U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao Convenes
International Conference on Child Soldiers

Announces $13 Million U.S. Initiative on Prevention and Rehabilitation

WASHINGTON—U.S. and foreign officials gathered here today for a two-day conference at the invitation of Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao to take action to eliminate the use of child soldiers and to rehabilitate those caught in such forced recruitment. Chao announced a $13 million initiative to support programs to counter the problem and to help former child soldiers rebuild their lives.

“This goal of this conference is to bring international attention to the atrocity of child soldiers in the world today. The forced recruitment and use of children as combatants is one of the worst forms of child labor. It is a moral outrage and must be stopped. All nations have got to come together to put an end to this evil. The profoundly sad truth is we can’t give these child soldiers back their childhoods but we can and we must help rebuild their lives,” said Chao in her remarks opening the conference.

In 1999, the U.S. was one of the first countries to ratify International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No. 182, which declared the compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict as one of the worst forms of child labor. The International Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers’ conservative estimate places over 300,000 children under the age of 18 fighting as soldiers in more than 30 countries for government forces or armed groups. Some of these child soldiers are as young as seven, and many are between the ages of 10 and 15. The majority are between 15 and 18.

Some 500 representatives from government, nongovernmental organizations, media and research institutions are attending the conference. The conference will examine strategies to solve the problem—from prevention to disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and rehabilitation at the community level. This holistic approach is featured in the $13 million Labor Department global initiative, which has three parts: a $7 million global project through the ILO’s International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (IPEC), a $3 million project focusing on education needs of former child soldiers in Northern Uganda; and a $3 million project focusing on education needs of former child soldiers in Afghanistan [to be implemented by UNICEF].

World Vision will host a luncheon during the second day of the conference that will include a Keynote Address by John D. Negroponte, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Nine former child soldiers also will participate in the proceedings. They will offer first-hand knowledge and unique insight to help participants develop practical solutions.

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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.