Incentives to stop excessive military expenditure, which diverts scarce resources from vital social services, should be supported. Moreover a regional approach of transparency on military spending encourages confidence between conflicting states or regions. The recent BICC Conference in Bonn concluded that reconversion and demobilisation programmes within a broader long-term peacebuilding project deserve special attention. Existing demobilisation programmes should thus be accompanied by education, employment programmes and psycho-social support to the victims. Concerted aid for former female combatants and child soldiers must be put as a priority.
Armies try to cover up the presence of child combatants in their ranks.
As a result, peace agreements have no provisions for this category of former soldiers. Development assistance can help reunite them with their families and support completion of their primary education. The different youth organisations in Europe are raising the alarm. At the recent conference in Belfast, youth leaders representing 28 countries vowed their concern about the situation of Youth and children in conflict zones. The European Youth Forum is planning to have a campaign in 1998 to claim the abuse of children and especially child-soldiers.