Topic B: How Child Soldiers Add a New Dimension to Labor Rights

In many conflict zones, especially those in third world areas, there is an increased number of child soldiers. Many may not realize the true devastation which child soldiers suffer as a result of their forced participation in conflicts.  As you may know, Sudan has recently suffered a crisis, where the newly formed state of South Sudan was created. Many of the soldiers, however, defending the South Sudanese region were in fact children. A pressing issue lies in the unpredictability of the fate of these former soldiers, especially in what may be any future employment possibilities

Veterinarians Without Borders are helping to train former child soldiers in animal health practices, so that they can develop ways to financially support their families.  Along with this group, the Security Council Working Group on Children in Armed Conflict has visited areas of South Sudan and expressed desire to develop rehabilitation programs and employment channels for former child soldiers.  These two international groups are beneficial in ensuring that former child soldiers can successfully be a part of the society which they were formerly deprived of. After conflicts, the labor rights of former child soldiers are many times ignored. However, when the international community can successfully intervene, their rights can be protected and they can be successfully rehabilitated.
One of the main reasons I wanted to introduce the idea of child soldiers and their unpredictable futures in post-conflict zones, is to show how multifaceted this topic is. I hope this will allow you all to think about how we can address not only the obvious problems with labor rights in post conflict zones, but also a bit more specialized, yet just as important issues.  
What ways can child soldiers be successfully reintegrated into their societies, while ensuring that their basic labor rights are not violated?
Are there ways to develop/enforce labor legislation which defines child soldiers as an explicit violation of child labor?
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to add them!!



Comments

  1. UnknownFebruary 9, 2019 at 4:25 PM

    Country: France

    Head chair and fellow delegates,

    The delegation of France is in strong agreement with prioritizing the protection of child soldiers in conflict regions, and would like to add its insight on ensuring the successful reintegration of child soldier. Recognizing that the ILO has noted approximately 1.2 million children bought, abducted, or recruited for exploitation, France has called for a Modern Slavery Bill in efforts of creating a nationwide legal guardian scheme and establish an independent anti-trafficking commissioner, seeing as the majority of child soldiers face high rates of human trafficking. In efforts of combating this, the delegation of France urges the ILO committee to form partnerships with UNICEF and its peace building fund containing the Schools as Zones of Peace Program. By implementing strictly enforced codes of conduct and data collection networks, children seeking education in conflict regions will be protected from outside threats and potential recruitment. In this way, children can be ensured protection in education zones which will ultimately benefit them long term once they reach working age. Regarding the implementation and enforcement of labor legislation, France would like to note that many regional instruments contain a definition of trafficking and abduction of child soldiers than that provided under the Palermo Protocol, or interprets them differently. To solve this, France proposes a more updated and enforced definition under the Palermo Protocol, which denies the transportation of children unless justified. By addressing discrepancies and potential loopholes that are generally used to protect recruiters in legal cases, the illegal transportation of children in conflict zones can be addressed more effectively. France is also in large support of Amnesty International's Child Soldiers International and UNICEF's Children, not Soldiers, campaign, and urges committee members to prevent recruitment through the demobilization of children and rehabilitation by providing psychosocial services. Currently owning the world's largest startup facility, France hopes to aid in the legal employment of youth nearing adulthood through the promotion of entrepreneurship opportunities that. specifically focuses on personal finance and intensive training, allowing knowledge building in identifying business ideas and maintaining accurate records of business development. This not only aids in promoting economic independence towards displaced individuals, but also stimulates war economies.

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 28, 2019 at 7:43 PM

    Country: Venezuela

    The delegation of Venezuela wholeheartedly agrees that the use of children as weapons of war should be eradicated. It is technically legal for minors to be enlisted into the military, but in recent times this has become a rare sight. Venezuela recommends that to successfully reintegrate child soldiers back into society, they must teach possible victims from childhood the necessary skills to be able to apply for a job. In previous years the nation has tried its hardest not to draft minors into the military, but there have been some cases where 17-year-old men have been enlisted. Twenty-three percent of child soldiers are ages 15 and under, meaning that they most likely have not finished their education.

    In most cases, the minors that get forced into becoming soldiers don’t have more than a few years of primary school education. Also, in some countries like Venezuela, it is mandated for students with two final years of Secondary Education or its equivalent to receiving pre-military instruction. This means that some children are already exposed to military-like training before they are allowed to enlist, and this can later lead to being coerced into becoming a soldier. These victims need to have a standard education, making sure that they are aware of their human rights and their labor rights. Education would also make it easier for them to get hired by employers. A program that provides free access to education for victims would make the transition for previous child soldiers easier. NGOs such as Tostan in West Africa offer education classes for adults and adolescents that teach people things from human rights concepts to reading and arithmetic and even project management skills, and similar NGOs could be placed in nations that have an abundance of child soldiers.

    One way to enforce labor legislation which defines child soldiers as an explicit violation of child labor would be to have a subcommittee of the ILO overseeing labor rights. The subcommittee would discuss policies which would fit the needs of specific countries when talking about labor rights and advise them to implement such policies on child labor.

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