Nepal’s fight against the use of child soldiers

During Nepal's civil war (1996-2006), Maoist groups massively recruited children into their ranks in order to fight against government forces. After the signing of the Peace Agreement in 2006 between the fighting forces, the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of the youngest combatants gradually achieved progress. The efforts of the national authorities, together with those of international organizations and local groups, made it possible to put an end in 2013 to the active participation of boys and girls in armed groups. This Analysis looks back at how Nepal addressed the problem of child soldiers. It assesses the results achieved on the basis of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programmes implemented to that end.

Photo credit: Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue - Népal