Conflict Dynamics in Human Trafficking and Child Soldiering: A Comparative Study of Sierra Leone and Afghanistan

Abstract

In Sierra Leone and Afghanistan, prolonged conflicts have continuously fostered environments that are conductive to both child soldiering and human trafficking, undermining the right to personal security and resulting in the exploitation of children for purposes of labour, sexual exploitation or as soldiers. These children, often being inherently predisposed to violence, poverty and desperation, are exploited for economic and strategic gain by armed groups and human traffickers on account of their physical and psychological vulnerabilities. The prevalence of these human rights violations have frequently been treated as two distinct phenomena in existing literature, failing to account for the socio-economic vulnerabilities, cultural practices and geopolitical instabilities that render child soldiering and human trafficking as deeply interconnected issues. The intersection of these two concerns is not merely coincidental; rather, the historical, social and legal contexts of both protracted wars reveal that it is indicative of a broader breakdown of social structures, legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms intended to protect children from manipulation, exploitation and violence. In addition to the need for the development of a comprehensive approach to address the conditions and circumstances that give rise to these abuses, the interconnectedness of child soldiering and human trafficking calls for a concerted effort to implement integrated legal reforms, improve international collaboration and adopt policies that are designed to bolster the resilience of vulnerable communities plagued by warfare. It is only by confronting the structural factors that facilitate these violations that the international community can hope to disrupt the cycle of exploitation and ensure a safer and more secure future for children in conflict zones.