“Thousands of children are serving as soldiers in armed conflicts around the world. These boys and girls, some as young as 8 years old, serve in government forces and armed opposition groups. They may fight on the front lines, participate in suicide missions, and act as spies, messengers, or lookouts. Girls may be forced into sexual slavery. Many are abducted or recruited by force, while others join out of desperation, believing that armed groups offer their best chance for survival", Human Rights Watch. Many organizations are trying to find ways to decrease the amount of children being sent to war, but child soldiers aren't the only people who are being damaged by the effects of war. War impacts civilians both mentally and physically. It causes many people to suffer life threatening injuries, anxiety, loss of trust, and exposure to violence.
Physical injuries
Civilians are suffering many physical injuries, due to the harmful effects of nuclear weapons during war. Some civilians suffer serious burns or loss of hearing. “Children suffer a range of war injuries. Certain weapons affect them particularly. A landmine explosion is more likely to kill or seriously injure a child than an adult. Thousands of children suffer landmine injuries each year”, Joanna Barbara. The amount of civilian deaths are increasing more and more. These innocent people are losing their lives, due to the physical damage war does to humans. Some civilians are being killed, others are left severely injured and wounded. During this time, these civilians are caught in a war, they have limited to no access to the medication they need. People aren't only dying from weapons, some get sick and don't have the medication and security they need to survive. Far too many civilians are being physically impacted during war. Published on Mar 11, 2014
World Vision UK Anxiety, Loss of trust, and Exposure to violence
War can impact civilians mentally in many different ways. It causes people, and especially children, to be stressed and anxious. “As a consequence of conflict, children and young people can lose their confidence, their trust in others and their trust in the future. They often become anxious, depressed and withdrawn, or rebellious and aggressive", War Child Organization. These young people see cruel and terrifying things, and it impacts them for the rest of their lives. “Viewing violent acts can leave children with intense feelings of fear, mistrust and danger”, War Child Organization. You more often hear about the impact war has on a veterans life, and how the damage lasts long after the war. All of the effects war causes soldiers, can have an impact on civilians in all the same ways. A soldier witness horrifying deaths, and the civilians watch the same things happen to their friends and family members. Child civilians in war
The effects war can have on a child's life are traumatizing. So many young, innocent people are losing their lives in war. "Not only are large numbers of children killed and injured, but countless others grow up deprived of their material and emotional needs, including the structures that give meaning to social and cultural life," the report says. "The entire fabric of their societies their homes, schools, health systems and religious institutions are torn to pieces", Unicef Organization. War can destroy a child's whole life. It takes away the people they love, their education, their homes and their trust. “Millions of children and young people worldwide are affected by armed conflict. They are confronted with physical harm, violence, danger, exploitation, fear and loss. Many children are forced to flee. Some witness the death of loved ones. Some are forced to pull the trigger themselves. Communities are ripped apart and can no longer provide a secure environment for children. Adults are busy surviving, parents have little time for their children. Schools and playgrounds are damaged or taken over by armed groups", War Child Organization. No child deserves this. Imagine watching people die right in front of you, having everything and everyone taken from you. These children didn't choose this, and there is nothing they could do or say to prevent it. |
Yemen’s Conflict Kills 13 Civilians Every Day
Civilians in Conflict Organization Posted on September 19, 2016 "Typically when we think about being exposed to traumatic events during a war, we think about what soldiers experience (e.g., being fired upon, becoming a prisoner of war, sustaining an injury, or witnessing serious injury or death). However, civilians who are not directly involved in the war effort are also frequently confronted with war related stressors. Some typical civilian stressors include life threat; being bombed, shot at, threatened, or displaced; being confined to one's home; losing a loved one or family member; suffering from financial hardships; and having restricted access to resources such as food, water, and other supplies. Particularly horrific stressors experienced by some civilians during war include torture, beatings, rape, forced labor, witnessing sexual abuse of or violence toward a family member, and mock execution", National Center for PTSD.
“During conflict, children and young people’s rights are violated on a massive scale; their rights to be protected from violence, abuse and neglect, to live in dignity and be supported to develop to their full potential”, War Child Organization
"Can you imagine a world without violence against children? Children can and this is how. Watch the video"
Published on Jul 13, 2015 Save the Children Organization World War II, September 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945
"A US-led Coalition attack which struck two houses where civilians were sheltering in the village of Ayn al-Khan, near al-Hawl in al-Hasakah governorate in northern Syria in the early hours of 7 December 2015, killed 40 civilians, including 19 children, and injured at least 30 others according to local human rights organizations. One media report suggests an unknown number of IS fighters were also killed in the attack", Amnesty International, 26 October 2016
To summarize, both many children and civilians in our world have experienced traumatizing events that will leave them mentally scarred and physically harmed. As children are the future generation, it is important that they have the opportunity to live a healthy, brighter future.
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