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 War Child Holland’s Child Soldiers report “The Shadow Of Their Existence“
Each year, 300,000 children worldwide are actively deployed in wars. These are children who have to fight as soldiers, perform espionage or reconnaissance activities, and provide sexual services to army commanders. Children are deployed in nearly 75% of all armed conflicts worldwide, both by regular armies and by other armed groups, such as militias, paramilitaries and rebel groups and gangs. Of these children, 80% are younger than 154. Being a child and being a soldier cannot and should not be compatible. And still it happens. Every day..
Child soldiers highlight the shadow of their existence
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 Marco Borsato hands over the report “Child soldiers, the shadow of their existence” to Mr Bert Koenders, Dutch government minister of development.
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By publishing this report, War Child wants to place child soldiers in the spotlight. The report provides insight into the situation in which they live and addresses the question of how and why they became child soldiers. The reasons why they become involved in armed conflict give insight into the possibilities for change, because no matter how persistent the problem of recruitment of child soldiers is, there is something we can do to break this spiral of violence. It is possible to create a new future for these children and everyone can play a part, including in the Netherlands.
This report focuses on the plight of child soldiers in Colombia, which has been embroiled in a civil war for more than 50 years. The war receives only scant attention in the Western media, and sometimes seems to have been forgotten altogether.
No fewer than 14,000 child soldiers belong to Colombian armed organisations. They describe the abhorrent reality of their situation in accounts that were collected for this report. They are an example of the many thousands of children worldwide who are involved in wars not of their own making. As well as providing insight into the problem, the stories of the Colombian children are also a cry for help: "Do not forget us!"
Help War Child take the war out of a child soldier
By publishing this report, War Child is seeking to bring the issue to the attention of a large audience, helped by our organisation's reputation and our many supporters. War Child hopes to join forces with politicians, policy makers, journalists, companies and individuals. Together we can contribute to a better life for those hundreds of thousands of child soldiers who are currently deployed in armed conflicts every day.
What can YOU do?
 Help us to take the war out of a child soldier! Support War Child. Read more >>
See the Child Soldiers awareness TV commercial - Watch the video here
Read more about the Child Soldiers campaign - click here
News report: UN Council condemns abuse of children in war zones
View War Child’s links and resources section on child soldiers
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