The Implications of MONUC`s Withdrawal on Child Soldiering in the DRC

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the potential impact of the withdrawal of the United Nations Organization Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) on the recruitment and use of child soldiers. It argues that while the DRC has a legal framework prohibiting child soldiering, a lack of government capacity and socio-economic instability leave youth vulnerable to exploitation by armed groups.

• The United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1925 on 28 May 2010, which transitioned the MONUC peace-keeping force into a 'stabilisation mission' renamed the United Nations Organization Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO). While the DRC government requested a full withdrawal by August 2011, the UNSC made this conditional on benchmarks including stability in Eastern DRC, civilian protection, security sector reform, and the restoration of governance in administrative vacuums.
• The DRC possesses a comprehensive legal framework to prevent child soldiering, including the 2002 Labour Code, the 2004 Defence and Armed Forces Law, and the 2009 Child Protection Act. However, these laws have not been effectively implemented due to a lack of political will or government capacity.
• Multiple armed groups and the national army (FARDC) have been identified in a 2010 report as using child soldiers. These include the Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the Nationalist and Integrationalist Front (FNI), the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and Mai Mai groups.
• Security sector reform has been hindered by poor integration of rebel groups into the FARDC. In 2009, 2,900 PARECO, 3,100 Mai Mai, and 6,000 CNDP troops were integrated, but issues such as unpaid salaries, poor management, and perceived preferential treatment for the CNDP led to desertions to the FDLR and the continued presence of child soldiers within the ranks.
• The recruitment of children by Mai Mai groups is often facilitated by community trust and the belief that children possess mystical powers. Children are used as bodyguards or in ceremonies, and are sometimes given hallucinatory drugs to make them believe they are invulnerable. Girls in these camps face forced combat, domestic labor, and severe sexual abuse.

APA

Roberts, M. (n.d.). The Implications of MONUC`s Withdrawal on Child Soldiering in the DRC. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/the-implications-of-monucs-withdrawal-on-child-soldiering-in-the-drc

Chicago

Roberts, Melanie. The Implications of MONUC`s Withdrawal on Child Soldiering in the DRC. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/the-implications-of-monucs-withdrawal-on-child-soldiering-in-the-drc.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Roberts |first1=Melanie |title=The Implications of MONUC`s Withdrawal on Child Soldiering in the DRC |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/the-implications-of-monucs-withdrawal-on-child-soldiering-in-the-drc |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{robertsndimplications, author = {Roberts, Melanie}, title = {{The Implications of MONUC`s Withdrawal on Child Soldiering in the DRC}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/the-implications-of-monucs-withdrawal-on-child-soldiering-in-the-drc}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }