Child Soldiers In Uganda

Second Discipline Paper Although the notion may appear to be, child soldiers are not a new concept. In fact, the use of children as soldiers is not a product of the late twentieth century as it is sometimes portrayed, but a part of a much larger history. Hundreds of years before the twenty-first century, schoolboys as young as six were being trained by the state to become soldiers by the age of twelve (Ébodé 112). Even before the rise of Sparta, practices requiring child soldiers were not uncommon (113). However, today the use of children as soldiers is seen as a form of human trafficking and slavery that disrespect a human’s fundamental rights (Triefenbrun 417). This change in opinion can be attributed to a shift in societal norms and standards.

In order to answer these questions, it is vital to understand the conditions that led Ugandan children to become child soldiers and the political implication of their involvement. The social science discipline of sociology, which is the study of society, will provide the social context of why child soldiers are utilized. As well, political science, which studies the functioning of governments, will provide insight into the governmental instability that led to the rise of child soldiers in Uganda and the international response to the rise of child soldiers. The methodologies used in this paper encompass academic articles and books that use both their own research and primary documents such as United Nations

The spread of AIDS has greatly impacted the demographic within African Countries due to its many deaths leaving many children orphans or responsible for their families. This means that they are more willing to find employment in these dangerous sectors such as child soldiering in order to survive (Marriage). However, the death of their family and community has left children without a support system to rely on. Instead these armies provide structure for the child which helps fill the void of community, belonging and resources that these children crave (Achvarina and Reich 135). This structure also provides them with a “hope for more security and stability in a country at war” (Tiefenbrun