The Problem

By definition, a child soldier is anyone under the age of 18 who is associated with an armed group.

Children are exploited in a variety of ways, including but not limited to combat. Girls especially are victims of sexual violence. Recruiting a soldier under 15 years old is considered a war crime by the United Nations. There are 250,000 child soldiers in the world today.

However, children in armed conflict also include those stranded in war zones.

Often children who live in areas of civil unrest have little access to education, clean water, food, and medical care. Children may also be physically injured by crossfire and bombs even if they do not serve in an armed group, or are abducted and sold into the human trafficking trade.