CHILD RECRUITMENT PHENOMENON BETWEEN PROHIBITION AND PRACTICE ACCORDING TO INTERNATIONAL LAW AND JURISPRUDENCE

Abstract

This study aims to illuminate the alarming phenomenon of child recruitment, recognized as a profound deviation from normative societal behaviors due to its stark infringement on the rights of a vulnerable demographic. Internationally spotlighted in the 1980s, child recruitment in armed conflicts prompted global efforts aimed at curbing the induction of children into battles by both recognized and unrecognized militant factions. Despite these endeavors, the prevalence of child soldiers has escalated notably in subsequent decades, particularly amid the surge of internal armed conflicts. Such circumstances have relentlessly exposed recruited children to extreme violence and inflicted severe damage, often resulting in either mortality or permanent disability. In response, a unified international initiative has sought to mitigate this distressing trend by establishing numerous international accords and preemptive measures. The prohibition of child recruitment has been enshrined across a spectrum of international legal instruments and endorsed by international criminal tribunals. Yet, despite rigorous legal frameworks and judicial efforts to eradicate child recruitment and preclude their participation in armed engagements, the practice persists. This ongoing issue underscores a systemic failure among nations to enforce internationally agreed standards designed to combat this grave phenomenon.