Child Soldiers
In the early 1980s in Mozambique armed forces began to use children as a new technology in warfare, girls and boys are illegally participating in combat and are often killed or injured. Child soldiers are said to be fearless, less demanding, cheaper and easily manipulated. Thousands of children under the age of 18 have been recruited or abducted from there schools, homes or off the street. Children that are orphaned or abandoned (due to AIDS, violence or neglect) are the most vulnerable and easily recruited. They are forced into government forces, paramilitaries, civil militia and a variety of other armed forces. Not only are the children being used as soldiers, they are also being used as spies, messengers, porters, servants or they are used to lay and clear landmines. Rebel commanders have created killing machines that cut through villages, burn down houses and torture people.
The articles being violated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are as follows: Article 1, Article 3, Article 5, Article 12, and Article 20. All of these rights are violated as children are often taken from their homes and placed into dangerous situations, and environments (Articles 1, and 3 in particular state ones right to live equal to, freely, and feel as safe as anyone else. This is clearly violated through forced war enlistment.) Article 5 touches on one's right to not feel less than human, as children are often more susceptible to influence they can be more easily dehumanized. Article 12 is violated when people are taken from their homes, and article 20 when they are forced to become a part of a military unit. Abubacar Sultan, Invisible children, The United Nations Children's Fund, Wona Sanana, are all people and organizations whom have sought out to end the enlistment of child soldiers.
Their methodology when attacking the aforementioned issue is spreading awareness primarily as the more aware one is the more capable they are to be a solution. They also raise money to get governmental help to demobilize child soldiers, as well as rehabilitate them as to reintegrate them into society. Which is by no means an easy task. UNICEF is in over one hundred and fifty countries and is fighting the war against child soldiers. However obstacles like corrupt leadership, strong militia opposition, government resistance in some African countries, and above all else a lack of awareness has made stopping the use of child soldiers become an idealist's dream to some. To the defenders of human right's it is a very real goal.
The articles being violated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are as follows: Article 1, Article 3, Article 5, Article 12, and Article 20. All of these rights are violated as children are often taken from their homes and placed into dangerous situations, and environments (Articles 1, and 3 in particular state ones right to live equal to, freely, and feel as safe as anyone else. This is clearly violated through forced war enlistment.) Article 5 touches on one's right to not feel less than human, as children are often more susceptible to influence they can be more easily dehumanized. Article 12 is violated when people are taken from their homes, and article 20 when they are forced to become a part of a military unit. Abubacar Sultan, Invisible children, The United Nations Children's Fund, Wona Sanana, are all people and organizations whom have sought out to end the enlistment of child soldiers.
Their methodology when attacking the aforementioned issue is spreading awareness primarily as the more aware one is the more capable they are to be a solution. They also raise money to get governmental help to demobilize child soldiers, as well as rehabilitate them as to reintegrate them into society. Which is by no means an easy task. UNICEF is in over one hundred and fifty countries and is fighting the war against child soldiers. However obstacles like corrupt leadership, strong militia opposition, government resistance in some African countries, and above all else a lack of awareness has made stopping the use of child soldiers become an idealist's dream to some. To the defenders of human right's it is a very real goal.