Child Soldiers

Children represent some of the most vulnerable populations in armed conflicts around the world. Too often, children shoulder the burden of conflict and are exploited by armed groups to serve on the frontlines and/or support armed operations as child soldiers.

The United States is one of few countries in the world to underscore the relationship between arms sales and military assistance and the recruitment and use of child soldiers, and to use national legislation to leverage such assistance to end the use of child soldiers. The law, known as the Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA), aims to prohibit foreign governments from receiving U.S. weapons and military assistance if they use child soldiers in their own militaries or in government supported armed groups.