Discover these amazing organizations and networks supporting conscientious objectors and efforts to counter military recruitment.

by Taylor O’Connor | 25 September 2024

High School weapons demo | Photo by the United States National Guard on Wikimedia Commons

“The pioneers of a warless world are the young men (and women) who refuse military service.” – Albert Einstein

I didn’t know much about conscientious objection, its history and current efforts to support conscientious objection. But the more that I researched it, the more and more information I found about it’s fascinating history and about the inspiring global efforts to support conscientious objectors.

I also found that there are a wide range of activities associated with conscientious objection efforts, namely activities to counter military recruitment, often occurring in schools as military recruiters tend to target young people.

Have a look at this collection of organizations supporting conscientious objectors and some involved in counter-recruitment activities. I provided some brief background and history, as well as key lessons learned from my research into this topic. I hope it helps you to get exposed into this great approach to end war and promote peace, and gets you connected to the activities of some of the amazing groups supporting conscientious objectors worldwide. May it inspire you to get involved in supporting conscientious objectors and counter-recruitment.

Understanding conscientious objection and counter-recruitment

I’ll be writing a post on key terms associated with pacifism, conscientious objection and other associated topics soon. But for now, a brief overview of key terms…

Conscientious objection: Conscientious objection is the refusal to participate in military service due to deeply held moral, ethical, or religious beliefs that conflict with the act of war or violence. Individuals who claim this status may be exempted from combat duties, though they may still be required to perform non-combat roles. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Counter-recruitment: Counter-recruitment refers to efforts by individuals or organizations to dissuade people, especially youth, from joining the military. These campaigns often focus on providing alternative information about the realities of military service, emphasizing the ethical, moral, and legal concerns related to war and violence. (Cambridge Dictionary)

A brief history of conscientious objection

Perhaps I’ll cover the history of conscientous objection in another blog post, but for now, I’ll provide a simple historical overview.

Basically, the concept of conscientious objection has roots that trace back to early religious groups such as the Quakers and Mennonites in the 16th and 17th centuries, who opposed war on spiritual grounds. The concept gained prominence during World War I, when individuals refused military service based on moral or religious convictions. Many conscientious objectors were imprisoned or faced harsh penalties during this period. After World War II, conscientious objection became more formally recognized, with many countries providing legal pathways for individuals to opt out of military service. Today, international bodies, including the United Nations, acknowledge conscientious objection as a human right.

There is a great documentary project about conscientious objectors during WWI called The Men Who Said No. There you can see tons of great photos, documents and information about WWI era conscientious objection.

Lessons learned while researching about groups supporting conscientious objectors

While researching for this blog post I was struck by the amount of information available for conscientious objectors and the supports available. I also see that there are numerous approaches taken by groups supporting conscientious objection and counter-recruitment activities. See an overview of approaches and other lessons learned below.

Organizations that support conscientious objectors take some of the following approaches:

Support active soldiers with resources and guidance on how they can be conscientious objectors
Support military conscientious objectors in their process of refusing military service
Advocate against laws and policies that discriminate or punish conscientious objectors
Advocate to protect the rights of specific conscientious objectors that are victims of actions taken by there government, including advocacy to get conscientious objectors out of jail or prison
Providing support to families of soldiers, veterans and conscientious objectors
Leading counter-recruitment activities, specifically to get the military recruiters out of schools and to stop them from promotion of militarism with children and youth
Providing specific resources for religious organizations, peace groups and educators to get involved in supporting conscientious objection and counter-recruitment
Producing resources for how to be a conscientious objector for civil servants associated with the military
Producing resources and providing opportunities for veterans to support conscientious objection and counter-recruitment

Other things I learned:

There are many small groups that operate conscientious objection and/or counter-recruitment activities at the local level. Often they are affiliated with larger groups.
Conscientious objection groups generally are founded in a country when it is involved in an active war, then their activities contribute for years and decades after that. Some were founded during and after WWI, WWII, the war in Vietnam, and the Global War on Terror of past decades
Many organizations are led by military veterans

Organizations Supporting Conscientious Objectors

So organizations supporting conscientious objectors and that are involved in counter-recruitment efforts are not all the same. After reviewing and categorizing the groups I found, I have organized them into four categories, covered in the sub-sections below:

Key conscientious objection organizations and networks
Groups mobilizing against military recruitment and the draft
Military veteran and soldier led organizations
Local and national conscientious objection initiatives

So the organizations listed in this blog post below are all involved explicitly in either one approach to support conscientious objectors as outlined above, or they are involved in counter-recruitment effort, or both. There are many pacifist and peace activist groups. Conscientious objection and counter-recruitment is a specific activity. I have a separate blog post mapping pacifist and peace activist organizations which you can find HERE.

