Conflict related violations against children has been happening in Sudan for decades. However, the situation took a turn for the worst when an armed conflict broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on 15 April 2023. The warring parties have been involved in the commission of grave violations against children including the recruitment of child soldiers. Regardless of how children are recruited and their roles, child soldiers are victims, whose participation in conflict bears serious implications for their physical and emotional well-being. The children are commonly subjected to abuse and most of them witness death, killing, and sexual violence. Many are forced to commit violent acts against other children and civilians and and resultantly suffer serious long-term psychological consequences from such violations.
The Paris principles on the involvement of children in armed conflict defines child associated with an armed force as any person below 18 years of age who is or who has been recruited or used by an armed force or armed group in any capacity, including but not limited to children, boys and girls, used as fighters, cooks, porters, spies or for sexual purposes This is not limited to a child who has taken direct part in the conflict but those indirectly involved too.