Africa: Recruitment of Child Soldiers Is On the Rise, Despite Global Commitments

In 2024, the UN marked the thirty-fifth anniversary of a commitment to protect children from being recruited as soldiers, yet armed groups have increased such recruitment globally. The Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, highlighted the alarming rise in the use of children in armed conflicts in various regions, urging for urgent action to protect these vulnerable children and prevent further violations of their rights. Gamba called for international cooperation to grant safe humanitarian access to children, enforce laws protecting them, and eliminate practices that harm them, aiming for a future of compassion, peace, and healing for these children.

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