Children that are recruited into the army don't just fight, they're used for several different things. examples of this would be, "children are used as shields, cooks, suicide bombers, fighters, spies, messengers and/or for sexual purposes." cited a source. I find this is happening super disturbing but the fact that I'm eighteen years old and just now learning about it is what really gets me. if this is happening in so many different countries then why aren't we hearing anything about it? Since 2001 child soldiers have been recruited in 21 armed conflicts all around the world. although there have been several acts ad laws passed to prevent children under the age of 18 to be recruited, most of them have only been in the U.S. The Child Soldier Prevention Act (CSPA) is a United States federal statue signed into law by President George W. Bush on 3 October 2008. The law criminalizes leading a military force which recruits child soldiers. The law's definition of child soldiers includes "any person under 18 years of age who takes a direct part in hostilities as a member of governmental armed forces." However this only limits the U.S. Nothing is being done about any other foreign countries. I personally think that the United States is a powerful enough nation to step in and do something. Even if we aren't interfering on a bigger level we're still not hearing anything about it. If the news was honest about the situation I think people would actually be a where of what's going on in these other countries and what we could do to help. works cited:
https://www.child-soldiers.org/about-the-issue
https://www.childfund.org/child-soldiers-forced-to-fight
https://www.child-soldiers.org/
Along way gone By: Ishmael Beah
Reading a book that was written by a former child soldier was so sad. I really like reading the news and being informed on things that are going on in the world; because of this I have read up on child soldiers and have heard about the things that they've endured. However, reading Ishmael's book opened my eyes to the reality that this is happening right now! It is so sad and I agree that it should be a priority, or at least more people should be aware of it! Thankfully there are a lot of programs that you can donate to or be a part of in order to raise awareness and help children out.
ReplyDeleteI find this topic to also be super disturbing, but it's something that needs to be discussed and normalized as a topic within the government. Trafficking of any sort; child labor, sexual, fighting in wars, house wife/maid, is never okay. I strongly agree that the U.S. should try to do more to help children in other countries. Even though it's not our country, it doesn't mean that we can't lend a helping hand to other countries.
ReplyDeleteIt's so frustrating and overwhelming to hear about children who are recruited to be soldiers in war. The amount of struggles and hardships that they go through is huge. Everything is put even more into perspective when I think of myself at a young age. To try to put yourself in these children' shoes is hard to comprehend. When I was younger, all I thought about was what my fiends and I would do once I got home from school. I know for sure that I didn't end up thinking about anything remotely close to war. Informative articles like these allow people to become more aware of how children soldiers are the reality in some cases.
ReplyDeleteI actually see things like this alot on stuff like Facebook and Instagram. Its a little overwhelming to watch videos of groups like ISIS training 8-10 year olds how to kill somebody. I think that the worst part of it, is the fact that the kids dont know it is wrong. Many believe they are fighting for good reason so there is no reason for them to find it wrong. Even worse though, is the people training the children. How in gods name can u sit back and send an 11 year old into a war to die? Its insane to me.
ReplyDeleteChildren being forced into the military is Disturbing. Imagine what goes through their minds. The fear of being apart of that would be excruciating. Playing in the yard and next thing you know you're stolen from your family and forced to fight in something you've never experienced or even seen before. I believe that the government should take this event more seriously and do something more about it.
ReplyDeletei agree that the U.S. should step in and help because its not right for any child to be forced to do unspeakable things that children shouldn't ever have to witness. Its just sad that we as a people that come from a privileged land of the free that those people from not so privileged areas of the world would kill for, yet we do nothing but sit on the side lines. well children fight the war of adults.
ReplyDeleteI find this very heartbreaking that there are children being forced to do such things. The fact that they make the children be suicide bombers and use them as shields shows that they can care less what happens to them. I think there should be a way to protect the children from being taken from their families. There should also be a group or organization that helps rehabilitate the ones who've gone through this trauma.
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