Red Hand Day: Resistance Against Child Soldiers, but the Fight Isn’t Over
By Samuel Ellis
It seems that humanity forever suffers from the war plague. A key element of human development since the beginning of time is the role of warriors in society, from tribal protectors to crusading knights. Elegant swordsmanship became mechanised; mass-produced death weaponry. The status quo became the commodification of the soldier in the modern age. We see that men have waged war for millennia. A general rule of war is that one must ‘come-of-age’ before joining an army.
It is an unfortunate reality that warzones are currently the battlegrounds for innocent children.
Red Hand Day, otherwise known as the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers, has taken place on February 12th every year since 2002. Its intentions are to create an awareness of child soldiers. These children are under the age of 18 and partake, often by extensive force, in military and violent actions. ‘Child soldiers serve in government armies, opposition (rebel) forces, and government linked militias and paramilitaries.’ [4]
According to the Red Hand Day website, there are ‘still 250,000 child soldiers in the world’, being ‘between 10 and 18 years old’ and their lives are often defined by cruelty. ‘Discipline and obedience are enforced by brutal methods’ [1]. ‘Many children die under inhuman circumstances, others survive handicapped, blind or traumatized for the rest of their lives’. [1]
The goal of Red Hand Day is to highlight the existence of child-soldiers and enact change, which is achieved through sending red-hand prints (often created through school programs and activities), to leaders and UN officials. The Red Hand Day website states that ‘hundreds and thousands of handprints have been collected in more than 50 countries and handed over to politicians and responsible parties.’ [1] ‘In 2009, over 250,000 red hands were collected from at least 101 countries to demand stronger action by international leaders to end the use of child soldiers.’ [4] Their goal? The abolition of child soldiers worldwide.
Their demands:
‘No child under the age of 18 may be used or trained in armies, armed groups or other military units’, ‘punishment of those responsible’ and ‘care, protection and political asylum for former child soldiers’. [1]
It is to be understood, therefore, that Red Hand Day stands opposed to the reality of child soldiers and holds the adults responsible for their involvement accountable. Despite all of their efforts and endeavours, they have had little effect.
War-Children
Child soldiers are frequently involved in armed conflicts on an appalling global scale. The revelation of the frequency and widespread nature of the violation of human rights on children comes as a shock. As noted by Megan Werft, Places utilising the youth for war purposes includes the ‘Democratic Republic of Congo’, ‘Mexico’, ‘Myanmar’, ‘Syria’, ‘Central African Republic’, ‘Sudan and South Sudan’ and ‘Columbia’. [3]
Christopher M. Faulkner states that in war-torn Africa, ‘the recruitment and use of child soldiers by state and non-state actors remains a frequent occurrence… despite local and international efforts to combat the practice’ [2] and according to UNICEF, ‘between 2005 and 2022, more than 105,000 children were verified as recruited and used by parties in conflict…the actual number…is believed to be much higher’.[5]
Despite these figures, and the opportunities presented to these countries, child soldiers have not depleted in these countries. Children appear to be an ever-green resource for war efforts globally, without change. Red Hand Day has had little impact.
Lack of Reform
When proposed as international law in 2000 (with the backing of the Red Hand movement), ‘the optional protocol’ [4], which ‘sets 18 as the minimum age for direct participation in hostilities’, was not signed by over 20 countries, ignored by Malaysia, Iran, Bahamas, Congo, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic. [4] Each of these countries are known for the use of child soldiers and have publicly made little change. Evidently, Red Hand Day can do little when the leaders of the world see children as potential soldiers, and refuse to push for reform. The global number of child soldiers, likely remains 250,000 despite efforts by Red Hand for the contrary.
In Conclusion
It is obvious that the youth have become an expendable resource to numerous governments and military organisations, utilised for the war-purposes of morally corrupt nations. They have rejected the advances of the Red Hand Day Movement to change this.
We can only ponder, why must the child become the warrior?
Bibliography:
- Red Hand Day Website, Accessed January 22, 2025. English: Red Hand Day: Home
- M. Faulkner, Christopher, ‘Why Child Soldiering Persists in Africa’, “Georgetown Journal of International Affairs”, Published February 25, 2024, Accessed January 22, 2025. Why Child Soldiering Persists in Africa | GJIA
- Werft, Megan, ‘7 Countries Where Child Soldiers Are Still Recruited And Used’, “Global Citizen”, Published February 12, 2016 ,Accessed January 22, 2025.7 Countries Where Child Soldiers Are Still Recruited And Used
- ‘The Red Hand Day Campaign Against the Use of Child Soldiers’ Resource Pack 2010, “Human Rights Watch”, Published 2010, Accessed January 26, 2025. https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/related_material/Red/Hand/Day/2010/resourcepack.pdf
- UNICEF, ‘Children recruited by armed forces or armed groups’, Published 22 December 2021, Accessed January 22, 2025. Children recruited by armed forces or armed groups | UNICEF
