CHILDREN OF WAR.

MORE CHILDREN THAN EVER BEFORE ARE FIGHTING IN WARS AROUND THE WORLD--OFTEN AGAINST THEIR WILL

In Sierra Leone, a 14-year-old boy watches in horror as people are burned alive. In Sudan, a 10-year-old girl is ordered to shoot one of her friends. In Uganda, a 13-year-old girl is sold into sexual slavery.

All around the world, from Colombia and Chechnya to Somalia and Sri Lanka, children like these are fighting, suffering, and dying in armed conflicts. Before they can drive, before they can vote, sometimes even before they can read or write, kids carrying machine guns, rifles, and knives are being asked to kill-and be killed--for a cause.

There are an estimated 300,000 child soldiers in more than 30 countries. While many are used as spies, messengers, or servants, others fight on the front lines.

"When U.S. soldiers participate in international peacekeeping operations, they may well find themselves face-to-face with a 14-year-old carrying an AK-47," says Jo Becker, a children's advocate for Human Rights Watch and chairwoman of the International Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers.

In May, the United Nations adopted an agreement barring children under 18 from combat or mandatory military service. So far, 71 countries have signed it, including the United States, which initially opposed the age limit because it was using 17-year-olds in combat. (The Pentagon says that 16-and 17-year-olds will remain eligible to fight until the U.S. Senate votes to ratify the agreement. However, officials say that in practice, the possibility of a minor going into combat for the U.S. is highly unlikely.)

Unfortunately, the UN pact only deals with part of the problem. Many of the world's child soldiers aren't serving in their countries' armed forces, and many aren't serving voluntarily. In some countries, rebel forces or other non-governmental groups abduct children and force them to fight in civil wars, tribal battles, and uprisings where the usual rules of war are ignored. In Sri Lanka, for instance, rebels fighting to gain a homeland for the country's Hindu Tamil minority are using children as young as 11 in their war against the government army. Children also are fighting with opposition forces in Uganda, Myanmar, Turkey, Peru, and at least 16 other countries. (See map)

"Child Soldiers Around the World"

"The most egregious use of child soldiers is by rebel groups," Becker says. "They recruit them at the youngest ages and subject them to the worst treatment. They also make children commit atrocities. When you read about children chopping off hands and legs, they usually belong to a rebel group."

Child soldiers have been around since the Middle Ages, but there are more of them today than at any time in history. According to Becker and Rachel Brett, co-authors of Children: The Invisible Soldiers, one reason is the development and availability of lightweight, easy-to-use weapons. "There are now automatic weapons that a 10-year-old can use," Becker says. "And they're as easy to get as schoolbooks."

Another factor is the changing nature of war. "There used to be clearly defined combatants and battle lines, but that's changed," Becker says. "In many conflicts, there's no longer a clear distinction between soldiers and civilians. And when those lines get blurred, it's easier to bring children into the conflict."

MORE DANGEROUS WORK

The role of child soldiers also has changed. They used to be limited primarily to noncombat jobs such as spying and relaying messages, but today they are more likely to fight and perform dangerous tasks such as laying and clearing land mines. Because young soldiers are more willing to take risks and less likely to question orders, they suffer higher casualty rates than their adult counterparts.

"Children are very easy to manipulate, and that makes them good soldiers," Brett says. "When an adult tells them to do something, they usually do it."

Another thing child soldiers have in common is their background. Almost all of them come from poor families, many have been separated from their parents, and most live in areas where armed conflict is common. While many of these children are abducted by armies and forced to fight, some volunteer because they are desperate for food and security. "They are the most vulnerable children," Brett says. "When you're hungry or homeless, being a soldier can seem like a way to improve your life."

Most child soldiers are boys, but girls are also carrying weapons and serving in support roles on the battlefield. In addition, sometimes girls are sold as sexual slaves to military officers.

Yet Becker says she's optimistic. The agreement by so many governments banning child soldiers puts pressure on rebel groups to do the same, and several recently have. "Most rebel groups are fighting to become a government," she says. "You can make an argument to them that if you're using child soldiers, you're discrediting yourself."