Côte d'Ivoire: Former child soldiers still at risk
| Publisher | IRIN |
| Publication Date | 13 February 2008 |
| Cite as | IRIN, Côte d'Ivoire: Former child soldiers still at risk, 13 February 2008, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/47b46158c.html [accessed 16 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
"The absence of evidence of recruitment and use of children for military purposes in Cote d'Ivoire, and the revival of the peace process... have justified this measure," Boubacar Dieng, head of the child protection section of the UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI) told IRIN.
The announcement by the UN concerns the former rebel Forces Nouvelles, which was accused of using child soldiers by the UN in November 2005, and four militia groups which supported the government.
They first came under UN scrutiny in 2006 when it was estimated they had absorbed as many as 4,000 children into their ranks since fighting started in 2002.
While no children are currently known to be active soldiers many are still working for combatants cooking, cleaning and running errands, Heather Kerr, director of Save the Children in Cote d'Ivoire told IRIN.
"There is no evidence of children being recruited, but? we have evidence that many are still clearly associated with armed forces," she told IRIN.
Former child soldiers still face difficulties in adjusting to civilian life and are often rejected by their families and communities. "The most important thing now is to successfully integrate these children." UNOCI's Dieng said.
Few are illiterate or have any formal education, Doussou said. "Reintegration will only work if you give them an alternative to combat like training in agriculture, or opportunities to attend school," she said.
Ex-child soldiers are also more prone to abuses, according to Kerr. "Sexual abuse is the biggest risk that these children face."
The Secretary General's report went further, saying that while Ivorian children are less likely to fight in armed forces, many still face an ?alarmingly high' risk of being sexually exploited.
The groups accused of having used child soldiers will no longer face the threat of sanctions by the UN Security Council, but an UN-led committee will continue to closely monitor all future recruitments.
The improved conditions for children is partly linked to recruiters' fear of UN Security Council action, said Sylvie Doussou, representative of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Cote d'Ivoire.
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