Q: Why do people use child soldiers?

A: Child soldiers are not new, there are many reasons why child soldiers are used instead of adults.Child soldiers were first used in the frontline using AK-47’s or M-16’s because they are lightweight.A child at the age of ten can disassemble and reassemble the weapon correctly and quickly. Child soldiers are quick and can get into hard to reach places. They can be brainwashed into being a soldier and can be told what to do without question because they don’t know any better. Child soldiers also don’t require any payment.Children were less likely to disobey or attempt to leave camp. 

Child soldiers are present in developing countries to fight in civil war. Militant groups kidnap young children away from their families and raise them in their image, hating the other groups and enjoying war and killing. They are raised learning how to fight, kill and use different weaponry .Some children are given drugs alcohol and other privileges.

Poverty and child soldiers relate because many of the children who have been taken were in poverty. The parents can not do anything because of their home situation or their other children. Some children will volunteer to become a soldier to survive poverty as well as to save their family. Some parents will also offer their children or encourage them to go to war so they can get some payment as poverty has caused them to be so desperate they will risk their children’s lives.