Attacking the Issue of Child Soldiers

Madeline Moton

According to BBC news reports the UN is attempting to release over 80 child soldiers in Chad taken prisoner by the Chad army during rebel fighting. After their capture, Unicef arrived to withdraw child under the age of 17 from the groups of child soldiers and taken them to a demobilization center as soon and as quickly as possible. As expected, Unicef and the Red Cross have been pushing and proding at the Chadian government to allow them access to the children. According to Unicef, the government has been allowing them access to the most recent captives, however interestingly enough, both sides (the rebels and the govenment) have been constantly using child soldiers.

Many non-governmental orginaztions (NGOs) are getting invloved in the issue of child soldiers, including a British actor who is the Unicef Goodwill Ambassador. In 2007 Chad signed the Paris Engagements on the protection of children which obliges them to prevent the recruitment of child soldiers.

The Progress that is being made towards abolishing child soldiering is beginning to make a difference in the international system, with more countries and individuals becoming aware of the degree of negativty and human rights loss recruting children to be soldiers brings. The only problem now however that the UN and other international orginations will be facing more, is how to get the countries that do child soldiering to stop completely anf forever.