DRC: Despite UN force, child soldiers multiply

The United Nations, which is fielding over 19,800 peacekeeping troops in war-ravaged Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is virtually fighting a losing battle to contain the ongoing recruitment of child soldiers in a country the size of Western Europe. Asked why child soldiers continue to be a recurring problem in the DRC despite the presence of the largest single U.N. peacekeeping force in the sprawling African nation, Julia Freedson, director of Watchlist of Children and Armed Conflict, told IPS: "The size and broken-down infrastructure of DRC prevents U.N. personnel from reaching many corners of the country."