In this lesson we will consider human rights violations in the context of the widespread use of child soldiers around the world as well as trying to asnwer the question ‘has the world failed child soldiers?’
Activity 1: Locating Child Soldiers
According to the NGO Child Soldiers International, there are at least 20 countries in which the use of child soldiers has occured since January. How many of the countries, shown on the map here, can you name? Once you have identified all the countries on the map, check out the answers here
Activity 2: Defining Child Soldiers
If we are going to explore the issue of child soldiers in relation to human rights then we need to actually consider what we mean by a ‘child soldier’ Child Soldiers International offer the following definition:
How useful a definition do you think this is? Is there anything you would change?
Activity 3: Cubs of the Caliphate:
Watch the video below and, in groups, identify which human rights are being violated. (Warning: Some of the scenes in the clip are not particularly pleasant but unfortunately this is true of many of the violations of human rights we are looking at). You may want to consider referring to the Universal Declation of Human Rights here as you discuss your answer (the various rights are also displayed on the back wall of the classroom in Aula 2). In addition, remember that children also enjoy additional rights as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. You can find a summary of the UNCRC here. It’s interesting to note that this is the most widely agreed treaty in history. So, children should be well protected globally, right? Possibly not…
Activity 4: Is the world failing child soldiers?
During last lesson we considered the position of the US detention centre at Guantanamo Bay in terms of the global human rights regime. As we now consider the issue of child soldiers, it is interesting to reflect on how these two issues have come together to highlight some of the violations of human rights that take place and the inability of the international system to prevent these abuses in the case of Omar Khadr, a 15 year old Canadian citizen, captured by the US and held at Guantanamo Bay.
Activity 5: Child Soldiers and the UK:
Check out the British Army’s recruitment website here – how does this effect the ability of the UK to promote human rights with other countries in the international community, in your opinion?
Activity 6: The first victim of a child soldier is childhood
How far do you agree with this conclusion to the lesson?
Extra reading:
As we have seen, the use of child soldiers is an issue that occurs in too many places in our world. You should choose one of the case study summaries provided by the Coalition to End the Use of Child Soldiers to read in order to familiarize yourself with at least one case study that you can use to support your answers in the exam.
IB Global Politics 
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