A Stolen Childhood: Why Governments’ use Children in Armed Conflict

Abstract: Abstract: Guided by the research question ‘Why do some governments use child soldiers while others do not?, this article examines the relationship between conflict intensity and government use of child soldiers. Through a qualitative and comparative analysis between Chad and Somalia 2012-2022, the study specifically investigates how low education provision and the strategic need for military innovation impact this phenomenon. The findings suggest that the combination of these factors could make child soldier recruitment into government forces especially prevalent. However, these findings are limited and more research is needed to better understand the complex interactions among various factors influencing child soldier recruitment by government forces.