I. Introduction: a. Opening Device- There are a few words that just don’t belong together such as Child Soldiers. Every child has the right to live a normal life, grow up an experience the things kids are supposed to, like, going to school, playing kick ball outside, enjoying the company of friends and developing in a normal way both physically and mentally. However, not all children get to have this simple luxury that many take for granted. Child Soldiers are a fast growing problem in third world countries and need to be stopped. It’s horrible to think that a child’s life can be devastated and ripped apart by a war that they had no part in starting, but they are forced to fight in combat anyway, causing life long lasting psychological and physical damage. b. Thesis: Worldwide, tens of thousands of children ranging from the young age 6-19 are recruited into government organizations and a variety or armed groups. These children are robbed of the chance to have a normal childhood but in exchange are exposed to horrendous hazards and are psychologically and physically scarred for life and suffer a tremendous amount abuse. c. Preview: In this speech I will explain what a Child Solider is, the normal development of a child and how the development of a child is impacted when they become a child solider. II. Body: d. Ethos- Citation 1: Web Site
Ethos- Citation 1: Web Site
What is a Child solider? According to child-soldiers.org, a child solider is anyone that is under the age of 18 and has been recruited or used in hostilities by state armed forces or non-state armed group. i. A child soldier includes both girls and boys that take part in a wide variety of different roles. Some of the roles that these children have to preform are frontline duties, porters, spies, guards, suicide bombers or human shields. Many of the female child soldiers preform domestic duties tasks such as: cooking, cleaning and are used for sexual purposes by the armed forces. ii.

Since 2000, the participation of child soldiers has been reported in most armed conflicts and in almost every region of the world. Although there are no exact figures, and numbers continually change, tens of thousands of children under the age of 18 continue to serve in government forces or armed opposition groups. Some of those involved in armed conflict are under 10 years old.

Many children that participate in armed conflict are unlawfully recruited, either by force or at an age below that which is permitted in national law or international standards. Although international standards do not prohibit the voluntary recruitment of 16 and 17 year olds by armed forces, it is contrary to best practice. Today close to two thirds of states recognise that banning under-18s from military ranks is necessary to protect them from the risk of involvement in armed conflict and to ensure their well-being, and that their other rights as children are respected.