Child soldiers are defined as children under 18 who are members of or attached to armed forces or groups. They perform various duties including fighting, laying mines, scouting, and cooking. Most child soldiers are between 14-18 years old, though some have been as young as 9. Some volunteer due to poverty or to escape war, while others are abducted or forced to join after witnessing violence against family. Both boys and girls serve as child soldiers in many countries around the world today, with over 300,000 child soldiers globally who are often given drugs and forced to commit violent acts in violation of their basic human rights.

1. Child Soldiers

2. Who are child soldiers? Child soldiers are children under the age of 18 that are a member of or attached to government and non-government armed forces or any armed political group.

3. What do they do? Fighting Laying explosives and mines Scouting Spying Portering Acting as decoys, couriers or guards Training Logistics and support functions Cooking and domestic labour Child soldiers perform a range of duties including:

4. How old are child soldiers? Most child soldiers are between the ages of 14 and 18. Although there have been cases of soldiers being as young as 9 years old.

7. How did they become soldiers? VOLUNTEERING Some child soldiers have volunteered to enlist as a means of survival in war torn regions or to escape poverty. BY FORCE: Others have been abducted or forced to join after seeing family members tortured or killed by government forces or armed groups.

8. What gender are child soldiers? Child Soldiers are both boys and girls.

9. What countries have child soldiers?

10. Activity On the map you have been given label the countries with child soldiers

13. “ The first time I went into battle I was afraid. But after two or three days they forced us to start using cocaine, and then I lost my fear. When I was taking drugs, I never felt bad on the front. Human blood was the first thing I would have every morning. It was my coffee in the morning… every morning.” Ibrahim, 16

14. “ They beat all the people there, old and young, they killed them all, nearly 10 people…like dogs they killed them…I didn’t kill anyone, but I saw them killing…the children who were with them killed too…with weapons… they made us drink the blood of people, we took the blood from the dead into the bowl and they made us drink…then when they killed the people they made us eat their liver, their heart, which they took out an sliced and fried…And they made us little ones eat.” Peruvian woman, recruited by the Shining Path at age 11

15. Susan, 16, Uganda One boy tried to escape, but he was caught. They made him eat a mouthful of red pepper, and five people were beating him. His hands were tied, and then they made us, the other new captives, kill him with a stick. I felt sick. I knew this boy from before. We were from the same village. I refused to kill him, and they told me they would shoot me. They pointed a gun at me, so I had to do it. The boy was asking me, “Why are you doing this?” I said I had no choice. After we killed him, they made us smear blood on our arms. I felt dizzy. They said we had to do this so we would not fear death, and so we would not try to escape.”

16. Why is being a child soldier a violation of a Childs rights? Children have the right to life and to be with their family and be nurtured and respected. Child Soldiers do not have these rights

17. Facts about Child Soldiers Today there are 300 000 Child Soldiers Child Soldiers are often given drugs to cope with the horrors of war They are often forced to kill their own family members Orphans and refugees often see this as their only means of survival They are used to clear landmines and as human shields They use AK47’s and M16’s and grenades because they are easy to use