Child Soldiers Injustice

The use of child soldiers have become a normal contribution to armies, especially in countries such as Africa. Although, countries such as Afghanistan, India, and Libya have been using child soldiers since 2011. According to “Children in Conflict: Child Soldiers,” there has been 36 countries involved since 1998. Something needs to be done about this issue due to the fact that thousands of

Recently, two million children have died over the past ten years due to becoming a child soldier. A huge deplorable development that has extended recently is the increase of child soldiers. Children are constantly being used as soldiers for various reasons. In some countries, there are more child soldiers than they are adults because children are more compliant. Children have been exploited as soldiers because they are being recruited to do a violent action, it is difficult for them to, later on, assimilate back to their lives, and child soldiers are regularly used in developing countries.

A lot of the children interviewed within the first chapter of Peter W. Singer’s book Children at War are under the age of 12. They speak of torturing people in the most horrific of ways. Such as when joining the paramilitaries, A., age twelve, states that the first thing they make you do is kill someone. A random person is picked for the recruits to chop off his hands and arms. It is important to realize however, that not all of these child soldiers are as young as 7. Singer explains that a “A ‘child soldier’ is generally defined (under both international law and common practice) as any person under eighteen years of age who is engaged in deadly combat or combat support as part of an armed force or group.” What is most horrendous is

First off, child soldiers are held against their will to do dangerous tasks that they have no say in. In an article interviewing Ishmael Beah, a former child soldier, he states, "Somebody being shot in front of you, or you yourself shooting somebody became just like drinking a glass of water. Children who refused to fight, kill or showed any weakness were ruthlessly dealt with.”

This is the same situation that Juliet faced: “Young girls were forced into sexual relationships with men who were above our age. I was forced to become a rebel’s wife. They said “no issues” either you go with this man or we kill you. I got pregnant at a very early age with that man” (“Juliet’s Journey”). There are no excuses that can justify the treatment of child soldiers. Children are among the saddest victims of conflict: they rarely emerge from military service with a sense of their own worth and identity. Worse, they often experience violence that leaves them physically or psychologically scarred. Facing a difficult adolescence, many turn to drugs, alcohol, and anti-social behavior. No child should ever have to face the horrors and lasting effects of war.

Today, Human right groups estimate that there are at least if not more than 300,000 child soldiers worldwide. In poorer countries, there are more child soldiers because they fight of land, minerals and drugs. Even though the kids are the perfect weapons for these civil wars in poorer countries, because they are easily manipulated, extremely loyal, fearless and most importantly endless supply; there should not be kids fighting for their country unless they are 18 because of the physical and psychological problems.

My name is Abida and I am a student at Wayzata West Middle School. Imagine you, an innocent five year old, playing on the soccer field. Then, in an instant, you are blindfolded, and you feel hands on your back. You have been taken, no abducted. There is something heavy placed in your hand. It's a gun. A booming voice commands you, “Shoot,”. So, fearfully you do. You had killed your best friend that day. Fromm them on out, you are a spy, endure the worst physical torture, and are even sent out on the first lines of war. There are currently thirteen countries that use over 33 thousand child soldiers. Children as young as four can be apart of the military. Many of the children have been forced to join or join as a last resort. After these children

Children from almost every region of the world are illegally serving in armed conflict around the world. In the last 2 years, 20 states have been reported to have child soldiers in government, government-affiliated, and non-state armed groups (“11 Facts About Child Soldiers”). Children should not be affiliated with war and should be protected from those who act otherwise because children have no understanding of life and deserve a life of freedom. Children are stripped of their youth to participate in dangerous and violent activities out of their free will, even if they were to be saved, they would still carry scars and bad habits that would prevent them from living a normal life. These children are our future generations and should be protected and well raised.

Children all across world are being exploited as child soldiers. Everyday kids younger the age of 10 are putting their lives on the line mostly by force. ¨Over the last ten years, two million children have been killed in conflict. Over one million have been orphaned, over six million have been seriously injured or permanently disabled and over ten million have been left with serious psychological trauma.¨(Children In Conflict). A child soldier is a child with armed forces; they’re trained to fight, cook, be porters, messengers, informant spies, etc. Countries all across the world have been using children to fight, places like the United Kingdom, Africa, and Asia lean on children to do their dirty work regardless of what laws are put

As i read the article, “Armed And Underage” it states, “human rights experts estimate that more than 200,000 children worldwide are still being used as combatants, usually against their will.” This just shows how forced their actions are. The child soldiers listen to orders without any questions asked. Ever since they were born they have been taught that the act of war is a lifestyle. After killing another soldier it is

Throughout the world children younger than 18 are being enlisted into the armed forces to fight while suffering through multiple abuses from their commanders. Children living in areas and countries that are at war are

There are an estimated 250,000 child soldiers in the world today. They usually range from 14 to 18 but some get pulled in at as young as 11. Child soldiers are used in war because their naive tendencies, poor backgrounds, and capability to be easily intimidated and they used for many different things.

A high proportion of the children suffer from extreme cases of PTSD, PTSD can be caused by life-threatening events or witnessing acts of terror or emotional torture. These soldiers experience death, torture, gruesome injuries, rape, and kidnapping. Another issue involved with mental issues is the lack of education and publicity that it is given. A former soldier is likely to suffer from a mental illness but they may not know that there is a reason for their unusual behavior. Many former soldiers are scrutinized and outcast because of these mental issues and many of them don’t even know the reason behind their strange behavior and they convince themselves that they have just gone crazy (Post traumatic stress disorder). Education can do a lot to help rehabilitate the children who suffer from these mental illnesses.

“Shooting became just like drinking a glass of water” said Ishmael Beah, an ex-child-soldier, “children who refused to fight, kill or showed any weakness were ruthlessly dealt with.” As children’s involvement in armed conflict keeps on increasing, “Child Soldiers” becomes a more and more popular phrase on newspapers and news. Many, however, do not have an insight view on what are actually behind simply “300,000 under-age, cold-blooded killers” (The Economist, Dec. 10th, 1998). A simple question “What do child soldiers fight for?” covers a vast range of elements including wealth, fame, or to simply survive. The issue of child soldier has taken place throughout human history and becomes more and more severe. The constitution of child

Children under the age of 18 who are recruited by a state or non-state armed group who are used for any military purpose are called child soldiers. These child soldiers have been fighting wars for centuries. As the world has evolved and changed, the use of child soldiers should have decreased. Instead, it seems to be on the rise. These children are not throwaways. They should not be accountable for their combat actions. Child soldiers should not be held responsible for their actions because they’re too young, they’re easily manipulated, and they can be rehabilitated.