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How does war affect children
How does a war affect children
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There are three hundred millions of children under the age of eighteen who are used in war for the purpose of violence and target killing. Because of the kids participating in the war, they do not get to have a chance at life. Child soldiers have unique health problems. Youths and teenagers utilize their energy to destroy humanity through weapons. Although, the contribution of children may help in the war, the environment has negative effects on youth and kids. Therefore, the use of child soldiers must stop throughout the world. Firstly, kids do not get to have a chance at life. What is life? It is a gift from God, which is full of enjoyment and exploring new worlds. Everyone has a right to live in this world with freedom and enjoyment including …show more content…
In the war kids suffers a lot of pain physically and mentally. They are given drugs to drink for the purpose to destroy their brains. By using drugs kids get a feeling of happy to kill other people. According to the iwpr.net about 95% of the children in army are introduced to drugs. These terrorist play with their minds. When giving them the drugs they do not see how many kids are affected by this. It damages their brain, the heart and other organs. It may cause diseases and even death at an early age. Also, children who used drugs do not do well in school, do not have the ability to think clearly. How can they think now when their brain is dead? Their brain only tells them to follow another. Another big health problem caused in child soldiers is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is a health problem in which after a traumatic experience danger and painful memories does not fade away from a person brain. A number of studies have shown child soldiers developing PTSD. Okello, Onen and Musisiv found that 27% to 35% of Ugandan child soldiers suffered PTSD. Kohrt study show 52.3% of Nepali children met the symptoms of depression, and 39% met the symptoms of PTSD. Why does every study show the highest rate of child soldiers developing PTSD? Because more and more children are affected by this disease every day. They are forced to see the death of others, and violence all around them. This cruelty never leaves their life alone. If they go to school they cannot learn properly, if they go to bed they cannot sleep properly the memories of war are always in their
As Garbarino recognizes, the effects of war and such violence is something that sticks with a child and remains constant in their everyday lives. The experiences that children face involving war in their communities and countries are traumatic and long lasting. It not only alters their childhood perspectives, but it also changes their reactions to violence over time. Sadly, children are beginning to play more of a major role in wars in both the United States and other countries.... ...
As an example, in the article Child Soldiers it states “ More often than not, children have no say in whether they enlist or not and once recruited the children have become brainwashed through the use of drugs and alcohol” (Child Soldiers) As you can see, this shows how children have no control if they kill or not from either being threatened with death or being drugged. In addition, in the article The Child Soldier on Trial at Guantanamo it talks about how a child soldier got interrogated by guards where they told him he would be gang-raped and murdered if he didn’t obey (Prasow). This is another example of how these kids have to choose between life and death at such a young age. This is just one main reason why these kids deserve
War has always been something to be dreaded by people since nothing good comes from it. War affects people of all ages, cultures, races and religion. It brings change, destruction and death and these affect people to great extents. “Every day as a result of war and conflict thousands of civilians are killed, and more than half of these victims are children” (Graca & Salgado, 81). War is hard on each and every affected person, but the most affected are the children.
Child soldier is a worldwide issue, but it became most critical in the Africa. Child soldiers are any children under the age of 18 who are recruited by some rebel groups and used as fighters, cooks, messengers, human shields and suicide bombers, some of them even under the aged 10 when they are forced to serve. Physically vulnerable and easily intimidated, children typically make obedient soldiers. Most of them are abducted or recruited by force, and often compelled to follow orders under threat of death. As society breaks down during conflict, leaving children no access to school, driving them from their homes, or separating them from family members, many children feel that rebel groups become their best chance for survival. Others seek escape from poverty or join military forces to avenge family members who have been killed by the war. Sometimes they even forced to commit atrocities against their own family (britjob p 4 ). The horrible and tragic fate of many unfortunate children is set on path of war murders and suffering, more nations should help to prevent these tragedies and to help stop the suffering of these poor, unfortunate an innocent children.
