A this moment there are 300,000 children ranging in ages six to eight years old fighting in over 60% of armed conflict around the world. More than thirty-five countries use child soldiers, mainly in Southeast Asia and Africa (World Map of Child Soldiers). Children are taken from their homes, their lives and loved ones. They are threatened if they refuse to comply with the wishes of the rebel recruiters. These children are taken and trained for frontline combat. Others serve as guards, cooks, spies, and some are used as sex slaves (Gettleman). These children’s childhood and education is stolen from them and they are left scared emotionally and psychologically (Klare).
Countries that have child soldiers most likely have a history of unstable governments and regularly have long civil wars (Our Children Used Part 1: Children Used for War).However, governments around the world have taken steps to try and discontinue the involvement of children in armed conflict. Laws, acts, and treaties have been passed in the past thirty-four years. For instance, in 1989, the United Nations had a Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC). The CRC is a human rights treaty which sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children globally. All nations that ratified this at the convention are bound by international law. When the convention first took place nations made fifteen the minimum age for recruitment in the military forces (“What Are Governments Doing?”). Later on in 2000, the minimum age for recruitment was changed to eighteen. Also, the Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008 “prohibits the recruitment and use of child soldiers and provides for penalties in the form of fines and up to 20 years in prison for a U.S. citizen or Legal Permanent Resident offenders” (“William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008”). A major step to stopping the recruitment of child soldiers includes major government involvement. Although there have been many act, laws, and treaties prohibiting the recruitment of children into armed conflict, there has been little report on armed group leaders being apprehended or pursued for the crimes they have committed.
It is not enough to simply demobilize children from army groups but they must undergo therapy to determine and address their issues. Children in armed forces are exposed to an extreme amount of traumatic events such as seeing some being killed, having to kill someone, or witnessing the murder of a relative. Former child soldiers show high rates of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For example, in a study researchers found that children had higher levels of trauma and depression than a child who was not exposed to the violence in armed groups (Kohrt). Treatment for these children greatly depends on the amount of trauma a child has experienced, and that varies upon each child. Programs and treatments are needed to help bring a child soldier’s mentality back to one that is not focused on always having to defend oneself and resort to violence in every situation. In addition, reintegration ensures social and economic security through the personal empowerment of and financial incentives to excombatants (Odeh). Participating international organizations have varying philosophies for reintegration of former child soldiers into society. Some rely on education while others rely on giving them basic education and training.
Various governments are conducting investigations and enacting laws to combat the recruitment and use of child soldiers. The coordinated enforcement of laws passed by governments has done little to negate the use of child soldiers. Countries directly affected by internal strife that could result in the overthrow of the government by an opposing force tend to view the problem of child soldiers as a lower priority. This has contributed to the lack of direct and coordinated attention to stop the recruitment of child soldiers. Based on the above and in the cases where child soldiers have been rescued governments are aware of the importance of therapy and related programs to reintegrate them into society. The path to recovery takes time and different degrees of training and treatment to directly impact what the child has experienced. The best case scenario is the successful reintegration of the child back into the community and as a useful member of society.















Works Cited

Gettleman, Jeffery. "The Perfect Weapon for the Meanest Wars." New York Times. N.p., 29 Apr. 2007. weweWeb. 19 Sept. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/29/weekinreview/29gett.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0>.
Klare, Michael. "Child Soldiers." Hampshire.edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2012. <http://www.hampshire.edu/academics/22145.htm>.
Kohrt, Brandon A., et al. "Comparison of Mental Health between Former Child Soldiers and Children Never Conscripted by Armed Groups in Nepal." Jama (2008): 691-702. Print.
Odeh, Michael, and Colin Sullivan. "Children in Armed Conflict." N.d. PDF file.
"OUR CHILDREN USED Part 1: Children Used For War." RealTruth.org. N.p., 10 Jan. 2004. Web. 20 Sept. 2012. <http://realtruth.org/articles/212-ocu.html>.
"William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008." Humanrights.gov. N.p., 23 Dec. 2008. Web. 11 Mar. 2013. <http://www.humanrights.gov/2010/11/12/william-wilberforce-trafficking-victims-protection-reauthorization-act-of-2008/>.
"World Map of Child Soldiers." Un.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2013. <http://www.un.org/works/goingon/soldiers/childsoldiersmap.html>.