From April 2004 and October 2007 child soldiers participated in armed conflict in Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, the DRC, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand and Uganda.
The report also highlights the often forgotten use of girls as child combatants, cooks, porters and sex slaves, as does the report highlight that reintegration programs for former child soldiers are highly lacking, as children are continually left out of the demobilization and reintegration programs.
According to the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers in the 2008 Child Soldiers Global Report the number of conflicts that use child soldiers has dramatically decreased from 27 countries using child soldiers to 17 in the last 4 years. However while the report may highlight the decrease of child soldiers it is no time for rejoice, as children continue to be used as the pawns of war. Children are the largest victims of war in any conflict, however when children pick up arms, they become the collateral of war, forever scared by the images of war and abuse.
Children in many non-conflict countries remain in danger of being drawn into conflict, as the fragility of many states continues to place children at high risk of recruitment and abduction. One reason for the continued use and vitality of children in times of conflict is the impunity that remains for those who use children as combatants and sex slaves.
Please see my previous post on Child Soldiers for more information and details on many of the current conflicts.
