Why Some Rebel Groups Force Kids to Fight: It Depends on How They Are Funded

Jun 26, 2019 | Roos van der Haer, Beth Elise Whitaker, and Christopher Michael Faulkner
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To sustain their operations, armed groups must have a steady supply of recruits. These serve to fill their fighting ranks and to replace those lost to injury, death, or desertion. Most rebel groups around the world rely initially on volunteers but resort to some form of forced recruitment when they can no longer attract enough voluntary recruits. This strategy is particularly prevalent among rebel groups that recruit children. But the extent of forcible recruitment of children differs across rebel groups and conflicts and often evolves over the course of a conflict.