Federal drone competitions have been terminated.
In a move aimed at bolstering national defense, Lithuania is planning to train more than 22,000 individuals, including 7,000 children, in building and operating drones. This ambitious initiative, known as the "Youth Drones" program, is designed to equip the nation's youth with technical skills in the realm of drone technology, starting from about age eight.
The program, which is being implemented through a government-run institution called "Linesėa," is framed as educational and defensive, with the primary goal of building skills in technology and civil defense in response to regional security threats. It is not described as recruiting or involving children directly in hostilities.
The focus of the program is on First-Person-View drones, controlled via virtual reality goggles from the perspective of the flying device itself. Lessons for children will be adapted from the 3rd grade onwards, teaching them to design, manufacture, and fly drones using games, 3D printers, and nationwide competitions.
However, the program has raised concerns about the militarization of childhood. Critics argue that if a society militarizes, it may also lead to the militarization of childhood. Some have pointed to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) as a potential barrier, with the program's drone training possibly violating Article 29 and the first additional protocol.
Despite these concerns, available information suggests that Lithuania’s drone training does not evidently contravene the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as long as the children are not being directly recruited for armed conflict or exposed to harmful conditions. The program’s educational and non-combat nature aligns with CRC protections for technical education and child development.
Elsewhere, the issue of militarization of childhood is also under scrutiny. In Germany, children as young as ten are shown in a report climbing into tanks and looking through a rifle barrel at the shooting range, raising concerns about the normalization of military activities for young minds.
Adults in Lithuania will receive their training from the Riflemen's Union, a paramilitary unit. The Ukrainian military, on the other hand, is currently using First-Person-View technology for small kamikaze drones that often target vehicles or individual soldiers.
Notably, a Ukrainian army member featured in a Wall Street Journal documentary uses drones to kill Russian soldiers near the front line, with the transmission cutting off just before the impact. The drone pilot expresses psychological distress from his service, highlighting the potential emotional impact of such activities on young minds.
As the world grapples with the implications of drone warfare, the debate over the appropriateness of involving children in such initiatives continues. While Lithuania's drone program may offer benefits in terms of technical literacy and civic preparedness, it is crucial to ensure that the rights and well-being of children are not compromised in the process.
- The "Youth Drones" program in Lithuania, focused on technology education and civil defense, aligns with its UN Convention on the Rights of the Child protections for technical education and child development, as long as children are not recruited for armed conflict or exposed to harmful conditions.
- The debate over the appropriateness of involving children in drone-related initiatives, such as the one in Lithuania, continues, considering potential long-term emotional impacts, like those seen in the Wall Street Journal documentary featuring a Ukrainian army member who uses drones to kill enemies.
- The militarization of childhood is also under scrutiny in other countries, such as Germany, where young children are observed spending time in tanks and shooting ranges, sparking concerns about the normalization of military activities in the minds of the youth.
