Child Soldiers: A Difficult Concept

I find it hard work getting to grips with scenarios such as child soldiers, especially living in an area of non-violence. I'm sure child soldiers themselves find it hard to understand their own situations.

After being told about a situation I always find myself asking questions such as: Why are there child soldiers involved in violent conflict? Why isn't it being stopped? How many child soldiers are there? Where does it happen?

It is estimated that some 300,000 children - boys and girls under the age of 18 - are today involved in more than 30 conflicts worldwide. Children are used as combatants, messengers, porters and cooks and for forced sexual services. Some are abducted or forcibly recruited, others are driven to join by poverty, abuse and discrimination, or to seek revenge for violence enacted against them or their families. Unicef

Why is this allowed to happen?

There are measures in place to stop the use or children in warfare yet they are extremely difficult to regulate. It is illegal in most countries to allow armed forces to use child soldiers but not all countries follow these international laws. One of the main problems with international law is that it is not at all recognized by non-state armed groups eg. the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda.

Using child soldiers is actually encouraged by many groups in conflict. As horrific as it may be, there are benefits to using child soldiers above adult combatants and until the benefits to an army of using child soldiers are outweighed by the negative effects such as international pressure, it will continue to happen.

Why are children used as soldiers?

• they can be trained easily either by force, brainwashing, fear or all three
• they can be physically or mentally controlled more easily than adult soldiers
• they cost less to feed
• they can be fiercely loyal
• they don't realize the potential dangers and abuses they face
  

Have a look at UNICEF's user friendly website for more info and some opinions from children around the world:

http://www.unicef.org/voy/explore/sowc/explore_1654.html