1. Child Soldiers

2. All children take part in active combat.
First stereotype
All children recruted into the armed forces take part in active comabat.
All children take part in active combat.

3. Not all children are engaged in active combat.
Child Soldiers
Not the whole story…
There is more to the situation than that
Not all children are engaged in active combat.

4. What else are children used for by fighting forces?
As porters - carrying
As cooks
As spies or decoys.
As wives and mothers
As sex slaves

5. All Children are fighting for Rebels
Second Stereotype
All Children are fighting for Rebels

6. Rebel Groups only
Not the whole story…
Government Forces too

7. Rebel groups use child soldiers often to fight the government.
Governments use child soldiers in armed conflict.
Some countries actively recruit children as young as 7.
There are an estimated 300,000 child soldiers.
Somalia, Sudan, Colombia, sri lanka

8. Countries Where Child Soldiers Exist Today
Country
Country
Burma
Sri Lanka
Iraq
Afghanistan
Colombia
DRC
Who is Recruiting
Burma’s National Army
Rebel Forces
Insurgent groups
Taliban Militias
Guerrilla Forces
Government and Rebel Forces
Est. Numbers
70,000
6,000
Unknown
14,000
30,000

9. All child soldiers are abducted or forced into conflicts.
Third Stereotype
All child soldiers are abducted or forced into conflicts.
All child soldiers are abducted or forced into conflicts.

10. Abducted or forced conscription
Not the whole story…
Some children are recruited voluntarily.

11. Why join? Paid Promises of a better life. Revenge Prestige/ honour
No other choice.

12. Why abduct children? Easier to brainwash Easier to coerce
Torments local community
Dispensable.
But some are abudcted.

13. All child soldiers are boys.
Fourth stereotype
All child soldiers are male.
All child soldiers are boys.

14. Just boys Many girls too Not the whole story…
20-30% of children abducted in Northern Uganda are girls and they are forced into a life of servitude.
40% of all soldiers are female. 2% recognised in demobilization
Life for girls particularly hard because of the shame attached to what happened to them. Often find it difficult if they do return to their communities. Because they are less visible they often get ignored after the conflict.
Many girls too

15. 40% of all child soldiers are female.
Life for girls particularly hard because of the shame attached to what happens to them. They often find it difficult if they do return to their communities because they are less visible they often get ignored after the conflict.

16. All Child Soldiers Kill.
Fifth stereotype
All have killed people.
All Child Soldiers Kill.

17. It varies from conflict to conflict
Everyone kills
Not the whole story…
It varies from conflict to conflict

18. But all of the children are likely to suffer
trauma and abuse. They have to deal with malnutrition and exposure to drug taking.
Violence is a part of their daily life, they are often forced to kill and will see and be forced to do horrific things.

19. Pros and cons Sense of belonging Status and power Livelihood
Ostracised from family and community
These children return from the war battle-scarred and unwelcome. They do not bring the money back that they are expected to bring (they haven’t been paid). They are viewed as dangerous, as an economic burden and live – literally – on the margins of their communities. Many people in their communities believe they are the responsibility of international organisations and blame them directly for bringing insecurity and crime.
Beni's Story: ex-Child Soldiers In The DRC Beni was conscripted into a militia group when he was eleven as part of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has killed four million people – the single largest loss of life since the Second World War. He is now sixteen. These are his words. I cannot forget what I have seen, what I have heard and what I have done. Life has always been a struggle. Sometimes my parents could not feed us all. But even when we went hungry I can remember playing as a small boy. Happy times. But all that came to an end during the war. When I was eleven the soldiers came to my home and made me join the army. They promised to feed me, educate me and train me so that I would have a job for life. And they promised my parents they would pay me in dollars to help support my family while I was gone. So I was taken to the frontline and given a gun. As a younger one, I was always sent ahead of the grown up soldiers to draw the fire away from them. When we were not fighting, our job was to carry heavy loads for the soldiers. It was tough work and I was always falling ill. I was always hungry. As I got a little older they made me take many girls. They said it would make me powerful, bullet proof. I fell in love with Marie Agathe. We have a son now. He is a handsome boy. His name is Moise. Last year, when War Child helped to negotiate my release I came back home with Marie Agathe and Moise. But it’s difficult for me. I was never paid or trained. I never received any education. I still can’t read. Many friends who returned with me are now stealing to make a living. No one trusts us. They think that we’re all bandits. They are always trying to push us out of the community. When the aid agencies come they never see us. Sometimes I think that I’m invisible. I love Marie Agathe and want to marry her properly. I love Moise and want to make sure that he goes to school and eats every day. But I don’t want to mug people and steal from them. How can I look Moise in the eye knowing that I am a thief? How would my community ever accept me if I am hurting people? I want to work, I want to train and start my own business so that I can support my family properly. Beni is now sixteen. During his five years as a child soldier he was often forced at gun point into committing brutality. And yet he still has hope for his future. War Child is helping him start his own business – a market stall selling clothes. A little goes a long way in DRC, so War Child wants to help many more children like Beni
Exposure to violence
A life that involves drug taking and abuse.