Child Soldiers: Fourteen (yrs) and an AK-47

We would reach into the glove compartment and hand over cigarettes, mints, or chocolate.

Most received these tokens with a warm smile and waved us along. We travelled in a company vehicle easily identified by the logo painted on its side.

Working in Zones of Conflict

For three years, I worked as a consultant for a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the United Nations to address the needs of children and youth in particularly difficult circumstances in Central Africa. Since the arrival of my own children, my work in this area has been done from a distance.

My PhD examined the cultural and developmental risks and opportunities for children and youth from conflict zones in Africa who were living in Canada as refugees. I conducted long retrospective interviews to understand the psychological pivots that helped these young people cope and adapt. A number of those I interviewed had been child soldiers or had fled potential recruitment. Although this began almost twenty years ago, the recruitment of children and youth into situations of conflict continues.

The conflicts in various parts of Africa would not be possible without a large number of children and youths who can actively participate.

This discussion is not complete without an understanding of the protocols that govern the recruitment of child soldiers.

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), adopted on November 20, 1989, initially defined the age of recruitment as 15 years. In 2000, the United Nations strengthened the CRC by adopting the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (OPAC), which restricts the involvement of children under 18 in armed conflict.

The Conventions Mandate on Child Soldiers:

Article 3

1. States Parties shall raise the minimum age for the voluntary recruitment of persons into their national armed forces from that set out in article 38, paragraph 3, of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, taking account of the principles contained in that article and recognizing that under the Convention, persons under the age of 18 years are entitled to special protection.
2. Each State Party shall deposit a binding declaration upon ratification of or accession to the present Protocol that sets forth the minimum age at which it will permit voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces and a description of the safeguards it has adopted to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced.

When the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was first adopted in 1989, it was quickly ratified by many nations. At this time, the United States is the only member of the United Nations that has not ratified the CRC. Conventions are different than Declarations. By ratifying a convention, you agree to align your national policies with the principles enshrined in the CRC. That means that nations that ratified the convention agree to address the issue of child soldiers.

Top Down Approach:

On paper, it looks good, but it is a top-down approach, meaning it is very hard to implement on the ground. I started my business to work from the ground up. When young people lack viable choices in which to exercise their independence, they will seek other options to establish a sense of identity. One young person in my study opted to become a soldier as it provided access to food and shelter. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, survival comes before the development of belonging, and a sense of self, as defined as identity formation.

For some of these young people, becoming a soldier before the age of 18 may mark their first formal job. It is the place where these young people find a sense of identity when other opportunities are not available. This quest for identity leads some youth to gravitate toward positions of power. Their sense of power is often based on their ability to instill fear. Leadership is defined by the ability to dictate, not by the more noble skills of respect for others’ rights, compassion, and empathy.

Adolescent Development

Identity formation is part of our developmental process. This desire transfers across cultures and contexts. The human species shares many common developmental pathways. For instance, infancy and childhood are universal stages that are experienced across cultures. Adolescence, and now the term emerging adult, are predominantly Western constructs, but the psychological aspects of this period are experienced across cultures.

Erikson, a developmental psychologist, proposed eight stages of psychosocial development. Each stage reflects a conflict that shapes the formation of an individual identity. During adolescence, the conflict centers on the formation of an individual’s identity, as individuals work to establish a coherent sense of self that propels them into adulthood. This stage reflects the conflict between.

Identity vs Role Confusion

At this period of development, an individual tries on new roles to solidify and refine their sense of identity. For those of you raising adolescents, this is often the most difficult time for parents. It is when we, as parents, need to transition from our role as parents to that of coaches and mentors. The teen years for parents who take a more authoritarian approach are often riddled with power struggles. I will discuss this in more detail in a future post on parenting styles.

How does this work for those who define themselves as soldiers at this stage of development? What happens when the war ends and the identity these young people had as soldiers is no longer possible? How do they obtain a sense of meaning and purpose to redefine their sense of identity?

Working in Central Africa…

I often felt that my work was crisis-driven. This seems to be a common occurrence, meaning you cannot get the help you need until the crisis starts. Models that mitigate and prevent the potential of war are limited. This awareness was the basis for the social enterprise arm of my business. I expand on this in a previous post entitled “What is a Social Enterprise”.

The support I provide to those I work with in Africa makes a small dent in a problem of great magnitude; it seeks to support and develop employment opportunities for youth and vulnerable populations in Africa. Creating income-generating opportunities for youth in vulnerable populations was the focus of my M.A. in Child and Youth Care. I conducted my fieldwork in Nairobi, Kenya, in the early 90’s. I developed and implemented an employment training program for youth living in a large slum settlement on the outskirts of Nairobi.

My professional practice straddles two fields of study: psychological health for children, youth, families, and communities, and small-business growth and development. My Substack is a vehicle to support this work. Money gained from paid subscriptions funds initiatives, employment opportunities, and business growth.

Learning skills and supporting income-generation opportunities for youth is the way forward. This short video illustrates how one organization is helping to make a difference for those who have been child soldiers.

Addressing the Needs of Child Soldiers

Helping young people develop business opportunities provides leadership skills and redefines their sense of identity. These programs help address future unrest by decreasing a youth’s financial vulnerability.

Through my Substack subscription, which I acquired over the past few months, I have complemented a fundraising campaign for a youth employment initiative in Nairobi, Kenya. It has allowed them to purchase a sewing machine and employ more youth.

The LAWY Afrik Foundation is a Kenyan charity dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable youth. Resilient Generations seeks to help many more individuals increase their economic resilience. It is my hope that these opportunities deter young people from other choices they might make in a desperate situation.