Why Should Child Soldiers Be Banned?

Everyone loves and cherishes their childhood, especially once they are grown up and dealing with issues they didn’t have as children. Many look back and remember all the good times they had growing up. However, this isn’t always the case. For some kids growing up in times of war, they completely lose out on their precious childhood. Not everyone is familiar about the issue of child soldier and whether or not they should be prosecuted. In countries in the Middle East and Africa, such as Sierra Leone, governments and rebel groups are recruiting and using children in battles. Due to this, these children are exposed to shooting guns such as 10 pound AK-47s. They take part of mass killings and many other crimes such as rape. The problem is that
However, this isn’t always the right way to deal with problems. They should be given amnesty for what they’ve done. One reason people believe that child soldiers should be prosecuted is because the child volunteer to join the army. Some believe they joined out of patriotism or to avenge a loved one. In the end, this is very rare. Most children who have “willingly” joined didn’t have any other choice. Kids will join hoping for a safe place along with food and water. Not many kids under 18 will enjoy doing hard labor, living in bad conditions and having to risk their life for someone they don’t know if they didn’t have to, to survive. Another reason people think that child soldiers should be prosecuted is because if they aren’t prosecuted, then they would live on forever. Therefore, the commanders wouldn’t stop making these soldiers into weapons and if they committed a war crime, it wouldn’t affect them. The victims won’t gain anything for their lost. On the other hand if they weren’t persecuted for their actions it is very possible that these children could be rehabilitated and could enter back into society. With this, researchers would be able to learn what happens which could in the end, be a more effective solution so that we can put a stop to this at the source. Lastly, people believe child soldiers should be prosecuted because they are no different from child criminals, who are persecuted for their actions. In an article published by debatewise.org, Child Soldiers Should Be Prosecuted, it explained that, “Child soldiers have been responsible for some of the most brutal and violent acts in wartime. In Sierra Leone child soldiers committed acts of rape, mutilation and mass killings of civilians… in the USA criminal responsibility can be as low as age 8… a child… should also be held responsible for international crimes.” People believe that if criminals in the U.S could