I will also make separate blog posts on topics like war tax resistance, demilitarization, disarmament, and other associated topics. And I will link them here when they are available.

Key organizations and networks that support conscientious objectors

Below you can find some large, very well established organizations that have been supporting conscientious objectors for decades, across numerous wars. These websites have large amounts of downloads and resources for conscientious objectors, and many also support networks of conscientious objector groups.

The Center on Conscience and War

Established in 1940, the Center on Conscience and War (CCW) advocates for the rights of conscientious objectors, opposes military conscription, and provides support to conscientious objectors to war. They stand with individuals opposing military conscription, assisting youth, aspiring US citizens, and citizens of other countries facing mandatory military service, working to provide support and alternative paths for those who choose nonviolent action. Their website has a wealth of resources for all interested to support conscientious objection. Their resources are also well organized, specifically they have organized resources for military conscientious objectors themselves, for youth considering enlisting in the military, for religious communities mobilizing for conscientious objection, and for peace organizations and educators.

European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO)

Founded in 1979, the European Bureau for Conscientious Objection (EBCO) advocates for the fundamental human right to conscientious objection to military service across Europe. They serve as an umbrella organization for national associations of conscientious objectors in countries across Europe. Recognizing that military operations and laws associated with conscientious objection are different in each country, they support members to lobby their governments and institutions for the full recognition of the right to conscientious objection to military service. And they also promote collective campaigns for the release of the imprisoned conscientious objectors.

The War Resisters International and War Resisters League

War Resisters International (WRI) is a global pacifist and antimilitarist network dedicated to building a world without war. In their network they have over 90 affiliated groups in 40 countries. Their main activities are supporting their members to launch nonviolent campaigns, publishing resources, hosting events, and educating people about pacifism and nonviolence. One of their main active affiliated is the War Resisters League (WRL), founded in the United States in 1923.

WRI and WRL both work specifically to support conscientious objection. WRI has a campaign countering the militarization of youth as well as providing a comprehensive guide to the international human rights system specifically for conscientious objectors. WRL has a page providing resources for American soldiers educating about rights and resistance as well as a page with resources for those working to counter the recruitment of youth.

Courage to Resist

Courage to Resist is dedicated to supporting military personnel who refuse to participate in war and militarism on moral, ethical, or political grounds. They assist conscientious objectors and other service members facing legal consequences for resisting military orders, particularly those related to unjust wars and unethical actions. The group provides financial, legal, and moral support to military resisters, while also advocating for systemic change to protect the rights of those who oppose war. They coordinate public campaigns and work to raise awareness about the rights of military personnel to dissent and resist war participation. By supporting military resistance, counter-recruitment, and draft resistance, they intend to cut off the supply of troops for war, while pledging resistance to the policies of hate, repression, and the militarization of policing domestically in the United States.

Groups mobilizing against military recruitment and the draft

Two groups below are explicitly focused on opposing military recruitment and the draft.

The Committee Opposed to Militarism and the Draft (COMD)

Committee Opposed to Militarism and the Draft (COMD) is an anti-militarism organization that challenges the oppressive structures of the military, addressing its impact on society, budget, and the systemic issues of racism, sexism, and homophobia within the armed forces. Through community education, direct action, and youth outreach, COMD empowers individuals to join the movement in dismantling militarism and building a more inclusive and just world. Their website has tons of free downloads and resources educating about militarism and also supporting those educating and organizing against the recruitment of youth. The website needs an update, but the info and downloads on there are good.

The National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth (NNOMY)

National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth (NNOMY) is a US-based national network of peace groups working to counter the militarization in schools and the recruitment of youth in schools. Their website also has tons of anti-militarism resources promoting nonviolent alternatives for youth. They have some great educational videos on there as well. Their website is really a wealth of resources for those working to oppose the militarization of youth as their name indicates.

Military veteran and soldier led organizations

Below see some military veteran and soldier-led organizations involved in conscientious objection activities. Activities of these organizations are often more broad, including support to soldiers, veterans and their families, advocacy against war and militarism, counter-recruitment and conscientious objector support.

The Veterans for Peace

Veterans for Peace is a network of military veterans that work to inform the public of the true causes of war and the enormous costs of wars, with an obligation to heal the wounds of wars. Working through 140 chapters worldwide, groups organize advocacy and activism to challenge the glorification of war, to dismantle the war economy and to create a world free from violence and militarism for future generations to inherit. They share their stories to increase public awareness of the causes and costs of war, they provide services that assist veterans and victims of war, and work towards the abolition of war as an instrument of national policy. They are involved in activities to educate young people about the harms of war to prevent them from joining the military.

