UNICEF has recently released a report titled “Children’s Involvement in Organized Violence”, which addresses the gaps in the understanding of this phenomenon and explores how children are drawn into violence through a socioecological lens, examining the pathways that lead them to participate across various types of armed groups.
First, the report examines the different risk factors that contribute to the vulnerability of children to organized violence. It considers social, economic and political factors on a large scale, such as the Ukraine war, escalating inflation, energy shortages, and food insecurity, as well as on a small scale, such as the economic hardship that can drive youth towards these groups, as they offer income and power. It also considers development factors, such as personality traits and cognitive development, as well as family and community factors, such as unhappy childhoods, absence of parental involvement, and adverse experiences, such as maltreatment.
Then, the report argues for the need of effective prevention and reintegration programs for children, focused on education, medical care, community engagement, peacebuilding, understanding motives and combating online radicalization. It also provides a series of recommendations, emphasizing the importance of implementing CRC provisions on this matter, including those related to protection from exploitation, digital safety, and recruitment prevention. It advocates for tailored, community-based responses and further research on risk factors like mental health and social norms.
UNICEF states in the article accompanying this report that "addressing this complex challenge requires a multidisciplinary approach, rooted in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and tailored to the unique needs of diverse contexts. The urgency of the issue demands a cohesive, global response that prioritizes the protection of the next generation."