• Child soldiers
• Girl child soldiers
• Reintegration of child soldiers

Child soldiers

This paper examines the experiences of girls in armed conflict. Focusing on the extent to which girls are marginalised during and following armed conflict, it traces the perspectives of girls as victims, and resisters of violence in Africa.

The author argues that although girls are faced with insecurities on a daily basis within armed groups, and suffer much abuse, they show capacity to act as agents and attempt to bring about change. It contends that girls are not just victims, but find creative and subversive means to be agents, and resisters during conflict. Also despite being considered invisible they are fundamental to the war machine.

The paper points out that current strategies of social assistance should adopt approaches which:

• direct attention to girl’s resilience, skills, experiences and perspectives to be able to understand and analyse war and political violence
• aim to redress female marginalisation and subservience
• continue including the provision of educational and employment opportunities, health care, child care assistance, family reunification, counselling, and community sensitisation
• make special provisions for females formerly in fighting forces in post-conflict forums of deliberation and decision-making.
  

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