Child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

During the first and second civil conflicts which took place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), all sides involved in the war actively recruited or conscripted child soldiers, known locally as Kadogos which is a Swahili term meaning "little ones".^[1] In 2011 it was estimated that 30,000 children were still operating with armed groups.^[2] The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), released a report in 2013 which stated that between 1 January 2012 and August 2013 up to 1,000 children had been recruited by armed groups, and described the recruitment of child soldiers as "endemic".^[3]

Former president Laurent-Désiré Kabila used children in the Second Congo War from 1996 onwards and it is estimated that up to 10,000 children, some aged only seven years old, served under him.^[4]

It has been estimated that the militia led by Thomas Lubanga Dyilo was 30 percent children.^{[citation needed]}

The International Criminal Court (ICC), in the first trials held on human rights violations in the DRC, led to the first indictments, the first trials and the first convictions, in national jurisprudence for the use of children in combat.^[5]

^ Whiteman 2012, p. 80.
^ Drumbl 2012, p. 32.
^ MONUSCO 2013.
^ Singer 2006, p. 21.
^ Novogrodsky 2013, p. 368.

[FOOTNOTEWhiteman201280-1] Whiteman 2012, p. 80.

[FOOTNOTEDrumbl201232-2] Drumbl 2012, p. 32.

[FOOTNOTEMONUSCO2013-3] MONUSCO 2013.

[FOOTNOTESinger200621-4] Singer 2006, p. 21.

[FOOTNOTENovogrodsky2013368-5] Novogrodsky 2013, p. 368.

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