"Watershed moment for human rights"

For the first time, an international criminal court convicted war criminals for the conscription of child soldiers. The ruling took place in Sierra Leone, where former military leaders were charged for 11 war crimes. The AP quotes David Crane, who is the founding prosecutor of the Sierra Leone Special Court:

He called the ruling a watershed moment for human rights. "This particular judgment sets the cornerstone forever -- those who recruit children into an armed force are criminally liable," Crane said.

During 10 years of war, high numbers of child soldiers were recruited in Sierra Leone and neighboring Liberia. According to the AP:

In Liberia, Taylor's men are accused of organizing the so-called Small Boys Unit, which conscripted youngsters, armed them with machine guns and baptized them with names like Babykiller.

While the Court's conviction marks a bright spot for human rights advocates, child soldiers continue to suffer in places like Northern Uganda. Setting precedents through punishment is essential, but it is now the international community's responsibility to build a future for these child soldiers and prevent future atrocities such as the crimes in Sierra Leone from happening again.