The Protection of Child Soldiers and Their Criminal Responsibility under Ethiopian Law
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Date
2022-05
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Addis Ababa Unversity
Abstract
On account of the existence of two armed groups in Ethiopia coupled with the involvement of
children in the conflict between the Tigray People Liberation Front and the Federal
Government of Ethiopia, the study tries to examine the legal protection of children against
recruitment and participation in armed conflict, and the responsibility or otherwise of
children participated in armed conflict. Accordingly, the study demonstrates that Ethiopia
doesn’t have legislation to prevent the recruitment of children by armed groups and terrorist
organizations. In other words, although Ethiopia has ratified the Optional Protocol to the
Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict,
which provides better protection for children, it hasn’t been domesticated yet. Analysis of the
criminal code also reveals that child soldiers are criminals under Ethiopian law.
In the end, the thesis tries to recommend that the new law should be enacted and existing
laws be updated in a way that match international standards.