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It may seem obvious at first glance who is considered a “child”, but in fact the age associated with certain protections varies under international law and in the policies of States and humanitarian organizations. Who are children in the ICRC's understanding?
The Convention on the Rights of the Child provides that “child” means every human being below the age of 18 years, and accordingly the ICRC considers everyone below the age of 18 to be a child.1 Everyone under the age of 18 enjoys specific protections both under IHL and international human rights law. It's true that in some contexts, childhood is understood to end much before 18. One might be considered an adult with the first signs of puberty, such as when the first hair is growing on the chin. However, for the purposes of the ICRC's activities, a child is anyone below 18.
How did child protection come to be a specific track in the ICRC's work?
The ICRC implements a number of activities benefiting children, in particular in conflict-affected areas where their vulnerabilities might be exacerbated by IHL violations.
The ICRC is not a child protection agency, but children are nevertheless the beneficiaries of 40% of the ICRC's assistance and protection activities. When thinking of all the activities implemented by the ICRC across the globe, ranging from the provision of safe and clean water and of health care to conflict-affected populations, to awareness-raising efforts on weapons contamination, to nutritional programmes and activities aimed at protecting the civilian population, many children benefit from the ICRC's support. It is therefore key that we are mindful of the specific needs and vulnerabilities of children – though not underestimating their incredible sense of hope and their resilience – and that we tailor our response accordingly. Among the IHL violations we come across in our work, some, such as child recruitment, affect children specifically. Therefore, it is imperative that we are well equipped to address such challenging issues.
Additionally, interacting with children, be it to better understand their needs, to trace their parents, or to support their return to their community of origin, requires specific skills and approaches. The ICRC takes proactive measures to ensure that its activities on behalf of children are implemented in a...