Child soldiers

BY: CINDY MONDRAGON

 Definition

Child soldiers-”A child soldier is any person under 18

years of age who is part of any kind of regular or
irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity,
including but not limited to cooks, porters, messengers
and anyone accompanying such groups, 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.”
Training
 The start

Because child under the age of 18 can be easily

manipulated and can be drawn into violence and they
are too young to understand and resist. These children
are being taken from their parents rebel groups and
forced to kill them to inshore that the kids won’t have
no were to go. Once in the rebel group the boys and
girls are set to be front line shooters, decoys, spies,
and even sex slaves.
Most of the conflict affects underdeveloped countries
like Africa as well as develop countries like Europe.
 The Now

Today an estimated 250,000 children are serving in

armed conflict and hundreds more are members of
armed forces who could be sent into combat at any time.
There are 30 countries that practice the use of child
soldiers but universal law states that you have to be 18
to join the military. The origins of the “child soldiers”
are unknown but it is a fact than the practice has been
ongoing for more than 300 years.
This is a map of were child soldiers are being
used.
 Poem
Dedicated to The Girl Child Soldier
 CHILDREN AT WAR
 
There are many reasons for the use of
Little girl, hidden in the bush, child soldiers some due to the breakdown
Why aren’t you with your mother today?
Little boy, so far from home, during armed conflicts, giving children no
Who put that gun in your hand?
Child soldiers, what do you understand
access to school, separating them from
Of rebels’ causes and governments, their families and often destroying their
Broken cease-fires and armaments?
  homes, many see joining armed groups as
You only know you are a slave
For sex, or killing, or running away.
the only way to survive others looking to
You are here to fight and die avenge family members and Some are
For adults who never tell you why
As they steal your childhood away. also abducted from their homes and
 
Your uniform should be some school’s;
forced to become soldiers. These are only
You should sleep safe in a fresh, clean bed, some of the reasons children are in armed
No horrors to torment or numb you,
As Mother’s song sings in your head.
conflict
 
Oh, children! May you find a home,
Where you remember how to play!
May you recall times before it all
Came undone on an evil day
When soldiers carried you away.
 
Dr. Carole R. Fontaine
 The Why

 Because of their emotional and physical immaturity, children

are easily manipulated and can be drawn into violence that they
are too young to understand and resist . Lots of boys and girls
may be sent into minefields ahead of other troops or to the
front lines of combat.

 Addressing this problem, many organizations are working

together to establish national and international measures that
would prohibit the use of children and young people under the
age of 18 but its not the government that uses them but the
rebels fighting the government.
 What can we do to help?

One way to stop the spared of

child soldiers is to during the
night have them sleep in a
facility with soldiers protecting
it.
Two educate them have them
stay in school “knowledge is
power”
Find a way to bring the already
child soldiers back to society
have a rehabilitation center
close to every country that has
child soldiers.
"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.“ this what one child soldier
wants, lets help him with it.
Live life to the fullest for all those who cant.
http://www.un.org/works/goingon/soldiers/childso
ldiersmap.html
http://www.child-soldiers.org/childsoldiers/child-
soldiers
http://www.child-soldiers.org/home