Brett, R. (November, 2003). <i>Why do Adolescents volunteer for armed forces or armed </i> <i> groups</i>? Paper for Spanish Red Cross International Conference ‘Adding Colour to Peace’, (Valancia, Spain, 5-7 November 2003). Geneva, Switzerland: Quaker United Nations Office. | The United Nations Secretary General’s Study on Violence Against Children

PHOTO: PHILIPPINES: A girl plays a guitar as she sits with other children outside the UNICEF-assisted Nayon Kabataan Rehabilitation Centre for street children and victims of child labour and physical abuse in Manila, the capital. The girl on the right has lost her hearing and is unable to speak and seems to also suffer from trauma or another mental disability. Because she is unable to describe her experience, it is unknown what has happened to her since she has been on her own. (UNICEF/ HQ97-0963/Jeremy Horner)

Brett, R. (November, 2003). Why do Adolescents volunteer for armed forces or armed groups? Paper for Spanish Red Cross International Conference ‘Adding Colour to Peace’, (Valancia, Spain, 5-7 November 2003). Geneva, Switzerland: Quaker United Nations Office.

The article examines child volunteers of war. It states that children voluntarily join armies because of five main reasons; war, poverty, education, employment and family. Therefore, demobilization and reintegration programs must take voluntary or coerced behavior into consideration, especially in the cases of young girls.

Paper