The average age of a child soldier is 14. There are many children much younger and older than that age forced to endure the harsh reality of being a child soldier. 23 conflicts taking place in 23 countries involve child soldiers. 59 groups use child soldiers. In countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, and India, armed opposition groups are the main users of child soldiers. However, unfortunately, many of the governments and national armies of the countries themselves use child soldiers. 40% of child soldiers are girls, who are often used as servants or sex slaves of fighters in these groups. An estimated 300,000 children act as soldiers for these various groups all around the world.
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- Statistically, it is more likely for children coming from poverty stricken families to become child soldiers.
- In the past decade, over 2 million children have been killed in these conflicts.
- In Myanmar, over 35% of the fighters in the Myanmar army and resistance groups are children, who were abducted.
- More than 6 million children have been injured.
- It is estimated that there are around 5000 child soldiers in Burundi.
- 80% of conflicts involving child soldiers involve those under 15 years of age.
- Over a third of child soldiers in countries like Nepal are girls.
- Even though an agreement to demobilize child soldier recruitment in Chad was made in 2007, there are still over 7000 child soldiers in use.
- It is estimated that there are about 30000 child soldiers spread throughout the groups in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- 40% of all armed organizations (armies, resistance groups, etc.) in the world use child soldiers.
- There are about 7000 child soldiers in the Congo, and most of them are in Mai Mai militias
- It is estimated that in the last decade and a half, the Lord's Resistance Army abducted over 10,000 children to be used for fighting.
- It is estimated that there are about 14000 child soldiers in Colombia.
- Child soldiers have been used in conflicts in over 36 countries since 1998.
- Many children are younger than 10 when taken into conflict.
- The ILO convention on forms of child labor (which deals with the recruitment of children under 18 in combat) was ratified by over 150 countries.
- The United Nation's protocol for children in armed conflict was ratified by over 110 nations.
Bibliography
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