Child Soldiers In South Sudan

South Sudan gained its independence as one of the most fragile and underdeveloped countries in the world and failed to invest in adequate education for its people. “Children have been pulled out of school and the UN estimates there are at least 9,000 child soldiers that have been recruited into the current conflict on both sides.” (Freccia, 2014) South Sudan is one poorest countries in the world. A crisis fueled by years of chronic underdevelopment and decades of fighting have been devastating on the population of South Sudan to include: One in seven women die in childbirth, eighty-four percent of women are illiterate, half the population has no access to improved sources of drinking water, one in nine children will not live to see their fifth

Both parties to South Sudan’s conflict have recruited and used child soldiers, which is a war crime when children are under the age of 15. “Despite renewed promises by both government and opposition forces that they will stop using child soldiers, but both sides continue to recruit and use children in combat,” (Philip, 2015) Commanders from both the government and the opposition still have not issued clear orders barring recruitment of all children under 18 and cooperate with relevant United Nations policies and sanctions to help these children return back to their homes or refugee camps.” So in retaliation for the government recruiting children the opposition forces have also recruited and used many child soldiers. “The conflict continued throughout the country, with intense clashes between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army in Opposition (SPLM/A in Opposition) and their allied militias, primarily in Unity and Upper Nile States.” ("South Sudan | United Nations Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict," 2016) Thousands of children in South Sudan do not have parents, and some of them have been targeted for recruitment by armed forces and opposition

The number of people who have been excluded from education is enormous. The school age population includes thousands of displaced children across Sudan. Many more young people have never acquired basic literacy, numeracy or life skills. Girls and women are among those who fare the worst in accessing education. Parents with very limited means will often prioritize boys’ education, and girls are often kept at home to ensure their bride price. A girl in South Sudan is three times more likely to die in childbirth than she is to finish primary school. The lack of adult literacy and education greatly impedes people’s ability to engage in economic activities and hinders the growth and peaceful development of the country. There is a need for recognized, non-formal alternative education options to help provide people with the essential literacy, numeracy and skills they need to support themselves. The challenges of the formal school system also need to be addressed to bring an end to a cycle that leaves people without any access to education. Investment needs to be made in all aspects of public education. Fewer than 50% of schools have a permanent building. Most communities have no learning materials, resources or