). Targeting children: Small arms and children in conflict.

Poverty, social disruption and destruction stemming from these wars, and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons are major factors in expanding the use of child soldiers. Children have become increasingly involved in these wars, both as civilian victims and as combatants. Today, dozens of wars specifically target civilians and their social institutions. Using children as soldiers robs them of their families and their education surviving children often have difficulty rejoining their communities.Īt the beginning of the 20th century, wars were fought primarily on defined battlefields between men in governmental armed forces.Poverty, the proliferation of small and cheap weapons, and the changing nature of warfare have increased both the use and the roles of child soldiers, despite increasingly stronger international agreements designed to minimize this practice.Thousands more face recruitment or are members of armed forces not currently at war. Approximately 300,000 children under 18 currently participate in armed conflicts.

). Targeting children: Small arms and children in conflict.