War. Childhood. Future? – Young Perspectives in Armed Conflicts

According to UNICEF, over 473 million children—more than one in six children worldwide—live in regions affected by armed conflict. This is more than ever before. In total, approximately half of all individuals living in conflict zones are under the age of 18. In these contexts, fundamental rights of children are systematically violated: they are killed or injured, suffer from malnutrition, lack access to healthcare, or are unable to attend school.

Despite these figures, the roles and perspectives of children and youth are rarely considered in foreign and security policy discourses. Yet, children and adolescents in armed conflicts are not merely passive victims—they are also political actors in their own right. Authoritarian regimes, militias, and extremist groups deliberately target young people, whether to extract information, disseminate ideological narratives, or sustain structures of violence. At the same time, children and youth often take on vital responsibilities for their families in conflict-affected communities and participate actively in peacebuilding processes—as youth ambassadors, through dialogue and peace forums, or in initiatives that promote reconciliation. Given that children’s brains are still developing, experiences of violence leave particularly deep and lasting impacts: such experiences increase the likelihood of violent behavior or susceptibility to extremist ideologies later in life, especially under conditions of stress or insecurity. In the long term, this may heighten the risk of societies relapsing into violent conflict. As a result, the question of how child-specific perspectives can be meaningfully integrated into political decision-making is gaining importance for the sustainability of peace processes.

We are therefore especially pleased to welcome political scientist Sofie Lilli Stoffel from the Berlin-based think tank Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) to our foundation on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at 5:15 PM to speak on this important topic. Her research focuses on the intergenerational transmission of war and violence, as well as the long-term development of foreign and security policy. A particular emphasis of her work lies in the roles of children in armed conflicts.

Together with Sofie Lilli Stoffel, we will discuss questions such as: What strategies do armed and authoritarian actors pursue in their engagement with children and youth? What are the long-term impacts of war and instability on young people? How can the perspectives of children and adolescents be better accounted for in policymaking? How can German foreign and security policy be shaped in a more age-sensitive manner? And in what areas can young people in Germany become politically active themselves?

The event is part of the new ‘Young European Security Talks’ series. With this series, we want to discuss current security policy issues with young people – in conversation with experts and social innovators.

We look forward to your participation and ask that you register online or by email by 23 September 2025.