Conflict dynamics in human trafficking and child soldiering: A comparative study of Sierra Leone and Afghanistan

A comparative study of Sierra Leone and Afghanistan

Abstract

In Sierra Leone and Afghanistan, prolonged conflicts had fostered environments that were conducive to both child soldiering and human trafficking. Such conditions not only undermined the right to personal security, but facilitated the exploitation of children through forced labour, sexual coercion and conscription into armed conflict. In this context, children who were inherently predisposed to violence, poverty and desperation often became subjects of abuse for economic and strategic gain by armed groups and human traffickers. Notwithstanding this recognition, the prevalence of these human rights violations have frequently been treated as two distinct phenomena in existing literature. As a result, there remains a significant absence of consideration in relation to the socio-economic conditions, cultural practices and geopolitical instabilities that render child soldiering and human trafficking as deeply interconnected issues.
The convergence of these two concerns, however, is not merely coincidental. Rather, the historical, social and legal contexts of both protracted wars reveal a broader breakdown of social structures, legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms that were meant to protect children from manipulation, exploitation and violence. Beyond the need for a comprehensive approach to address the circumstances that fuel these abuses, the link between child soldiering and human trafficking requires integrated legal reforms, improved international collaboration and effective policies to bolster the resilience of vulnerable communities plagued by warfare. It is only by addressing the structural forces that sustain these violations that the global community can hope to break the cycle of exploitation and ensure a safer future for children in conflict zones.