What are two facts about child soldiers?

Here are 10 facts about child soldiers:

• Tens of thousands of children are estimated to be recruited and used by armed groups.
• The Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Syria and Yemen currently have the largest number of child soldiers.
• Children are not only recruited by armed forces and groups as fighters.

How many child soldiers are there in Uganda?

It is estimated that between 8,000-10,000 children have been recruited by various armed groups since 1986, many of whom have been compelled against their will to fight as soldiers.

What is one fact about the life of a child soldier?

Though an exact number is impossible to define, thousands of child soldiers are illegally serving in armed conflict around the world. Some children are under the age of 10 when they are forced to serve. Girls make up an estimated 10 to 30 percent of child soldiers used for fighting and other purposes.

Why does Uganda have a history of child soldiers in their country?

The British created a system where many Acholi people turned to the army to escape extreme poverty and then they were persecuted for it. Poverty and persecution influenced Kony’s disillusionment with the government and his desire to rebel and create child soldiers in Uganda.

Who started child soldiers?

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.

Where are the most child soldiers in Africa?

West and Central Africa is the region with the highest number of child soldiers in the world, as well as the most underage victims of sexual violence, according to a new report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Do child soldiers get food?

Armed forces can manipulate children easily, they do not eat very much food, and they do not have to be paid. Soldiers take advantage of this and use children as pawns in their dangerous battles.

Why does Africa use child soldiers?

Reasons for recruitment by armed groups Child soldiers are typically recruited because they are seen by armed groups as expendable and cheap to maintain. Additionally, countries like Sudan have shifted towards the use of child soldiers after the decolonization and independence from Europe in 1956.

Are child soldiers forced?

Children become soldiers in different ways. Some are forcibly recruited. They may be abducted, threatened or coerced into joining, while others are enticed with money, drugs or in other ways. In many cases, children choose to join as a result of economic or social pressures.