Child soldiers in Sudan are demobilised.
Photo: Guillaume Bonn
Under international law, it’s a crime for children under 15 to be used in conflicts by national armies or armed groups. But right now, it’s estimated that 300,000 children are currently serving as child soldiers globally.
These children – boys and girls - are used as fighters, messengers, porters and cooks. Often they are raped or sexually abused. Children are more likely to be recruited as child soldiers if they’ve become separated from their families, had to leave their homes, live in combat zones or can’t got to school. Girls are especially at risk.
How UNICEF helps
UNICEF works to rescue children from armed forces. We also provide care, guidance and financial support to programmes that help child soldiers to escape from conflicts and get back into normal life.
One example of our work is in Sierra Leone. From 1998 to 2002, in Sierra Leone, UNICEF helped to protect, and disarm child soldiers who were caught up in the conflict there. They were taken to care centres, where they were given health care and counselling to help them to deal with the trauma they’d experienced. Almost all of the 6,800 former child soldiers who have been demobilized since October 1999 are now reunited with their families.