What happens to child soldiers when they grow up?
This article offers findings on the first longitudinal study of life outcomes for former child soldiers. The data show that, after 16 years, the vast majority of this group of former child soldiers have become productive, capable and caring adults. At the same time, none of them are truly free from their pasts.
Are child soldiers forced to fight?
Many are pressed into combat, where they may be forced to the front lines or sent into minefields ahead of older troops. Children have also been used for suicide missions. In some conflicts, girls are raped, or given to military commanders as “wives.”
What are Girl child soldiers used for?
Child soldiers are any children under the age of 18 who are recruited by a state or non-state armed group and used as fighters, cooks, suicide bombers, human shields, messengers, spies, or for sexual purposes.
Do child soldiers get food?
Child soldiers are children under the age of 18, some even as young as seven years of age, who are used for any purpose in a military or armed group. Armed forces can manipulate children easily, they do not eat very much food, and they do not have to be paid.
Where are there child soldiers in the world?
Countries, such as Myanmar, Colombia, Congo, Sudan, Syria, and Iraq, are some of the places that have child soldiers. The problem is that children who manage to escape can’t fully recover from the horrors of the war.
How old are children when they become soldiers?
Children in conflict are more at risk of harm now than at any time in recorded history. Child soldiers, boys and girls as young as 8 years old, are being recruited and used not only for fighting, but for sexual exploitation and more in conflicts raging across the globe.
Are there any female soldiers in the world?
According to UNICEF, thousands of boys and girls are recruited as soldiers across the world. While much focus has been placed on male child soldiers, though female soldiers often play important roles in armed groups and conflict, they are often neglected.
What are the challenges of being a child soldier?
Girl child soldiers face distinct challenge. After recruitment, they often continue to face the gender inequality, discrimination, and gender-based violence they experienced before violent conflict. These girl soldiers are often especially subject to systematic sexual violence, and rape.