Militarisation of Youth

War Resisters' International is organizing the 2nd International Week of Action Against the Militarisation of Youth this year from 14-20 November. The week is a call for nonviolent actions across the world to raise awareness of, and challenge, the ways young people are militarized, and to give voice to alternatives.

Last year saw the first ever international Week of Action whose main focus was education and research. Many groups in various countries including Canada, Germany, South Korea, the state of Spain, the USA, Israel and the UK took action to call for an end to the military's role in education and research. This year we are expanding our theme from education to all other public spaces where we see military engagement with young people.

We invite all groups and individuals willing to take action as part of this week and contact us via cmoy@wri-irg.org.

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Would you like to take action against the militarisation of youth? You can join War Resisters' International's week of action from 14-20 November (as an individual or as a group).

August 2015

In a country that has gone through many stages of armed conflict throughout its history, where the military has been permeating the fine threads of social relations, various women and men have decided to move forward in the belief that war is not an engine of history and development, neither a condemnation, nor a destiny which we cannot escape; it is the expression of a way of solving social conflicts, used to deflect the factors that create it, maintaining their conditions and creating better conditions in order to perpetuate itself as a naturalized social dynamic.

A summary of news and updates about War Profiteers and the arms trade, from international media outlets and industry newsletters.

The Countering the Militarisation of Youth Programme (CMoY) is launching a new bulletin: you'll find articles addressing key issues around youth militarisation, written by experts and activists all around the world, plus an overview of the recent news linking young people to war and resistance to militarisation. This is our call out for articles for the first issue, which will focus on the gender and sexuality dynamics of youth militarisation.

http://antimili-youth.net/ is WRI's web resource focusing on youth militarisation and how to counter it. Recent stories include

Kindergarten kids holding 'AK-47s' during 'patriotic class' cause outrage in Russia The British Armed Forces: Propaganda in the classroom? Israel: When IDF conscription begins at age three Sri Lanka: Govt. ends regimentation, militarisation of education system South Sudan: Government Forces Recruiting Child Soldiers Colombia: FARC bans recruitment of child soldiers

The first ever international week of action for military-free education and research was held between 25-31 October 2014. This follows on from a day of action last year. Antimilitarists across the world took action to raise awareness, and challenge, the role the military has in education and research in educational institutions. This role gives them access to young people - to lay the groundwork for recruitment later in life, and to promote military values.

Different groups used the week of action in different ways. Some challenged military presence in schools through direct action, some publicly debated the presence of the military in education, others showed films, wrote articles, and campaigned on social media.

This week we've seen a military space conference disrupted at a University in Canada, a rally, lectures and info stalls in Germany, a film screening and fourm in Seoul, publications on youth militarisation, a vigil in London, and many other activities, all part of the International Week of Action for Military-Free Education and Research. Find a list here. Please share news of the week on social media by using #milifreeedu. For the week of action, WRI and other organisations have issued this call to action: War is not the answer: resist youth militarisation!

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During this, the International Week of Action for Military-Free Education and Research, WRI and other organisations have issued this call to action: War is not the answer: resist youth militarisation!

From the moment we are born, children and young people all over the world are exposed to the military and military values around them. They are taught that armed force and violence can solve problems.

We call this the militarisation of youth.

In some countries, this militarisation is visible and obvious: young people (mainly, though not exclusively, young men) are forced to join the military through conscription. This might include forced recruitment, or recruitment of children.

Would you like to take action for military-free education and research?

You can join War Resisters' International's week of action from 25 - 31 October (as an individual or as a group). Find out more here.

Here are some ideas for actions:

Militaries across the world gain access to young people through education systems.

It gives them an extraordinary chance to shape every generation's perception of military violence and lay the groundwork for future recruitment.

25 - 31 October sees the first international week of action for military-free education and research: a concerted effort of antimilitarist action across the world to raise awareness and challenge of the role the military have in education, and to give voice to alternatives.

Title of Position: Countering the Militarisation of Youth Programme Worker

War Resisters' International, a network of pacifist organisations and individuals around the world, is looking for a staff-person for its Countering the Militarisation of Youth Programme. Fundraising will be an integrated part of the programme work.

Application pack:
Job description (.pdf) Application form (.doc)