The involvement of children in armed conflicts violates fundamental humanitarian principles,exposes them to the risk of death and injury, threatens their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being, and draws them into a culture of violence.

 The use of children as soldiers destroys lives, families and the social fabric of communities. Conditions of violence and poverty are perpetuated when children are forced to abandon school and their families to enter conflicts. The practice violates international law, which has established the minimum age of 18 for recruitment into all forms of military service. Action must be taken to ensure that this standard is universally upheld, violators are brought to justice and hope is restored for children trapped in this cycle of violence. It is our responsibility to ensure that they are protected from the horrors of warfare. They are our future, to accept the use of child soldiers in conflict is to accept the destruction of our future!!!