Protecting Children in Conflict: Children Recruited by Armed Groups
In armed conflicts around the world, thousands of boys and girls are recruited by armed forces or armed groups to be soldiers, cooks or spies. They are subjected to violence and other grave violations of their rights. UNICEF works with partners to help secure the release of these children and to support their reintegration back into their communities.
Recruitment into armed groups a grave violation of child rights
Nearly 1 in 5 children globally live in areas affected by conflict — at great risk to their health, safety and well-being.
In conflict zones, children are more likely than adults to be killed or maimed by explosive weapons. They often lose access to essential services as hospitals, schools and other critical infrastructure are destroyed. They risk becoming separated from parents and caregivers, abducted from their homes, subjected to sexual violence.
And they risk being recruited by armed groups.
Every year, thousands of children are recruited and used in armed conflicts across the world. They are often referred to as child soldiers, but the term does not fully capture the many forms of exploitation and abuse these boys and girls suffer.
Warring parties use children not only as fighters, but also as scouts, cooks, porters, guards or messengers. Many, especially girls, are also subjected to sexual violence.
The recruitment of children by armed forces and armed groups is a grave violation of children's rights under international law.
Children become part of an armed force or group for various reasons. Some are abducted, threatened, coerced or manipulated to do so. Others are driven by poverty, compelled to generate income for their families. Still others see it as necessary for survival.
In Haiti, "it is out of desperation," UNICEF Spokesperson James Elder said while visiting the country in January 2025. "It's out of manipulation, and being engulfed in violence."
Whatever the child's reason, and no matter the level of involvement, the recruitment and use of children by armed forces or armed groups is a child rights violation, with incalculable affects on their physical and mental well-being.
Children who have been recruited or used by armed groups not only risk direct exposure to violence, injury and death; they also risk future rejection by their families and communities. The stigma of their association, combined with the physical and psychological trauma of what they experienced, makes their return even more difficult.
These children require support, and so do their communities.
UNICEF has long advocated for ending the recruitment and use of children by armed forced and groups as part of a broader call to action to protect children in conflict and to prevent and end grave violations against them.
For children who are released from armed groups, UNICEF programs help support their reintegration into their communities.
Addressing the drivers of child recruitment
UNICEF partners with governments, community groups and others to address the drivers of child recruitment and stop violations before they occur. Emergency response interventions regularly include protective services that help avoid conscription, reunite unaccompanied and separated children with parents and caregivers, and provide safe spaces for learning and other services.
UNICEF also supports the release and reintegration of children who exit armed groups each year and helps them rebuild their lives, providing:
- a safe place to live upon release
- community-based services for case management, family tracing and reunification
- access to mental health and psychosocial support, educational support and vocational opportunities
- specialized support to survivors of gender-based violence
While conflicts rage on in so many parts of the world, UNICEF continues to reach millions of children caught in these crises with health care, nutrition, education and other life-sustaining support and protection, while continuing to advocate to the global community to do more to end grave violations against children and better protect their futures.
Donor support is needed more than ever to sustain these efforts.
