Child Soldiers Research Paper

511 Words2 Pages

Today, there are an estimated 300,000 child soldiers fighting in at least twenty different countries. Child soldiers are children under eighteen who are used for military purposes. They are used in various countries across the world, most commonly in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Child soldiers are often used because they are easier to manipulate than adults. Children are also more obedient and do not demand a salary. They are abducted from their home or school and forced into becoming a soldier. Some children voluntarily join the army because they feel they have no other option. To prevent the children from escaping, commanders often threaten the children. They also promise them money at the end of the war. War deeply affects every part of a child’s development. They can become victims of trauma from being exposed to violence. They are also deprived of an education because they are recruited into the army before they finish school. Many former child soldiers suffer nightmares, intense sadness, and reappearing violent images. These children are often labelled as untrustworthy. Although many countries use child soldiers, military recruitment of children under fifteen is recognized as a war crime. There are also laws prohibiting the military use of children under eighteen. The use of child …show more content…

They also carry ammunition, water, milk, and food to the front lines, and remove the wounded and killed. Children cannot avoid being recruited by Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group. Many children are taken on their way to school or at school. In addition, Al-Shabaab kills or injures parents who intervene to protect their children. Sometimes, children are even used as so-called “human shields”. There are also brutal physical punishments and executions for soldiers who attempt to escape, fail to obey orders, and are accused of spying. To these children who have known nothing but war, there is no simple

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