Child soldier in India

The world is nowadays witnessing a menace of armed conflicts all over the globe for one or the other reasons. And sad is the fact that these conflicts use underage children as soldiers, messengers, porters and cooks and for forced sexual services. Some are abducted or forcibly recruited; others are driven to join by poverty, abuse, discrimination, or to seek revenge for violence perpetrated against them or their families. Children sometimes also participate in warfare responding to financial, cultural, social and political pressures. The situation of girls in conflicts requires further attention. The risk of sexual violence and exploitation of children and women increase manifold during armed conflicts.

Our country is facing the problem concerning its children-emergence of children as soldiers in strife -torn states of Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Nagaland and Assam. They are being in fighting both with rebel groups as well as security forces.

The occurrence of armed conflict in some states exacerbates the risk of the participation of under-18s in state armed forces in hostilities. This risk is particularly high in areas affected by “Naxal violence”, where there have been past reports of children in the ranks of the Special Police Officers (SPOs), who have been known to be involved in counter-insurgency operations. Child Soldiers International showed serious concerns about the lack of effective age verification measures in place during recruitment in state armed forces, including paramilitaries and police forces in the country.

Bringing to an end the use of child soldiers is extremely daunting task, particularly when children are recruited for combat by armed, non-governmental groups. Also modern conflicts are characterized by governmental breakdown, making it difficult to identify and influence those recruiting and using children as soldiers. Violations of the laws of war that affect children need to be properly monitored and reported, so that offenders can be held accountable before truth and reconciliation mechanisms.

Demobilized child soldiers must be provided an environment that can prevent their re-recruitment. It should also lay the groundwork for the eventual return to their families and communities. This includes providing protection to former child soldiers during demobilization and social reintegration programmes -education and vocational training etc.