| Total
Child Labour |
NATIONAL
STATISTICS
* For the year 2000, the ILO projects that
there will be 431,000 economically active children, 211,000 girls
and 220,000 boys between the ages of 10-14, representing 26.08%
of this age group.
(ILO, International Labour Office - Bureau of Statistics, Economically Active Population 1950-2010, STAT Working Paper, ILO 1997)
*
In 1995, there were 364,000 economically active children,177,000
girls and 186,000 boys between the ages of 10-14, representing 27.09%
of this age group. (ILO, International Labour Office - Bureau of Statistics, Economically Active Population 1950-2010, STAT Working Paper, ILO 1997)
GENERAL NOTES
AND OBSERVATIONS
* Many younger children
work on family farms, as domestic servants, and also in the informal sector.
(US Dept of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 1999, 25 February 2000)
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| Child
Soldiers |
COMBINED
NATIONAL STATISTICS
* It is estimated
that with the resumption of armed conflict since 1998 some 7,000-child
soldiers are currently participating in the conflict, with forcible
recruitment of children increasing during 2000. (CSUCS,
Global Report on Child Soldiers - 2001, 12 June 2001)
GOVERNMENT
FORCE STATISTICS
* The UN estimates
that at least 3,000 children are among the ranks of the Angolan
Armed Forces (FAA). (CSUCS,
Global Report on Child Soldiers - 2001, 12 June 2001 citing UN citing
Radda Barnen, Child War database)
* UNICEF claimed that
in 1997 there were 520 children in the FAA.
(CSUCS, Africa Report, April 1999)
OPPOSITION
GROUP STATISTICS
*
Two staff members from the Norwegian Save the Children, after working
with registration of child soldiers for UNAVEM, reported that 5,600
child soldiers had been registered on the UNITA side. (Rädda
Barnen, Childwar database)
RECRUITMENT
LAWS AND REGULATIONS
*
Military service was made compulsory for all men aged over 20 years. For
voluntary recruitment the minimum age was fixed at 18 years for men and
20 years for women. In November 1998, the Council of Ministers lowered
the minimum age for conscription from 18 to 17 years. (CSUCS,
Africa Report, April 1999, citing Angola Peace Monitor, 27 November 1998)
NOTES ON GOVERNMENT FORCES
*
Angolan government forces were charged with recruiting large numbers
of Namibian children some as young as 14 or 15, including girls.
(CSUCS,
Global Report on Child Soldiers - 2001, 12 June 2001 citing AI Urgent
Action Appeal, "Child Soldiers on Angola/Namibia Border",
3/00)
*
In 2000, recruitment of children occurred throughout the country,
particularly rural areas and in some suburbs of Luanda. (CSUCS,
Global Report on Child Soldiers - 2001, 12 June 2001 citing US Department
of State, Angola Country Report on Human Rights Practices for 2000)
* The UN Monitoring
Mechanism reported to the UN Security Council that in the Nangweshi
refugee camp, where some 13,000 Angolans reside, there is a "risk
of forced recruitment of minors. (CSUCS,
Global Report on Child Soldiers - 2001, 12 June 2001 citing UN Monitoring
Mechanism report to the UN Security Council)
*
Although some children might have been caught up in forced recruitment
campaigns, the Government has not brought any significant number of children
back into the armed forces. (US Dept of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 1999, 25 February 2000)
* The government claims
that no one below the age of 18 years is being recruited. However, NGOs
and international organisations operating in the country testify to the
contrary. (CSUCS,
Africa Report, April 1999, citing A. Belida, "Angola war", Voice of America,
19 January 1999)
*
It has been claimed that military commanders have paid police officers
to find new recruits. Children as young as 14 years have been forced to
enlist. (CSUCS,
Africa Report, April 1999, citing War Resisters' International, The CONCODOC
Project, 1998)
NOTES
ON OPPOSITION GROUPS
* UNITA increased
its forcible recruitment of children and adults in its war effort.
Conscription of children continued to be commonplace with boys and
girls as young as 10 seized and trained as soldiers by the rebels.
(HRW,
World Report 2001 citing Angola Peace Monitor, "Fears that
refugee camps harbouring UNITA", No.5, 31/1/01)
* In January
2000 there were reports of UNITA forces recruiting Namibian children.
(CSUCS,
Global Report on Child Soldiers - 2001, 12 June 2001 citing Radda
Barnen, Children of War Newsletter, No 1/00, 3/00)
* According
to the US State Department, UNITA continued to forcibly recruit
or even abduct children throughout the country's disputed territory.
(CSUCS,
Global Report on Child Soldiers - 2001, 12 June 2001 citing US State
Dept op. cit.)
* Women, many
as young as 13 years old, were forcibly recruited to serve as porters
and camp followers, and reports of sexual assault were widespread
and credible. Females were also abducted for use as sex slaves.
(CSUCS,
Global Report on Child Soldiers - 2001, 12 June 2001 citing US State
Department op. cit.)
* One source, requesting confidentiality, has asserted that boys
in their early teens are still being rounded up and deployed. There
are also said to be very high desertion rates for these children,
though it is not clear whether they are able to make it home. When
very young children are initially recruited, they are 'thrown back'
as the receiving military commanders do not want them. (CSUCS,
Africa Report, April 1999)
* In 1998, the Inter-African Network for Human Rights and Development
(Afronet) and Human Rights Watch alleged that UNITA was abducting children
aged 13 years living in border towns of Cazombo and Lumbala Nguimbo. (CSUCS,
Africa Report, April 1999, citing M. Mulenga, " UNITA accused of abducting
Angolan youths for war ", Panafrican News Agency, 30 July 1998)
*
A number of different sources have stated that the Front for the
Liberation of the Cabinda Enclave recruited children into their
forces. The FLEC-FAC was reported to have children as young as 8
years of age among its ranks and 30-40% of them were girls. A similar
situation is believed to exist in the breakaway FLEC-Renovada. (CSUCS,
Africa Report, April 1999, citing freelance journalist Peter Stranberg)
NOTES
FROM PREVIOUS ARMED CONFLICTS
* Children had been recruited
and used as soldiers throughout the Angolan conflict. After the Lusaka Peace
Accord in 1994, soldiers from both government and UNITA forces were officially
demobilised. A total of 8,500 child soldiers were registered. Children comprised
12% of UNITA troops gathered in the 15 Quartering Areas, but this figure
greatly underestimates the scale of the problem since many soldiers had
been recruited as children but had reached 18 years of age by the time of
registration. By the end of March 1997, only 2,336 child soldiers had been
demobilised and over 50% of the total had deserted the Quartering Areas.
(CSUCS,
Africa Report, April 1999, citing UNICEF)
* 7,000 children were
involved in the conflict. (Rädda
Barnen, Childwar database, citing SAPA/AP, 30 January, 1997, citing
UN sources)
* In January 1997, 212
child soldiers between the ages of 13 and 17 were demobilised from the Angolan
armed forces. This marked the first official demobilisation by the government.
(CSUCS,
Africa Report, April 1999, citing J. Fleming, "Baby steps toward final peace
in Angola", Christian Science Monitor, 2 February 1997)
* In 1996, UNITA began
demobilizing its child soldiers and had returned 2,000 children to civilian
life by January 1997. (CSUCS,
Africa Report, April 1999)
* One source reported
that at the time of the Lusaka Protocol, the armies registered over 9,000
minors, of whom 5,171 were selected for demobilisation. Most of these youths
had been recruited forcibly at 13 or 14 years of age. (CSUCS,
Africa Report, April 1999, citing M. Wessels, Child soldiering: Challenges
to security and democracy, 4 December 1998)
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