Child Soldiers Persuasive Essay

Screams of terror rang throughout the emotionless void as crimson droplets splattered the rugged land. Shrieks strike the ear like lethal steel blades, overcoming the thunder of black powder. Someone died yet life still went on, leaving more deaths in its path. But this one is special, a child died not at the hands of an adult but another child. Throughout the world, thousands and thousands of children are pressured by armed forces to fight. They are called child soldiers, boys and girls under the age of 18 used by rebel groups and governments. The UNICEF estimated more than 300,000 children are involved in 30 conflicts worldwide. There is a rising controversy over the fate of child soldiers: should child soldiers be prosecuted for the misdeeds?

As with Ishmael Beah, child soldiers are in dangerous situations. Left in a war ridden country, the fear of dying haunts their every waking moments. To seek refuge from this ghost, numerous kids sought out safety as well as money and a stable food supply in armed forces. Others collapsed to political and social pressure, feeling it’s their duty to help in the war. They volunteered only because it was necessary for their survival. They had no intention of harming

Torturing kids is a relatively simple and effective way to damage their mental health. At such a young age, many child soldiers had experienced so many deaths: their families, their friends, their victims. They experienced violence acted upon them and the blood and gore of war. Such an enormous amount of trauma had a significant impact on their lives. Prosecution will only deepen the scars. What we need to do is to help child soldiers get through the wall of terror, not punish them. The UNICEF had been easing child soldiers back into their normal lives and proved it to be an effective. These children had loss their childhood punishing them would be