Chapter 4: Armed Conflict, Kidnapping and Child Labour

As mentioned in Chapter 2 of this book, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has suggested that ‘[s]ome of the worst abuses [of children in forced labour] occur in situations of armed conflict’ (ILO, 12 September 2022, p. 4, emphasis added), situations about which the ILO has said:

The abducted children are forced into ‘taking direct part in fighting’ as well as ‘into other roles in armed conflict situations that [entail] abuses of their human rights’ (ibid., p. 50), with some, mainly girls, being ‘forced into sexual slavery or forced marriages’ (ibid., p. 50). Many of the children were ‘forced to perform extremely hazardous child labour’, including ‘in the production of conflict minerals’ (ibid., p. 50, emphasis added; see also: ILO, Walk Free & IOM, 12 September 2022; Office of the Special Representative, 17 February 2024).