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@article{199665,
        author = {RIVA VARSHNEY},
        title = {THE RECRUITMENT OF CHILDREN BY TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS: LEGAL GAPS AND ENFORCEMENT CHALLENGES},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {11},
        pages = {14939-14956},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=199665},
        abstract = {The fact that terrorist groups recruit children is a burning and highly disturbing problem that undermines the legal systems on the global level and the means of their compliance. In this paper I have given a literature review on recent studies on recruitment of children by terrorist groups with a focus on recruitment methods, experiences and difficulties involved in the process of rehabilitation and reintegration. Recent reports indicate that a large number of minors around the world are coerced, manipulated, or systematically recruited to extremist groups due to a complex of vulnerabilities resulting in poverty, lack of education, social instability, and being exposed to violence. Children that are recruited into terrorist groups are greatly abused physically, emotionally, psychologically, and also, take part in attacks, terrorism acts, indoctrination, sexual exploitation and a total lack of familial and community based support systems. The fact that protection norms are not evenly followed, that the terrorist organizations cannot be held responsible, the insufficient enforcement of the norms and limited jurisdiction over the trans-national terror networks are still left as the essential items in the list of law gaps with references to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Rome Statute. To rehabilitate children enlisted by terrorist organisations, it is essential to identify the trauma and develop preventive and community-based programs that will help children to reintegrate with others.},
        keywords = {Child recruitment, Terrorist organisations, Legal gaps, Trauma, Rehabilitation, Reintegration},
        month = {April},
        }