Child Soldiering and Human Development in Africa: Overview of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

This study problematizes the impacts of child soldiering on human development in Africa’s Democratic Republic of the Congo’s protracted conflict. Specifically, the study examines the challenges posed by this menace on the human resource development of the DRC. Using the theory of intractable conflict and qualitative descriptive analysis, we predicated the problems of the DRC largely on communal or identity issues, deprivation of basic human needs, governance and/or state’s role and the influence of external forces, particularly the western powers and their proxies. The result of our empirical analysis confirmed our hypothesis that incidence of child soldiering was responsible for the prevalent low human development index in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly within the period of our review. The study recommends among others the urgent need to address the disparities among the different communities that inhabit the country, promote democracy, good governance and rule of law; give educational and health institutions serious attention; ensure proper demobilization, rehabilitation, reorientation and reintegration during and after peace agreements. The UN must ensure that the optional protocol, international human right laws are fully implemented by governments and severely punish those who recruit children as soldiers. African leaders should evolve organic, home-grown and proactive solutions to the problem, emphasizing the establishment of the proposed African Stand-by Force.