Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Madrid (Agenzia Fides) - According to the latest United Nations report, updated to April 2011, there are no data available on the number of children who every day are recruited into armed groups around the world. However it is estimated that thousands of children, in at least 15 countries are forced every day to serve in the armed gangs or armies, doing dangerous work such as becoming spies or sex slaves. From Myanmar to Colombia, where 14 000 are recorded, passing through Afghanistan, Chad, Somalia or Central African Republic, the young are abducted from their homes and forced to suffer cruel baptisms with fire to prevent them from escaping. Under the influence of drugs and threats they commit the most unthinkable atrocities in conflicts fueled by external interests. To cope with this emergency, 142 countries have ratified a UN protocol on the participation of child soldiers in armed conflicts of the UN. From the latest data reported in the recent International Day against the use of child soldiers, it appears that only in 2010, over 11 000 of these children were released and reintegrated in Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo (where respectively 35 000 seem to be enrolled) and Myanmar. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 23/2/2012)
