Social Justice Issue - Child Soldiers

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Child soldiers are boys and girls who fight in adult wars missing out on the safe and better childhood. They are children who perform a range of dangerous tasks such as: laying landmines and explosives and acting as decoys when spying on enemies. They are forced to work with violence, in the kitchen making food for the soldiers and some of the children are used as sex slaves. Using children as soldiers creates one of the most atrocious obstacles of the children’s rights and it is simply wrong. 250 000 children around the world are working as soldiers forced to commit violent crimes. At least 40% of the children are used as sex slaves. The children are given a false promise and forced by the government or armed rebel groups to live a life as a soldier to receive a regular meal. They are stripped away from families to become brainwashed killing machines. This happens because the leaders of the army want power over the community. A soldier stated that children are more obedient, they do not question orders and are easier to manipulate than adult soldiers. Which means if they were told to do something they would do it without question because they know what would be the consequences. The concept of making children soldiers makes changes to the society by making the children lose their childhood. They will grow up violent and suffer both physically and mental because of the deaths they witnessed and participated in. All the things they saw and learnt will affect their social and education development later on during the years. Child soldier is utterly horrifying justice that brings extreme exposure of brutality which violates the human and children’s rights. The catholic social teaching that relate to chid soldiers are call to family, community and participation, dignity of rights of workers and poor and vulnerable. They state children are created in the image of God.

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