The Right to Remain a Child: A Comparative Study of the Relationship between Norm Translation and Child Soldiers

Sammanfattning: Despite the international norm against the recruitment and use of child soldiers, some rebel groups continue to recruit children while others do not. Why is this so? This thesis explores the relationship between the translation of child protection norms and child soldier recruitment in four countries of West Africa: Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, and Mali. Building on the three-dimension model of norm translation and theories on rebel decision-making, this study develops its own conceptual framework, and the four cases are selected using a Most Similar Systems Design. Thereafter, the cases are analyzed using the method of Structured Focused Comparison. The material used is gathered from secondary sources of governments and organizations. The study finds that the country with the highest degree of translation of child protection norms did not use child soldiers. The country with the lowest degree of norm translation used child soldiers. It was also the only country with over 20,000 child soldiers and the with the most brutal recruitment tactics. Countries with partially translated child protection norms used child soldiers in lower numbers. However, they did not use girls in heavy combat, in contrast to the country with the lowest degree of norm translation.