Child soldiers

WHAT WERE YOU

DOING WHEN YOU

WERE 5 YEARS OLD?

OR MAYBE

Hundreds of thousands of children are used as child

soldiers all over the world

Some are as young as 5

Children arevulnerable because of their emotional and physical immaturity.

They are easily manipulated anddrawn into violence that they are too young to resist or understand.

ITS NOT JUST BOYS…

In Nepal, Sri Lanka and Uganda, a third or

more of the child soldiers were reported to be

girls.

Girls may be raped, or given to military

commanders as "wives."

Modern lightweight

weapons and small arms are accessible and simply

operated, allowing children to use them in place of

adults

Child soldiers are

given cocaine and

other drugs to help

take the edge

off…many become

addicted

Children are killed and wounded

at far higher rates than their adult

comrades.

Those who survive often suffer trauma, injury,

abuse, and psychological scarring from the

violence and brutality they experience.

Some are rejected by their families and

communities.

Children are sometimes forced to

commit atrocities against their

own family to help ensure that the

child is "stigmatized”

and unable to

return to his

or her home

community.

WHEN THE SURVIORS

ARE

RE-ENTERED INTO

THE REAL WORLD…

• Withdrawal

• Disruptive Behavior

• Nightmares

• Irritability

• Regressive Behavior

• Pain of no medical basis

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Guilt

• Flashbacks

• Emotional Numbing

• Substance Abuse

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

physically alters the brain of children

Specifically the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and the amygdale

THE STORY OF

ONE CHILD SOLDIER

Ishmael Beah

At age 11, he witnessed the death of his family

At age 13 he became a child soldier

In 1997 Ishmael Beah was saved by UNICEF

He wrote a book

about his

experiences called A

Long Way Gone:

Memoirs of a Boy

Soldier

How can you help?

Visit www.ChiSol.org for

more information