Protracted conflict fuels human trafficking and child soldier recruitment.
 

Author:

CD Schaffer
 

Summary:

In Sierra Leone and Afghanistan, prolonged conflicts have created conditions conducive to both child soldiering and human trafficking. These environments have not only undermined children’s right to personal security, but have also enabled their exploitation through forced labour, sexual coercion, and recruitment into armed conflict. In such contexts, children—already vulnerable due to violence, poverty, and instability—are often targeted for economic and strategic gain by armed groups and traffickers. Despite this, existing literature has largely treated child soldiering and human trafficking as distinct and unrelated phenomena. Consequently, there remains a significant gap in understanding how socio-economic conditions, cultural practices, and geopolitical instability render these practices deeply interconnected. This convergence is not incidental. Rather, this article argues that the historical, social, and legal contexts of both protracted conflicts reveal a broader erosion of social structures, legal frameworks, and enforcement mechanisms intended to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Addressing these harms therefore requires more than isolated interventions; it calls for integrated legal reform, strengthened international cooperation, and policies that enhance the resilience of communities affected by conflict. Only by confronting the structural forces that sustain these violations can the global community begin to break the cycle of exploitation and secure a safer future for children in conflict zones.


Link to journal article