Topic: Children and Armed Conflict
Country: Nigeria
Delegate Name: Brooke Michelson
School: Roeper School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Nigeria position papers GLIMUN 2009 committees
Child soldiers and the armed conflict is a growing issue that is detrimental to globally accepted human rights. Children are innocent and therefore extremely vulnerable. An estimated 250,000 children under age eighteen are fighting in violent conflicts worldwide. Many more are being recruited and trained. Child suffering due to warfare comes in many forms, from the illicit forcing of young boys under eighteen to engage in violent situations, to the sexual exploitation of young girls.
Significant and tangible progress has been made globally such as political-level initiatives to disband any forces using child labor as well as global awareness of the issue. The United Nations Security Council unanimously passed resolution #1882 in 2009. This resolution dealt with the exploitation of children in an armed conflict, and recognized every aspect on a global scale. However, resolution 1882 recognized that the exploitation and maiming of children is still occurring in many nations, resulting in tragic and unnecessary casualties.
Nations where the continued exploitation of children and the denial of essential rights includes the Philippines, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, and Uganda.
We, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, have a population of 131.5 million, with 67.4 million under age eighteen. We firmly adhere to and believe in the basic human rights of our citizens. Our numerous military schools are quality and safe institutions. No violent or armed activity is participated in by any youths, other than parade and discipline. Despite the majority of our population lying in the youth, we have not recruited a single soldier under age eighteen. However, children and armed conflict remains an issue of high importance in our nation.
While significant steps toward peace have been made, unrest and ethnic clashes still remain, especially in the Niger Delta region where ethnicity and competition for oil wealth contribute to conflict and hatred. In Nigeria, child soldiers are recruited into criminal gangs and vigilante groups. Vigilante groups, especially located in the Niger Delta region, recruit children as young as ten years old. These include groups such as the OPC (O’odua People’s Congress) of the Yoruba ethnicity and The Bakassi boys in the east. Groups mainly composed of youths in the Niger delta region include The Egbesu boys and MEND (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta).
Criminal gangs such as the “Area boys” live through extortion and robbery in our commercial capital of Lagos. This criminal group would recruit children and then equip them with small arms. In 2005 our armed forces made strides to rehabilitate young members, and return them to peaceful civilian life.
We recognize the proliferation of small arms as a major threat to world peace, and particularly to the peace of our continent and nation. These groups are able to recruit and provide children with weapons, due the illicit global trade of small arms. We call upon all nations to see this as an issue of high importance and to fully implement the United Nations Program of Action on Small and Light Weapons.
Equally as important to the actual recruiting of children as soldiers is their psyche and emotional scars. During times of armed conflict, children are often abandoned, neglected and denied access to basic needs such as clean water and shelter. Young girls are abused and sexually exploited. The children are the future of our nation, and our world. To recruit, neglect, and exploit is to instill fear and hatred in generations to come. Nigeria calls on all nations to act to end this blight on youth and humanity.
