IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science (IOSR-JHSS) Volume 25, Issue 6, Series 10 (June. 2020) 39-51 e-ISSN: 2279-0837, p-ISSN: 2279-0845. www.iosrjournals.org DOI: 10.9790/0837-2506103951 www.iosrjournals.org 39 |Page Child Soldiering In South Sudan: A Threat to Peace and Stability in East Africa Chinedu C. Ike, Ebubechi M.Onuegbu, *Paul A. Onuh Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Corresponding Author: *Paul A. Onuh ABSTRACT: Since the period of political decolonization, Africa as a continent has witnessed inter and intra state conflicts and wars. Among its regions, theEastern and Central part has experienced varying degrees of fragility and instability culminating in series of conflicts and civil wars. A common feature of the civil wars fought in this area is the constant use of children as soldiers. This study examines the impact of the use of child soldiers in South Sudan on peace and stability in East Africa. The study also evaluated the actions of African Union (AU) against the use of child soldiers within the period of 2013 to 2018. Using the ex-post facto research design, we adopted the Documentary methodof data collection and analyzed data qualitatively using content analysis. We applied the Socio-cultural theory in our analysis. The study found that the use of child soldiers in South Sudanundermined peace and stability in East Africa, leading to increase in South Sudan refugees, proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALWs), terrorism and violence among EasternAfrican states. We also found that AU has not been assertive in its interventions against the use of child soldiers in South Sudan, given the non-ratification of „African Charter on the Right and Welfare of the child (ACRWC)‟ stand of South Sudan. We recommended that sanctions and disciplinary measures be taken against South Sudan government and individuals, who recruit and equip children, militarize schools and engage children in battle. We also recommend that the South Sudan government be compelled through economic and political mechanism to ratify the African Charter on the Right and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC). KEYWORDS: Child Soldier, Peace and Stability, South Sudan, African Union, East Africa. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 10-06-2020 Date of Acceptance: 28-06-2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. INTRODUCTION Within the past ten to fifteen years, the issue of Children's participation in armed political Conflict has captured the attention of the world. Sixty percent of Wars fought since 1991 are frequently fought within states, as major targets are children and women and other civilians, in what most authors term the "New Wars" (Blattman and Annan, 2010). More than 21 countries of the world have intensely experienced the use of children as soldiers; prominent among them are African and Asian countries. Fourteen (14) countries, where children were widely used by armed groups in 2016 include- Afghanistan, Colombia, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, Philippines, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen and Six Countries where state armed forces were using children in hostilities- Afghanistan, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and Syria (UN Annual report on the use of Child Soldiers, 2017). Thousands of Children are being recruited as Soldiers in South Sudan by the Sudan People‟s Liberation Army (SPLA), Opposition Forces, Local Defense Groups and Insurgent Groups in the recent civil war that has plagued the state. Not less than 19,000 children are estimated to be recruited by both government forces and other armed groups in South Sudan(Child Soldier Initiative, 2018). Children have constantly been recruited throughout the country in areas like Unity, Jonglei, Lakes and Warrap states, the Greater Upper Nile, Greater Bahr el Ghazal and Greater Equatorial regions. These children are, most times, forcibly recruited. More so, they are compelled due to harsh conditions in differing states in the country as well as in UN protection Civilian sites. In the hands of these armed groups and regular forces, these children are made to experience and carry out criminal actions (Bureau of International Labor Affairs, 2016). So many actions have been taken, nationally and internationally to restrict the usage of children as soldiers in South Sudan. The degree of success recorded can be attributed to the effective cooperation among governments, international governmental and non-governmental organizations. Actions have been carried out by these institutions in line with treaties like- the Four Geneva Convention (1949), the Addition Protocols I and II to the Geneva Convention of 1949 (1977), the Convention on the Right of the Child (1989), the Local Agreements (e.g. the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child- 1990), the Convention 182 of the International Labor Organization (1999), the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child