The first modern use of child soldiers in the region was actually during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. Iranian law, based on the Koranic sharia, had forbid the recruitment of children under 16 into the armed forces.

What happened to the child soldiers in Sierra Leone?

The infinite stories of trauma are paralyzing. For child soldiers in Sierra Leone, there is no easy way back to life. In their villages, they are seen as murderers and often lynched or stoned to death in revenge for the lives they took during the war. Girls are seen as impure and cast away by all men.

Why are child soldiers given amnesty?

One other reason that child soldiers should be given amnesty is that the children have already suffered from their actions. They have seen many people die and that type of trauma can scar them forever. “Recovering from the trauma is slow.

At what age did boys join the military?

Technically the boys had to be 19 to fight but the law did not prevent 14-year-olds and upwards from joining in droves. They responded to the Army’s desperate need for troops and recruiting sergeants were often less than scrupulous.

What is the average age of child soldiers?

The practice of child soldiers is far more widespread, and more important, than most realize. There are as many as 300,000 children under the age of 18 presently serving as combatants around the globe. Their average age is just over 12 years old.

Do child soldiers still exist?

Despite global efforts to end the use of child soldiers, girls and boys are still forced into combat – as fighters and in other roles – in at least 14 countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Somalia. Tens of thousands of children are estimated to be recruited and used by armed groups.

What happens when child soldiers grow up?

Exposure to war is a known risk factor for long-term mental health problems and psychosocial distress,2 with child soldiers reporting higher levels of anxiety, posttraumatic stress, depressive, and somatic symptoms than control groups.

Do child soldiers go to jail?

There’s no doubt that some children have committed terrible crimes during armed conflict. Whether a child soldier gets sent to prison or rehabilitation should not be based on labels or a matter of chance. The recruitment of children by armed groups is always illegal.

What do child soldiers go through?

Thousands of children are serving as soldiers in armed conflicts around the world. These boys and girls, some as young as 8 years old, serve in government forces and armed opposition groups. They may fight on the front lines, participate in suicide missions, and act as spies, messengers, or lookouts.