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Gallery
| Johanne Galipeau, Cowichan Bay. |  |
1 in 10 soldiers in the world is a child.
There are over 300,000 of them worldwide, mostly in Africa, in parts of Latin America, in Europe, the Middle East and in various Asian countries
Most of the child soldiers are involved in a variety of armed political groups. These include government-backed paramilitary groups, militias and self-defense units operating in many conflict zones. Others include armed groups opposed to central government rule, groups composed of ethnic religious and other minorities and clan-based or factional groups fighting governments and each other to defend territory and resources.
• Most child soldiers are aged between 14 and 18, While many enlist \"voluntarily\" research shows that such adolescents see few alternatives to involvement in armed conflict. Some enlist as a means of survival in war-torn regions after family, social and economic structures collapse or after seeing family members tortured or killed by government forces or armed groups. Others join up because of poverty and lack of work or educational opportunities. Many girls have reported enlisting to escape domestic servitude, violence and sexual abuse.
• Forcible abductions, sometimes of large numbers of children, continue
to occur in some countries. Children as young as nine have been abducted and used in combat.
• Demobilization, disarmament and reintegration (DDR) programs specifically aimed at child soldiers have been established in many countries, both during and after armed conflict and have assisted former child soldiers to acquire new skills and return to their communities. However, the programs lack funds and adequate resources. Sustained long-term investment is needed if they are to be effective.
Despite growing recognition of girls\' involvement in armed conflict,girls are often deliberately or inadvertently excluded from DDR programs. Girl soldiers are frequently subjected to rape and other forms of sexual violence as well as being involved in combat and other roles. In some cases they are stigmatized by their home communities when they return. DDR programs should be sensitively constructed and designed to respond to the needs of girl soldiers.
They need HELP.
To find out more visit www.child-soldiers.org.
JOHANNE GALIPEAU
COWICHAN BAY / British-Columbia
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