The About Face (formerly Iraq Veterans Against the War)

About Face: Veterans Against the War is a diverse group of post-9/11 service members and veterans who are resolutely determined to break the cycle of perpetual war and combat the destructive impact of militarism in their communities. With a deep understanding of the inner workings of the military, they work to expose the truth about conflicts abroad and the alarming militarization occurring within the United States. Through their storytelling, activism, and advocacy, they challenge the dominant narrative of war, exposing the true costs of militarism and working towards a world free from violence and oppression.

Vietnam Veterans Against the War

Founded in 1967, Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW) is an advocacy organization founded Vietnam War veterans who opposed the United States’ involvement in the war. The group played a key role in the anti-Vietnam War movement, highlighting the human costs of war, including the effects on veterans and civilians alike. Since their founding and to this day, they organize protests and educational campaigns to end U.S. military interventions, advocate for veterans’ benefits and healthcare, and raise awareness of issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Agent Orange exposure. Over the years, VVAW has expanded its focus to include opposition to other U.S. military conflicts, while continuing to serve as a voice for veterans’ rights and anti-war activism.

Military Families Speak Out

Military Families Speak Out (MSFO) unites military families from around the world who have loved ones serving in the military since 9-11. MFSO recognizes the physical and mental scars inflicted upon soldiers as a result of their involvement in acts of violence. They support the troops by advocating to bring them home and speaking out against other unjust military interventions. They oppose the deployment of troops and the use of military force, unless our country and our people are faced with direct danger, and only as a last resort. Their website has resources for soldiers and their families to help them cope with the effects of their involvement in war and to help them mobilize as an advocate against unjust wars.

The We are not Your Soldiers

We Are Not Your Soldiers is a movement led by veterans and activists who actively resist military recruitment in schools and communities, while educating young people about the realities of war. They work in schools to educate and empower individuals to challenge the system and pave their own paths towards a more just and peaceful world. Their website has tons of resources for those interested to get involved in counter recruitment efforts in schools.

Local and national conscientious objection initiatives

Below, see a few examples of national initiatives that support conscientious objectors. Use these as examples of what you can do to set up and develop national and local conscientious objector groups in your country.

The Acción Colectiva de Objetores y Objetoras de Conciencia

Acción Colectiva de Objetores y Objetoras de Conciencia (ACOOC) is a Colombian organization that advocates for nonviolence and conscientious objection, promoting alternative strategies to confront militarism, militarization, and patriarchy in the country. With a focus on nonviolent resistance and educational initiatives, ACOOC has been actively engaging with youth communities and developing processes to challenge militarism and its impacts.

The Union of Conscientious Objectors Finland (Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto)

Founded in 1974, Union of Conscientious Objectors Finland, (known as Aseistakieltäytyjäliitto in Finnish) serves as an advocate for conscientious objectors from various backgrounds, including civil servants, total objectors, and reserve objectors, but it also fosters a vibrant non-military youth community dedicated to addressing a range of social issues. Information is well organized on their website to support military, reserve, and civilian conscientious objectors.

Peace Pledge Union

Founded in 1934, the Peace Pledge Union (PPU) is the oldest secular pacifist organization in Britain. They promote nonviolent alternatives to war and militarism, challenge systems, practices, and policies that fuel war and militarism, and also to transform the mindsets and values that promote the view that armed force is an effective agent of social change. Their activities are organized around themes of campaigning and education, remembrance for all victims of war of all nationalities with a rejection of militarism, challenging ‘everyday militarism’ (i.e., militarism present throughout society), and speaking out against military spending and recruitment in the UK.

Support conscientious objectors and counter-recruitment

As you explore the organizations supporting conscientious objectors and counter-recruitment efforts, I hope this blog post has provided useful insights into their vital work and the history behind this powerful movement. These groups represent a tangible approach to challenging militarism and advocating for peace. By getting involved with any of these organizations, you contribute to a global effort to resist war and support those who courageously refuse to take part in it. Let this be an invitation to deepen your commitment to peace and justice, and to stand in solidarity with conscientious objectors worldwide.

If you found this article helpful and want to find more blog posts like this mapping organizations that build peace across a wide array of themes be sure to check out our Resources page!

If there are any great organizations that are missing on this list and you think it should be added, please submit it at the link HERE. I periodically update my resource posts and use these inputs to help me. Thanks in advance!

And be sure to sign up for our newsletter (the best peacebuilding newsletter out there!) to get connected with all the best articles, videos, podcast episodes, events, downloads, learning opportunities, and other resources on building peace published each week, selected from a broad array of global efforts to build peace. Subscribe by clicking HERE.