Overview of child soldiers
Children all over the world are being manipulated to be soldiers and are being exposed to murder, rape, torture, and violence. The governments of third world countries and rebel groups alike are using child soldiers as a commodity of war. The rebel groups understand that children are an easier target then adults, and that these children can be taken and integrated into the horrors of war easily. Children are not only used for combat but also as spies, guards, suicide bombers, porters, or human shields. They are used as suicide bombers because they can penetrate targets easier than adults could. Sadly, girls and boys are often used as sexual slaves for armed forces or rebel groups. The children are taught to hate their parents, and consider their parents as the “enemy”. In some horrendous cases, they have been forced to kill their families. Even when a child is rescued, their rehabilitation is long and painful, as they have lost their innocence forever. Some children were forced to become soldiers because poverty and starvation left them no choice but to join the military. Many children who have survived say the memory of their village being attacked, and their families being killed haunts them forever. Child soldiers are a major problem in the world today.
The issue of child soldiers is mainly the violation of basic human rights. Children are being put through horrific things, and they cannot do anything to stop them. The main issue is that young children are working as soldiers of slaves for evil military groups like the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), and other rebel groups in third world countries like Uganda, Afghanistan, and Iran. These military groups seek to gain wealth and power through the destruction of their governments. Eighty-seven different countries around the world have child soldiers. Human rights are violated due to the fact that children are being manipulated into going against their basic morals. Article four of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.” Child soldiers are taken by force for purposes of war. Not only are these children made into soldiers, but also slaves. This alone violates the most basic of human rights. Article five of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” These children are beaten consistently, addicted to drugs, forced to kill, and are forced to forget everything that they were taught in the past. These children lose freedom of choice. Article 38 of the UN-Convention on the Rights of the Child states "Every child has the right of protection from armed conflicts.” Children that are soldiers have no protection from these rebel groups, and they are forced to fight, or else they are killed. The UN Security Council proclaims that those who recruit children must be prosecuted in the international court, and that the use of child soldiers around the world must stop. Many human rights are violated by the use of child soldiers.
The topic of child soldiers is extremely important because these children have all their basic rights and freedoms taken away. The issue calls attention to how children all over the world are being forced to do such terrible things (murder, rape, torture). This topic is important to us because we are the same age, if not older, than these child soldiers in other countries. It also reminds us that we are privileged to live in a free country with a documented and enforced charter of Basic rights and freedoms, which most other children around the world do not have. It is important to learn about child soldiers so we can learn more about the world around us and to appreciate that we live in such a safe country with human rights, and that we have all our basic living needs filled (water, food, shelter). This should be important to other people because everyone has to learn and understand what some children in other countries go through every single day. People need to learn that we live in one of the best countries in the world because of our rights and freedoms, as well as a stable government. This subject allows people to view their life in contrast to a child with a far less privileged life. If more people got involved in helping child soldiers, it would be easier to solve the issue. Child soldiers help everyone learn that sometimes life is taken for granted, and that we have to look at someone else’s way of life to appreciate our own.
The issue of child soldiers is mainly the violation of basic human rights. Children are being put through horrific things, and they cannot do anything to stop them. The main issue is that young children are working as soldiers of slaves for evil military groups like the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), and other rebel groups in third world countries like Uganda, Afghanistan, and Iran. These military groups seek to gain wealth and power through the destruction of their governments. Eighty-seven different countries around the world have child soldiers. Human rights are violated due to the fact that children are being manipulated into going against their basic morals. Article four of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, “No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.” Child soldiers are taken by force for purposes of war. Not only are these children made into soldiers, but also slaves. This alone violates the most basic of human rights. Article five of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” These children are beaten consistently, addicted to drugs, forced to kill, and are forced to forget everything that they were taught in the past. These children lose freedom of choice. Article 38 of the UN-Convention on the Rights of the Child states "Every child has the right of protection from armed conflicts.” Children that are soldiers have no protection from these rebel groups, and they are forced to fight, or else they are killed. The UN Security Council proclaims that those who recruit children must be prosecuted in the international court, and that the use of child soldiers around the world must stop. Many human rights are violated by the use of child soldiers.
The topic of child soldiers is extremely important because these children have all their basic rights and freedoms taken away. The issue calls attention to how children all over the world are being forced to do such terrible things (murder, rape, torture). This topic is important to us because we are the same age, if not older, than these child soldiers in other countries. It also reminds us that we are privileged to live in a free country with a documented and enforced charter of Basic rights and freedoms, which most other children around the world do not have. It is important to learn about child soldiers so we can learn more about the world around us and to appreciate that we live in such a safe country with human rights, and that we have all our basic living needs filled (water, food, shelter). This should be important to other people because everyone has to learn and understand what some children in other countries go through every single day. People need to learn that we live in one of the best countries in the world because of our rights and freedoms, as well as a stable government. This subject allows people to view their life in contrast to a child with a far less privileged life. If more people got involved in helping child soldiers, it would be easier to solve the issue. Child soldiers help everyone learn that sometimes life is taken for granted, and that we have to look at someone else’s way of life to appreciate our own.