Losing the Childhood I.

The Phenomenon of Child Soldiery

Abstract

The central issue of the study is a relatively new field of research, focusing on the active side of armed conflicts: child soldiery – however, we start bumping into problems even at the level of definitions. Notwithstanding it is a global challenge by which the Hungarian Defense Forces can also be affected, it has received little attention compared to other issues. The study offering a comprehensive view presents the general characteristics of countries affected by the phenomenon and using a broad definition it shows how wide-ranging the recruitment and use of children can be and how essential theirs reintegration is.