make the transition to stability unless its children -- its very future -- and given hope, dignity and respect.

But how can we ensure that the provisions of this treaty are translated into reality on the ground? Because most state and non-state abusers of children seek legitimacy in the eyes of the world. Those that are engaged in struggles for political power know that their future status depends in part on broad acceptance by the international community. They are often interested in the potential of future financial assistance. And, in this age of global interdependence and communication, even the remotest armed groups know that the glare of scrutiny and condemnation is not far away. With better monitoring and reporting on the conduct of armed groups, we can ensure that no child is left behind with fighting forces.

Feb. 12 will be one of those magical days when the international community will acquire the tools for the protection of the world's children. The basket of the carrots of financial aid and legitimacy, together with the new stick of this protocol and world opprobrium, mean that it is within our grasp to eradicate the use of child soldiers for the first time in history. This treaty was negotiated for more than six years by the entire international community and was adopted by consensus. Now we must seize the moment. I am calling on all parties and organizations, from the United Nations Security Council to the European Union and other regional organizations, to religious leaders, civil society groups and governments to bring all of their influence to bear on the protection of war-affected children. Give this treaty the force and support it deserves by monitoring compliance by armed groups. Children simply have no place in war.