The United Nations Security Council

Political strife has been always present on an international scale with surges of civil war due to government overthrow, sending nations into unrest. Although not common recently, the ideology of recruiting child soldiers still remains, and the lasting effects on the children are traumatizing. From witnessing the carnage of constant bombshells erupting in the distance to whole families being executed, the images are etched deep into their minds, haunting them even after they are discharged from the armies. Although putting an immediate end to child soldiers is unrealistic, the United States should aid in creating and training members of war-affected countries to run long-lasting Rehabilitation centers due to the unqualified and ineffective

The use of child soldiers have become a normal contribution to armies, especially in countries such as Africa. Although, countries such as Afghanistan, India, and Libya have been using child soldiers since 2011. According to “Children in Conflict: Child Soldiers,” there has been 36 countries involved since 1998. Something needs to be done about this issue due to the fact that thousands of

Are you aware that right now, at this very moment, there is a group of young boys ages 8-13 who are clenching a gun being ordered to kill against their will? It’s understood that others opinions about the dangers of child soldiers being free are only because they don’t want to risk anything but, isn’t life all about taking risks? You risk your life leaving the house, and breathing. Also, countries should not prosecute child soldiers for the crimes they committed during wartime. There also should not be an international minimum age of criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Here are three reasons why they should not be prosecuted or held responsible. Also that there should not be an age limit. One. Children are afraid, young, and clueless. Two. Children are 99.99% of the time drugged, forced, and brainwashed. “Children are often brainwashed and drugged before they are forced to fight. Their vulnerability can allow warlords to make them into cold-blooded killers” (O'Neill 1 ). Three. Children are independent, lonesome, and they want/need a family. One that gives them love.

Recently, two million children have died over the past ten years due to becoming a child soldier. A huge deplorable development that has extended recently is the increase of child soldiers. Children are constantly being used as soldiers for various reasons. In some countries, there are more child soldiers than they are adults because children are more compliant. Children have been exploited as soldiers because they are being recruited to do a violent action, it is difficult for them to, later on, assimilate back to their lives, and child soldiers are regularly used in developing countries.

Child Soldiers is a major global issue which is affecting todays 21st century. Many Countries around the world are illegally operating child soldiers such as Burma and Sierra Leone currently there is a crisis as many more children are being subject to this cruel act. Many world media and Non-governmental organisations such as the guardian and Human rights watch have reported thousands of child soldiers in Myanmar Burma. The Convention on the rights of a child and the Universal declaration of human rights strictly prohibits children in armed conflict further the United Nations further prohibits children in armed conflicts. The International Criminal Court has previously dealt with Thomas Labunga a leader of the liberation forces of the Congo whom used children as young as 10 in his military . However these measures have not been effective as there are still children in conflict due to state sovereignty.

Worldwide, the use of child soldiers is a huge issue. Today, there are over 300,000 child soldiers worldwide. Every one of these soldiers are heavily armed and dangerous. They have been becoming a threat to America and the world. No matter their age, they have done terrible thing in behalf of terrible causes. Even as America continues to bring these kids to back in hope to rescue them, most if not all attempts to civilize them have failed. These kids have been swindled, drugged and brainwashed. There is simply no hope for them to return to their right mind.

One injustice facing the world today is the use of child soldiers. According to child-soldiers.org, a child soldier is “any person below eighteen years of age who is, or who has been, recruited or used by an armed force or armed group in any capacity…” Child soldiers do not only include the combatants. There are also child soldiers in noncombatant positions. The most dreadful injustice is having child soldiers, because of the amount of children involved, the recruitment they face, their war experiences, and post battle feelings or events.

When it comes to the topic of child soldiers, most people would agree that just creating laws will help the children, but when there is no one enforcing the laws the children are not being protected from the war. The article Reading, Writing, and Warfare: Children in Armed Conflict argues that just creating laws is not going to help the child soldiers. In order for the situation to improve, there needs to be actions instead of just rulemaking. The article Reading, Writing, and Warfare: Children in Armed Conflict quoted Olara Otunnu explaining that only making laws is not going to save children: "Words on paper cannot save children in peril." Infact, the number of children soldiers in Yemen has increased despite the fact that the rebel Houthi group had agreed to stop using children soldiers (Alfred).

Children who wished to leave armed groups and resume a civilian life told Human Rights

Over the last decade, the idea of the Security Council going under reform has caused much of a debate. Academics have been questioning whether the Security Council has been fulfilling its duties and obligations under Article 24 of the Charter of the United Nations . Another question, which arises frequently, is whether it is accountable and legitimate. The combinations of these effectively show whether the Security Council is fit for purpose in the 21st Century.

Around 120,000 adolescent children are now engaged in conflicts throughout Africa (“Child Soldiers: An Overview” 4). In Sudan, for instance, thousands of children, some as young as 12, were recruited against their will into separatist and government groups (“Child Soldiers: An Overview” 5). Thousands more children have been enlisted into the armed forces throughout Asia and the Pacific. The most significant numbers are in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and recently, Cambodia. Myanmar, a country in Asia, has some of the most child soldiers throughout the world, with children being recruited into both non-government and government armed forces (“Child Soldiers: An Overview” 6). The number of child soldiers has been decreasing annually, but these children are still being taken against their will.

All around the world, especially in third world countries, children are being forced to fight in wars and conflicts that they did not start, and they do not need to fight in. Today, it is estimated that over 300,000 children are enlisted in armies and militias around the world (Kaplan). These children are called child soldiers. A child soldier is classified as a person enlisted in an army or militia that is under the age of eighteen. (11 Facts). They are recruited into armies for many different reasons and used for many different tasks. There are a number of countries that children are forced to fight in such as Columbia, Myanmar, Iraq, and many more (11 Facts/Kaplan). Children should not be forced to be soldiers in war because it puts

Burma/Myanmar, in January 12, 2007, in the Council’s firs substantive consideration of the violence, insecurity and humanitarian crisis in Burma/Myanmar, the US and Britain sponsored a draft resolution that called upon the Government of Myanmar to cease military attacks against civilian in ethnic minority regions and in particular to put an end to the associated human rights and humanitarian law violations against persons belonging to ethnic nationalities, including widespread rape and other forms of sexual violence carried out by members of the armed forces and also to permit international humanitarian needs of the people of

Child soldiering is one of the problems that are still present despite the international efforts. After World War II, nations agreed on a definition of children and legal protection for children (Kucherencko). In 1999, Resolution 1216 was been adopted unanimously. This resolution for the first time addressed the issue of child soldiers as the Security Council condemned the use and recruitment of children in armed conflict in more than 30 countries around the world (Okebukola). Resolution 1612 adopted in 2000, provided guidelines to protect children in armed conflicts. The measures for the protection of children are public awareness, international pressure and the support of humanitarian organizations such as United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (Vandergrift). The United Nations tries to satisfy child soldiers and rebel groups; this is done through dialogue and collaboration. Despite those efforts, the applied resolutions and agreements are still being violated, and there is a lack of progress as child soldiers are still used in armed conflicts daily

The discussion of the UN Security Council Reform has been on discussion for almost 20 years. The efficiency and effectiveness of the council are put to question. It is important to act now while the momentum for the push for reform is rising. The Member States need to realize Security Council Reform. The G4 nations support each others bid for seats of the Security Council and Japan has the support of the United States, Britain, France and Russia. The current P5 members of the Security Council, along with the G4 account for 9 of the world's 10 largest defense budgets according to SIPRI. Japan has been elected for nine two-year terms on the Security