Advantages And Disadvantages Of Becoming Child Soldiers

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When I think of a soldier, I think of a strong young man fighting for his country. When I think of a child, I get the image of a young child playing outside with no worries in the world and no responsibilities. However, this is not true, as there are millions of children who have become child soldiers and have been displaced in the world. What makes children want to become child soldiers? Children become soldiers for their governments, as they recruit them. As these children have little access to education, they often think that this is an easy way out for them. Their parents either sell them to the recruiters for money as they are desperate to help the others in the families or the children think that by joining these armies, …show more content…

This psychological damage stays with them for the rest of their lives as they have seen terrible things and have been forced into doing many unimaginable things. A lot of these children have missed out on school for many years and without an education they will go back to the rebel groups, just so that they can get food. These children need to be reunited with their families to try and get some stability back into their lives. Unfortunately, many girls who get raped by these rebels do not get accepted back into their families and their communities as they are seen to have shamed their families. Females are used to being raped and being a single mum and it is vital that these girls get given the education and counseling to help them get back into society. Families too have to be educated, as many families feel that they now have a sign attached to their name and many girls are “honor killed” by their fathers and …show more content…

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier. New York, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007. “The Effects of War on Children.” Warchild.org, 2014, www.warchild.org.uk/issues/effects-war-children. Accessed 16 Nov. 2016. “Philipines.” Children and Armed Conflict, 7 Sept. 1999, childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/countries-caac/philippines/. Accessed 14 Nov. 2016. “South Sudan: Terrifying Lives of Child Soldiers.” Human Rights Watch, 14 Dec. 2015, www.hrw.org/news/2015/12/14/south-sudan-terrifying-lives-child-soldiers. Accessed 16 Nov.

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