Child Soldiers

In Africa, child soldiers is a big problem. There are as many as 300,000 children under the age of 18 serve in government forces or armed rebel groups. Some of these children are as young as eight years old. Children this young are easy to persuade to become soldiers because of their emotional and physical immaturity. Also, child soldiers became more popular because of the technological advances in weaponry. You can now get lightweight automatic weapons that are easy to operate, often easily accessible, and can be used by children as easy as adults.

Children are also more likely to become child soldiers if they are poor, separated from their families, displaced from their homes, living in a combat zone or have limited access to education. Others who are very vulnerable to recruitments are orphans and refugees. Many children join armed groups because of economic or social pressure, or because the children believe that the group will provide them with food and security.

Boys and girls are both reported to be child soldiers. One third of the child soldiers are reported to be girls. The girls may be raped or given to military commanders as wives.

Child soldiers usually serve as porters or cooks, guards, messengers or spies. However, many children are forced to the front lines or sent into minefields ahead of older troops. Some children have even been used for suicide missions.