Troop surge could lead to more Afghan child soldiers
The surge in international troops in Afghanistan could lead to an increase in child soldiers warned a new report backed by Save the Children.
Monday 14 June 2010
The Taliban, Haqqani network, Hezbi-i-Islami, Jamat Sunat al-Dawa Salafia and other armed groups are already recruiting children to use them as fighters, camp guards or suicide bombers, particularly along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, according to the research. It reveals that some children have been abducted or taken to Pakistan for military training, while others have unwittingly become involved in the insurgency by having had explosives hidden in their bags or clothing.
The report by Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict also highlights that children have been executed by armed groups for allegedly spying for government or international military forces and there are reports that children have deliberately been used as human shields.
The research says widespread displacement (there are an estimated 297,000 displaced people in Afghanistan including 161,000 children) and a lack of protective community structures have made children increasingly vulnerable to being recruited.
It also asserts that the number of civilians killed and injured in Afghanistan as a result of the conflict has risen at an "unprecedented rate" since 2006, with more than 1,000 children killed in 2009. The vast majority of the incidents involved explosive weapons, such as air strikes, improvised explosive devices, including 'suicide' bombs, landmines and other explosive remnants of war.
"Children are bearing the brunt of the conflict and yet they are the least responsible for causing it,” said George Graham, Save the Children's Policy Advisor. “The international community needs to put children first; their success in Afghanistan will be judged on how well they have been able to protect the country's children."
Afghanistan is the worst place for a newborn according to UNICEF and Save the Children. One in four Afghan children don’t reach their fifth birthday, partly due to lack of access to adequate health care. The number of women dying in childbirth in the country is also one of the highest in the world.
Save the Children has worked in Afghanistan since 1976, providing healthcare, feeding malnourished children, protecting vulnerable children and helping to get children back into school. We have expanded our programme to some of the most affected areas such as Kandahar and Uruzgan.
Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict is a global network of non-governmental organisations which collects and shares information on violations against children in conflicts in order to influence decision-makers and protect children.
What you can do
Read "Setting the Right Priorities: Protecting Children Affected by Armed Conflict in Afghanistan"
Donate to our Afghanistan appeal
- £4.50 can pay for a week's supply of water for a family
- £6 can treat a three-year-old malnourished child for a week
- £32 can pay for a five-day training session for a community health worker who can then provide psychosocial support or hygiene lessons to an entire village
Tell leaders to prioritise children's rights in Afghanistan
