Root cause #2
Denise: Poverty is also linked to lack of opportunities since depending in the country some families can't afford education and/or the culture or the government doesn’t reinforce education. Lack of opportunities is a reason of why families and children decide to contribute to becoming a child soldier in order to escape poverty.
Luis: Child soldiering can reduce the amount of opportunities as well as: jobs because child soldiering is the only way to gain money, education because it is not available or the culture itself does not accept it, shelter, food, and clothing are the main objectives why so many adolescents are “volunteering” to gain these lack of resources. They are by no means the safe havens they are believed and supposed to be. Children in refugee camps can also turn into voluntary recruits for armed groups due to shortage of food and lack of meaningful activities for children in the camps. To some of these children, joining an armed group seems like the most attractive option to make.
Luis: Child soldiering can reduce the amount of opportunities as well as: jobs because child soldiering is the only way to gain money, education because it is not available or the culture itself does not accept it, shelter, food, and clothing are the main objectives why so many adolescents are “volunteering” to gain these lack of resources. They are by no means the safe havens they are believed and supposed to be. Children in refugee camps can also turn into voluntary recruits for armed groups due to shortage of food and lack of meaningful activities for children in the camps. To some of these children, joining an armed group seems like the most attractive option to make.