Child soldiers, human trafficking and forced labour are serious human rights violations because they remove freedom, enable exploitation and obstruct rights including security, education and freedom from slavery.
For both SL and HL, these examples belong within the thematic study Rights and justice. They show how internationally recognized rights can be violated by states, armed groups, businesses and criminal networks.
| Violation | Mechanism and contemporary example |
|---|---|
| Child soldiers | Armed forces or groups recruit or use under-18s as fighters, guards, spies or porters. In 2024, the United Nations verified 7,402 cases worldwide, including 2,365 children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; 797 served in combat roles. |
| Human trafficking | People are controlled through coercion, deception or abuse of vulnerability for exploitation. In 2024, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reported that thousands were trafficked into Southeast Asian scam centres and forced to conduct online fraud. |
| Forced labour | The International Labour Organization defines this as work demanded under threat of a penalty and not undertaken voluntarily. Its 2021 estimate identified 27.6 million people, including 3.3 million children. |
These categories overlap: trafficking may lead to forced labour, while recruited children may be forced to fight or provide support. A common misconception is that trafficking requires crossing a border. It does not; coercive exploitation can occur within one state.
These cases reveal unequal power, test the legitimacy of governments that fail to prevent abuse, and demonstrate interdependence across jurisdictions and supply chains. This complicates accountability because perpetrators and victims may span several countries.
Exam technique: In Paper 2, define each violation, identify relevant actors, use dated evidence and explain why enforcement remains difficult. Do not merely list cases. Link evidence to power, legitimacy and the responsibilities of state and non-state actors.
