On 23-29 November this year, activists from across the world are taking action against the militarisation of young people in their countries, cities and towns.
Join us this November in the International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth with your own nonviolent actions... + continue reading
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Introduction to Countering the Militarisation of Youth
From the moment we are born, in many cultures children and young people are exposed to the military and military values around them. We call this the militarisation of youth. Militarisation of young people goes far beyond overt recruitment from the armed forces. It includes the presence and influence of the armed forces in education, social media, public military events such as street parades and memorial, military-themed and violent video games and across many other forms of entertainment and fashion.
This website is part of a project to identify and challenge the many ways in which young people around the world are encouraged to accept the military and military values as normal, and worthy of their uncritical support. For more info, visit About Us.
Countering the Militarisation of Youth is a project of War Resisters' International.
Featured Content
Dozens of children are still serving within the ranks of the opposition’s Syrian National Army despite Ankara’s measures to end child recruitment
Syrians for Truth and Justice (STJ) verified that factions operating under the opposition’s Syrian National Army (SNA) have been recruiting children among their ranks.... + continue reading
One in eight of the world’s children - more than 300 million - live in conflict zones where they are at risk of becoming child soldiers, the charity Save the Children warned. The Save the Children report published on 30th November said boosting school access was vital in fighting forced recruitment.
According to the report,... + continue reading
Myanmar’s military has made it mandatory for children of its personnel to undergo military training as it seeks to prepare reserve forces, despite such training being against both Myanmar and international law.
“Among the trainees are teenage children. The military has made the training mandatory for all children old enough to... + continue reading
Recent Content
Updated: 20/01/2022 - 15:25
Two former child soldiers reflect on their experiences during Sierra Leone's brutal civil war and their lives since.
Updated: 24/12/2021 - 01:30
Dozens of Kurdish parents and activists protested outside the United Nations offices in Qamishli, Syria, on Sunday against the recruitment of children by local military groups.
The demonstration took place after several teenage girls were...
+ continue reading
Updated: 23/12/2021 - 18:42
In Yemen, families send their children to so-called summer camps. There, adolescents are given combat training and taught why they should fight for God. Both government forces and Houthi rebels use child soldiers.
... + continue reading
Countering Military Recruitment
WRI's new booklet, Countering Military Recruitment: Learning the lessons of counter-recruitment campaigns internationally, is out now. The booklet includes examples of campaigning against youth militarisation across different countries with the contribution of grassroot activists.
You can order a paperback version here.
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