Why Do Children Become A Child Soldiers?

Barbara, J. (n.d.). Impact of War on Children and Imperative to End War. Retrieved October 27, 2015. This source discusses the impact of war on children in depth. Children are very attached and dependent to adults. During this war, this attachment was interrupted when families were torn about, separated, and sometimes killed. The separation of families often left children to live with strangers or in ghettos with unsafe living conditions. Children rarely lived normal lives during the war. They were deprived of basic rights, such as getting an education, and kicked out of their homes. This website lists many direct impacts, such as, death, injury, disability, illness, rape, psychological suffering, and child soldiers. Each category gives specific

First off, child soldiers are often forced to be recruited. “Often they are abducted at school, on the streets or at home.” ("From Cradle to War." Amnesty International. Amnesty International USA, Web. 3 May 2016.) Almost all child soldiers are forced to do things as a soldier that they wouldn’t actually do, such as hurt or kill others. So although some child soldiers want to hurt or kill, most don’t want to. So obviously, most child soldiers are forced to do bad things that they don’t want to do, and wouldn’t do if they hadn’t become a soldier.

War, in and of itself, is an atrocity, but it becomes even more abhorrent when children are pulled into the conflict. Unfortunately, some military groups find children useful in the war effort. The wars these children are forced to be part of often leave wounds--both psychological and physical, but these kids can be healed, at least to an extent, and rehabilitated. Children are often used in war because it is easy and efficient to use them as compared to their adult counterparts. For one, children are easy to control, coerce, and indoctrinate.

Some people may say that child soldiers are not morally responsible for their actions due to many reasons. Normally, child soldiers are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. This means that they were not in the right state of mind when they made their decisions. A child's brain isn't

Most child soldiers are brainwashed by use drugs and alcohol. ”the drugs and alcohol make the children become more compliant enabling them to commit atrocities which they never would have before” said Child Soldiers: Victims or Perpetrators? Article. The children became over reliant on the commander for food, shelter, money, water, drugs,alcohol they find it extremely hard to leave. “The section of the brain known as the frontal lobes controls decision making and only fully develops well into your 20’s. Children simply lack the ability to think of the long term consequences of their actions” said Child Soldiers: Victims or Perpetrators Article.

In conclusion, I think that child soldiering has negative effects on a child's development and emotional/mental wellbeing. Whether the child was forced to join or volunteered, they are still a victim. Even if they volunteered the circumstances that they faced forced them to join to try to make their lives better. Their roles, whether combat or noncombat, are harmful because the child witnesses and experiences things that no child should experience. From carrying injured soldiers and weapons, to being used as cannon fodder, to being sexually violated on a regular basis, all of these things lower the quality of well being of a child and turns them into insensitive robots with no compassion for other human beings. The terrible things that child soldiers are forced to witness and do are

On average half of the children who are fighting on rebel armies in africa were kidnapped and forced to take drugs, most of these kids are not even 15 years old but they have to fight or they will be killed by the rebel commanders. If any of these children escape the war they may have many years to a life time of PTSD and become scarred for life. From this I believe that child soldiers are victims and should not be punished by what rebels force them to do.

In the article, “Analysis: Should Child Soldiers Be Prosecuted For Their Crimes?” it said the child soldiers were, “Pushed by their commanders to do perpetrating atrocities.” This just goes to show that the children did these horrible things because they were told that it was okay, and that is what they were instructed to do. Also, In the CBS interview with Ishmael Beah, referring to his commanders and fellow child soldiers said, “you develop a strong sense of attachment to these groups and at this time these people are the only type of structure you have in any way.” and also, “you want to please them.” This proves that the children look up to the commanders as a role model, and they think of the other soldiers almost as family. Lastly, in the CBS interview with Ishmael Beah he said, “The sergeants begin to look like older brothers,” and, “The commanders begin to look like your father figure.” This just illustrates that the child soldiers have no body other than the commanders and sergeants to look up to, so they do look up to them, but they are not very good role models. Furthermore, the commanders are not good people for these children to be looking up to, so naturally they learn that doing bad things is okay, and that is all they

It is common for child soldiers had no choice in joining war efforts. Often child are kidnapped and forced into the war: “It is estimated that over the last 15 years 10,000 children have been abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) around Gula in northern Uganda, alone” (Children in Conflict). In places where poverty is high parents may send their children into the war in exchange for food or monetary value (Children as Soldiers). During Hitler’s reign, young boys were forced to attend Hitler Youth: “Membership in the State Youth becomes mandatory. The boys in Werner’s kameradschaften are taught parade maneuvers and quizzed on fitness standards and required to run sixty meters in twelve seconds. Everything is glory and country and competition and sacrifice” (Doerr 62). Children in wars are also subjected to sexual abuse from adult soldiers around them. The emotional impact from the sexual abuse and the highly dangerous situations they are placed in may last for the rest of their lives (Child Soldier 46). The use of child soldiers has been banned since 2000 when the United Nations adopted a protocol stating that the forced recruitment of children under 18 for armed conflict is illegal. More than 110 countries have ratified this protocol, but it continues to be an issue around the world (Facts About Child

From witnessing murders of their own family, to being kidnapped. It wasn’t the children’s choice to be a soldier (most of the time). If you have ever seen the movie, Mulan. You might remember when Mulan’s father was drafted into the army. He had no decision of choosing to serve or not to serve. Even though he could barely walk. That’s the reverse for a child soldiers, they didn’t get to live a long life. In fact, they haven’t had a childhood besides killing people. The children’s families are sometimes dead or participating in these violent acts. Imagine having your family killed and the rest taken away. It would be

Child soldiers are often helpless victims of war themselves. According to the IRIN|Should child soldiers be prosecuted for their crimes? article regarding children, “they can easily be intimidated and indoctrinated. They lack the mental maturity and judgment to express consent or to fully understand the implications of their actions.” It’s additionally stated that the commanders will violently push the children into committing these acts, and if the children refuse, punishment is inflicted upon them. Vulnerable children are molded and act by how the adults surrounding them act. Ask yourself, if death stood over you, threatening you to commit an action or else the consequences would be it itself, what would you do? What would little kid you do? Unless perpetrating the crimes they're

There are 300,000 child soldiers around the world. 40% of the world uses them. We watched videos, read articles and books to inform us on child soldiers and how they are treated. I believe that child soldiers around the world are victims for many reasons but 3 of them are that they are forced to kill or will be killed, they are forced to take drugs, and they get treated unfairly and they are scarred for their life and have P.T.S.D.

Throughout the world children younger than 18 are being enlisted into the armed forces to fight while suffering through multiple abuses from their commanders. Children living in areas and countries that are at war are

Many bad characteristics can be listed about child soldiers. A lot of child soldiers who are drugged, taught to kill, and given a dangerous weapon. There are brutal fightings world wide. Child soldiers should not be prosecuted, the adults should. In conclusion, do not force children to be

When examining literary and non-literary texts, child soldiers are often branded in western texts as intolerant and an invasion of human rights. These perceptions work to highlight and further problematize the prevailing ideologies regarding child soldiers. The Article Stolen kids turned into terrifying killers, By Ann O'Neill CNN, further depersonalises these child soldiers by telling us that there very vulnerability makes them attractive to the men leading militias, manipulating them to do the unspeakable without question or protest, because their morals and value systems are not yet fully formed. This verifies western beliefs and ideologies relating to guerrilla military leaders exploiting children and their rights to an innocent childhood for