Child Soliders

Child Soldiers - Born to Die

By Vikram Takhar

 

 

The lives of many children around the world is set on a road of murdering, suffering and war. I believe that there should be an end to the use and exploitation child soldiers in this modern day world but the other hand people may argue that child soldiers can help poorer countries protect themselves from other countries. 

For Centuries, children have been used to fight in wars worldwide and there are over 300,000 child soldiers around the world today. Over 22 countries use child soldiers in warfare. Africa is the biggest offender of using children in war but children are use in other countries in Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. A child soldier is defined as “the use of children, ranging from 15 to 18 for government military purposes or for other non-government groups” by Global Issues in Context.  Children although are mostly used by non-government groups a are forced to do tasks no one else wants to do or to risky like cooking, cleaning, spying, combat and human shields. Some children are even sexually abused and used as sex slaves and even suicide bombers. Child soldiers are treated badly and their lives are very tough and dangerous and they do a great amount of hard work in inhuman conditions like lack of food, drinking water and sanitation. Many children die from causes such as these because they are treated so badly.

Child soldiers are mainly by countries because children are easier to control. Children are easier to exploit and will work harder than men for supplies. Child soldiers are mainly used in Africa because it is a poorer country so they cannot afford a military  So to protect there land getting invaded or taken from them the use child soldier because it is cheap and they are loyal. The children will do anything for food and clean drinking supplies so they can survive. Child soldiers maybe the only way poorer countries can protect their land efficiently and effectively. Some children are born and raised to become child soldiers so it is the only path in life they know.

Child are mistreated and used to be killing machines. Children should be treated like human beings and have the right to live the lives they want to. Children are forced to live lives they do not want to and are brain washed to kill inhumanly  How can we treat children like this? The children are affected mentally and physically and they are only children. They have long term mental affects and are scared for life from war. They also may have physical disabilities from fighting in wars. Should a child experience traumas like this?

There should be an end to the use of child soldiers under the age of 18. Children are deprived from their childhood, denied an education and blocked from their chosen culture. To put an end to child soldiers countries need good governing and laws need to be put in place so it will decrease the amount of child soldiers. This is a global issue and countries have to work together to solve the problem. We need to carry on prosecuting those who are responsible to act as a deterrent to others. The use of child soldiers is mainly because of poverty. If we sort out the poverty issue especially in Africa countries would not need to use child soldiers. The children deserve to live a normal humanly life.


References

http://find.galegroup.com/gic/basicSearch.do

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/child-soldiers-still-used-in-more-than-25-countries-around-the-world/2012/03/14/gIQAl2FNCS_blog.html

http://www.child-soldiers.org/

http://www.amnesty.org/en/children