Participation

The recruitment and use of children in armed conflict remains one of the most persistent violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Despite the existence of an extensive normative framework prohibiting child soldiering, including the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocol, and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the practice continues across both international and non-international armed conflicts. This study examines the effectiveness of international legal mechanisms designed to prevent the recruitment and use of children in hostilities, and the extent to which these mechanisms have been enforced in practice. Adopting a doctrinal research methodology, the study analyses international treaties, customary international humanitarian law, decisions of international and hybrid criminal tribunals, and relevant United Nations instruments. Through case studies drawn from Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe, the research highlights the evolving nature of armed conflict, the blurred distinction between voluntary and forced recruitment, and the increasing involvement of non-state armed groups. The findings reveal that while the international legal framework has achieved normative clarity, enforcement remains uneven and largely dependent on political will, domestic incorporation, and international cooperation. The International Criminal Court and other accountability mechanisms have contributed to the development of jurisprudence on child soldiering, yet significant gaps persist in prevention, prosecution, and post-conflict reintegration. The study concludes that strengthening domestic implementation, enhancing international cooperation, and prioritising child-centred reintegration strategies are essential to closing the enforcement gap. By providing a comprehensive legal and theoretical analysis, this research contributes to ongoing scholarly and policy debates on child protection, accountability, and the future of international humanitarian law.

Radiographers have an important role in emergency medical care.. However, their knowledge , current practices and factors influencing their participation within emergency response teams in Nigerian hospitals remain inadequately evaluated. To assess radiographers’ knowledge of their roles in emergency response, determine their current practices and level of involvement, and examine factors influencing their participation in emergency teams. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for the study. Thirty-one radiographers at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital were included in the study using a census sampling method. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations were used, while inferential statistics (Chi-square tests) examined associations between variables, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Most radiographers demonstrated moderate knowledge of their emergency roles 16 (51.6%), while 11 (35.5%) had high knowledge and 4 (12.9%) had low knowledge. Practice level was fair in 17 ( 54.8%), good in 10 (32.3%) and poor in (12.9). Participation level among respondents was high 11 (35.5%), moderate 19 (61.3%), and low 1 (3.2%). There was a significant relationship between practice and participation (p< 0.001). Radiographers possess good awareness of their responsibilities in emergency care, particularly in performing urgent imaging and patient positioning. Practical competence significantly improved active involvement in the emergency team. There is need for continous training exercises to improve radiographers roles in emergency care. Keywords: Emergency, radiographers, knowledge, practice, participation.