Child SoldiersBy Zack Ossit

"When they came to my village, they asked my older brother whether he was ready to join the militia. He was just 17 and he said no; they shot him in the head. Then they asked me if I was ready to sign, so what could I do - I didn't want to die." A former child soldier taken when he was 13.

What Is a Child Soldier?

A child associated with an armed force or armed group refers to any person below 18 years of age who is or who has been recruited or used by an armed force or armed group in any capacity, including but not limited to children, boys and girls, used as fighters, cooks, porters, spies or for sexual purposes. It does not only refer to a child who is taking or has taken a direct part in hostilities. (The Principles and Guidelines on Children Associated with Armed Forces or Armed Groups (Paris Principles), February 2007).

Where?

It happens throughout the world, mainly in Africa

Other areas include Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East

Africa

Africa has the most critical problem with child soldiers

Children as young as 9 have been involved with armed conflicts in many African countries.

Why?

Most of the time children are forced to be soldiers.

Many children are faced with the option to kill or be killed.

Some children join militias to avenge other attacks on their village.

Why (contd)

Many girls also join to escape forced marriages and bad home lives.

Poverty and lack of education is also a main cause.

Most children are forced into local militias.

Civil War Militia rebels look to inflict fear in

civilians of the other local villages.

Facts

In 2003, more than 500,000 children under the age of 18, in more than 85 countries worldwide were recruited into government armies or militias.

Of those 500,000…300,000 actually were actively involved with armed forces.

8,000 children are believed to be serving in local Afghanistan police forces.

Hardships of Females

Females who are orphans or unaccompanied by adults are often targeted.

Many are raped or sexually assaulted.

Psychological Trauma STD’s Unwanted Pregnancies Often are social outcasts.

Other Problems

Women child soldiers are often taken to carry ammunition, and to be raped by members of other militias.

Many children are addicted to many drugs like brown brown (a mix of cocaine and gun powder), marijuana, and cocaine.

Children are often brainwashed by their captors.

Children often witness family and friends killed, they were forced to rape other men and women.

Demobilization, Disarmament, and Reintegration (DDR)

Program established in many war-torn countries, that take child soldiers from local militias and groom them to become positive factors in society.

This program lacks funds, causing many of these sights to close down, and not be factors in many countries.

Use of Child Soldiers in Government Armies

Child Soldiers Global Report in 2008 said that the following countries used child soldiers between 2004-2007

Chad Democratic Republic of Congo Israel Myanmar Somalia Sudan & Southern Sudan Uganda Yemen Countries below use child soldiers to loot, and commit

crimes against civilians Columbia Iran Sri Lanka

Use of Child Soldiers in Government Armies (contd)

In 2007, as many as 26 countries recruited 16 year old and 17 year old boys into their peacetime armies.

Australia Austria Bangladesh Canada Cuba Democratic Republic of Congo Myanmar Netherlands Russia United Kingdom USA

Ishmael Beah

Former Sierra Leonean child soldier. Wrote the book, A Long Way Gone:

Memoirs Of a Boy Soldier Human rights activist for Child

Soldiers.

What You Can Do To Help

Participate in Red Hand Day Send letters to high ranking officials

in governments of countries that still use child soldiers.

Speak out against this madness

Red Hand Day, in Geneva.

Red Hand Day

Started in 2002 This project has collected over

350,000 Red Hands from all over the world.

Over 40 countries worldwide participate.

February 12 is Red Hand Day

Don’t let the children die for you-They are the future!Rahel FuchsSchliez, Germany

Voices of Child Soldiers"I feel so bad about the things that I did. It disturbs me so much that I inflicted death on other people. When I go home I must do some traditional rites because I have killed. I must perform these rites and cleanse myself. I still dream about the boy from my village that I killed. I see him in my dreams, and he is talking to me, saying I killed him for nothing, and I am crying." A 16-year-old girl after demobilization from an armed group "They filled the forms and asked my age, and when I said 16 I was slapped and he said, 'You are 18. Answer 18'. He asked me again and I said, 'But that's my true age'. The sergeant asked, 'Then why did you enlist in the army?' I said, 'Against my will. I was captured.' He said, 'Okay, keep your mouth shut then,' and he filled in the form. I just wanted to go back home and I told them, but they refused. I said, 'Then please let me make one phone call,' but they refused that too." (Maung Zaw Oo, describing the second time he was forced into the Tatmadaw Kyi (army) in 2005.)"They give you a gun and you have to kill the best friend you have. They do it to see if they can trust you. If you don't kill him, your friend will be ordered to kill you. I had to do it because otherwise I would have been killed. That's why I got out. I couldn't stand it any longer." (17-year-old boy, joined paramilitary group aged 7, when a street child.)

"I would like you to give a message. Please do your best to tell the world what is happening to us, the children. So that other children don't have to pass through this violence.“ -Unkown