Ishmael Beah first spoke of the horrors he had witnessed at the “1996 United Nations presentation of the Machel Report on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children” (“Advocate for Children,” Par. 3). This presentation focused on the devastating effects that war imparts on the children involved. Today, Beah continues to advocate and represent change for the countless number of children still involved in wars around the
“Compelled to become instruments of war, to kill and be killed, child soldiers are forced to give violent expression to the hatreds of adults” (“Child Soldiers” 1). This quotation by Olara Otunnu explains that children are forced into becoming weapons of war. Children under 18 years old are being recruited into the army because of poverty issues, multiple economic problems, and the qualities of children, however, many organizations are trying to implement ways to stop the human rights violation.
Locally, child soldiers are uncommon, but in other places such as the Middle East, the use of children as fighters becomes noticeable. These kids are inexperienced at using a weapon, so this can be dangerous or deadly to themselves and others. Child soldiers are not perpetrators because they have the choice to kill others, which means they are criminals, but if they are forced to, then they are victims. Children shouldn’t be forced to become soldiers before being given drugs.
For decades, there has been constant conflict on whether or not children should be used in war or battle. Millions of children have been forced into fighting for militaries. The question is, should child soldiers be given amnesty? “Children are forced by commanders through false promises, drugs and things which you can’t even imagine, to kill innocent civilians, other children, and even their own families.” This quote from Child Soldiers helps give a good idea of what these children are being put through and what they are being forced to achieve.
“More often than not children have no say in whether they enlist or not and once recruited the children become brainwashed through the use of drugs and alcohol. The drugs and alcohol make the children become more compliant enabling them to commit atrocities which they never would have before,” (Child Soldiers: Victims or Perpetrators?, childsoldiersinvisiblechildren.org). They are exposed and forced to consume alcohol and drugs; such as marijuana, crack, and gunpowder mixed with cocaine. These are obviously substances that would mess with anyone’s mind, not just children. It has an even bigger effect on minors, who’s brains aren’t fully developed.
The use of child soldiers is a topic that is persistently ignored by several countries and organizations, as nothing is being done to help these children who are stuck in this traumatic childhood. Due to the desperation of soldiers in various regions and combats zones around the world, children are forcefully recruited into army, and onto the treacherous battlefield. Although several investigations into the use of child soldiers have been conducted, they have failed to resolve the issue at hand. Nations all over the world need to come together to take action; child soldiers are victims. They were forced into the lifestyle they went through, drugged, and underwent intensive therapy to help them recover from the tragic events they witnessed.
Everyday hundreds and thousands of people are dying and getting harmed in one way or another. What people don’t know is that these acts are coming from a minor, not even an adult. Becoming a child soldier is very risky and will change a life forever. Child soldiers are children that are illegally in war, yet doing vicious acts of crime. There has been a major debate going on for quite some time between those who think child soldiers should or should not get amnesty.
In many Middle Eastern and African countries, independent groups and even armies are enlisting children, many younger than ten. Some are forced to do it, being taken from their homes, or even enlisted by their own parents. Child soldiers are unable to understand the consequences of their actions, and they kill others mindlessly. Even if the children do initially understand what they are doing is wrong, they are lied to and brainwashed until they believe it is right. Child soldiers should not be punished with war crimes because they do not want to fight, do not understand what they are doing wrong, and are constantly being brainwashed by leaders.
All throughout the world children are forced to do something that no child would ever want to do. Be a child soldier. On the battlefield children can either kill others or be killed. Over 300,00 child soldiers are active in the world conflicts. Many child soldiers are kidnapped, drugged and forced to kill others.
Children are also being brainwashed and drugged to prevent them from being scared or terrified which ton’s of them were. Years of being taught of neglect is what the children have to go through. The commanders and the army itself are taking away the children's childhood and their own personalities. For example, in the article, “Child soldiers are victims,” “Somalia’s radical insurgents plucking them from soccer fields and making them