They must fight, act as „living shields“ or be sexually abused: Unicef commemorates the World Day against the use of child soldiers to the fates of tens of thousands of girls and boys in crisis regions.
Tens of thousands of girls and boys are being abused as child soldiers worldwide, according to Unicef. Although secured figures were missing, but some estimates were up to 250,000 child soldiers worldwide, said the United Nations Children’s Fund.
Especially many children are abused by conflicting parties in the protracted conflicts in South Sudan, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Syria and Yemen for their purposes, according to Unicef. Also in Afghanistan, Mali or Myanmar girls and boys were used as child soldiers or helpers of armed groups.
Not all children therefore go into battle, many would need to be useful as scouts or ambassadors or cook, carry and collect wood. Some girls would be forcibly married to fighters, and girls as well as boys would be sexually abused, Unicef reported.
In extreme cases, children would be forced to act as „living shields“ or to blow themselves up on busy squares.
Unicef called on all governments to become more involved in these serious child rights violations. In the „Red Hand Day“ campaign on Tuesday with red handprints to set a sign to lend weight to the demand. February 12 is the World Day against the use of child soldiers.
