Child Soldiers

In Mr. Carter's geography class, we were each assigned to do either a powerpoint presentation or a scrapbook about one of the world issues he had listed on a paper. I ended up doing a powerpoint presentation on Child Soldiers, or Children at War. Doing this assignment actually was almost depressing to me, not the actual assignment part, but the topic about child soldiers just made me sad. It was really hard to look up all this information about these inoceint children being forced to participate in war. This is the essay I wrote about it. (Have to put together this huge presentation and then having to write a two page essay on it... annoying I think).

Anyway, Here it is:

Child soldiers are a major problem world wide. In over twenty countries around the world, children are direct participants in war. They are denied a childhood and often subjected to horrific violence. Children also participate in terrible aspects of war. They serve as human mine detectors, participate in suicide missions, carry supplies, and act as spies, messengers or lookouts. These types of things are what make this situation so bad. Many Armed Conflict Recruitment units use children to their benefit, while others participate in many programs that are attempting to prevent children of war in all they can do.

Child soldiers are recruited in many ways. Some are voluntary, with the attempt to get even with others for the killing of their close ones, or to get away from domestic violence. Some have no other choice; joining seems to be the only way to survive. But on the other hand, most recruitment is not voluntary. Most is forced; children are taken from there families and made to do terrible things. Some even witnessing the killings of their parents, or having to kill them themselves, to ensure the children have no place to escape to once taken in. If caught while trying to escape, a new child will have to then kill the attempter, to make sure he knows what will happen if he tries to get away also. Another way children are recruited is by forcing pay. If unit officers come in demanding a high amount of money and your parents can’t give it to them, your parents are killed and you are then used to be another participant in war.

When Officers recruit all these children into their army, they do it with a purpose. They do it so that they have ways to do the “dirty work” without hurting themselves. For instance, kids are the ones to set the time bombs, and lead the pack so that they newcomers will be killed before the experienced. They also let the children do most of the suicidal attacks, and major bombings around so that again, the experience will be saved for last. Many children do often become unaware of what’s happening to them with all the war going through their minds. They just do as they’re told, for they’ve learned if they don’t. They’ll be killed.

Child soldiers are not always men, or boys. One definition recalls that a child soldier is any person less than 18 years of age who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity, other than family members. The definition includes girls recruited for sexual purposes and for forced marriage. It does not, therefore, only refer to a child who is carrying or has carried arms. This definition tells us that a child soldier could be anyone. Some recruitment units take children as young as eight, even though obviously under age, and give they fake documents claiming there eighteen just to get past government laws. Girls also are taken in to become soldiers in their own way. Some cook, and prepare meals; others are forced to marry with former soldiers and are sexually abused.

With this world wide problem happening everyday in our world, there of course are many organizations and programs that are trying their best to do what they can for these kids. Many of which are fighting with and siding with governments about age-limits and what not that should be set within each country. The most common age that a child should become a soldier is eighteen. Very many countries are breaking this law, especially the ones with children that start ranging from 8-12 years old. Organizations like the ‘Coalition to stop the use of Child Soldiers’ and ‘Amnesty International’ are just two of the many who are trying to put an end to this issue.

With all this said, I feel that we need to pay more attention to the global issues around us and try to help as much as possible. There are so many things like the Coalition to stop the use of Child Soldiers that we could participate in that would just make this world a better place by the simple little thing we stepped into do. I think we should all try to do better at helping out others in need, even if it is just a little bit at a time.