War inevitably devastates the lives of children, but not a single child should be engaged in the fighting. Children who become combatants before they gain emotional maturity can suffer devastating psychological damage.

Casualty rates among child soldiers are generally high because of their inexperience, lack of training and lower recovery rates from battlefield injuries. Many girl soldiers are expected to provide sexual services as well as to fight.

Despite this, more than 300,000 children under the age of 18 are fighting in conflicts around the world. Hundreds of thousands more are members of armed forces who could be sent into combat at any time. Many of these children have been forcibly recruited

TAKE ACTION

Check if your country is among those which have either signed or ratified the Protocol.

If not, write to your Minister of Foreign Affairs (find the address for your government) urging your government to sign and/or ratify it as soon as possible.

You can find out the information you need at http://web.amnesty.org/web/content.nsf/pages/gbroptionalprotocol so go there now and do something to stop these children from being used as soldiers.