The recruitment or use of children in armed conflict goes back to antiquity. In fact, the world “infantry” comes from the Latin “infans”, or child. The use of children seems to be the rule rather than the exception, and each new conflict poses a direct risk to children. Similarly, most conflicts that have recently ended often involved the massive use of children (Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola, Afghanistan, and El Salvador are examples). In 2006 over 250,000 children were recruited or used by armed groups and armed forces in twelve countries.
It has been twenty years since the international community, UNICEF and child protection agencies first addressed this issue. For the past 10 years, action in this area has taken place within the framework of the Cape Town Principles. The Cape Town Principles, the first set of standards on children in armed conflict, were developed in 1997 by UNICEF and NGOs during an international seminar convened in South Africa.
Based on their extensive experience, France, UNICEF, NGOs and the most committed countries deemed it necessary to update these “Principles”, to bridge the gap between commitments made by States and their concrete action, and to increase at the field-level the effectiveness of commitments made by States, NGOs, and international organizations.
In close cooperation with several agencies coordinated by UNICEF, and based on evaluations of completed and ongoing demobilization and reintegration programmes, a new framework of action has been defined: the Paris Principles. The Paris Principles update and clarify interventions to make them more effective. They will serve as a basis for the development of sustainable protection, release and reintegration programmes for children associated with armed groups and armed forces.
This document outlines the background, rationales, priorities, and goals of the Free Children From War conference. This conference presented the Paris Principles to delegates from governments in attendance. By backing the Paris Commitments (codified based on the Principles) with their names, these countries vow to put an end to the illegal and unacceptable use of children in conflict. The Paris Commitments were endorsed by 59 countries.
©Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres and UNICEF