Child Soldiering in Manipur: Magnitude, Patterns, and Socio-Economic Drivers

Abstract

The study investigates the magnitude, patterns, and socio-economic drivers of child soldiering in Manipur, a conflict-affected region in Northeast India, where protracted insurgency and state neglect intersect to create fertile ground for the recruitment of minors. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach, including institutional data and in-depth interviews with samples drawn from 270 demobilized child soldiers, the study finds that approximately 24% of insurgent cadres were recruited under the age of 18. A complex interplay of conflict economies, socio-economic deprivation, educational exclusion, and familial instability shapes child recruitment in Manipur. Insurgent groups strategically exploit these conditions, increasingly turning to children during heightened counterinsurgency periods due to their perceived obedience, low visibility, and reduced legal risk. The findings also expose critical governance gaps: despite India's commitment to international child protection frameworks, enforcement remains inconsistent, and reintegration programs are fragmented, underfunded, and poorly contextualized. By situating Manipur within broader global patterns of child soldiering, the study highlights the need for multi-layered interventions that combine structural poverty alleviation, institutional accountability, and community-based rehabilitation. It argues that child soldiering in Manipur must be understood not only as a tactic of insurgency but as a symptom of acute governance deficits and developmental gaps.