Media Reaction Paper. Find a news segment or article that has something to do with human trafficking and write a reaction paper about it. It can be about any form of trafficking we have discussed in c

Media Reaction Paper

The article "If you are old enough to carry a gun, you are old enough to be a soldier," presented by Burke and Hatcher-Moore (2017) from the Guardian, explores the issue of children recruited as soldiers in South Sudan, Africa. The authors explain that the African country has the highest number of children recruited as soldiers in the continent. Despite efforts being made to reintegrate the children into society, it is evident that children are becoming victims of war, whether as soldiers or ordinary citizens. Additionally, the article also explores the bearing of arms by children in other African countries, such as Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic. Child soldiers are forced to commit several atrocities, including attacking ordinary civilians and other menial activities.

The narrative presented by the authors regarding the recruitment of children into the fighting parties relates to what I studied in class regarding child soldiers. For example, in class, I learned that child soldiers experience certain problems that make them suffer while in the war and even after. These psychological issues affect their lives, which leads to difficulty in leading a normal life. Secondly, the article states that many countries around the world have children in war parties, including India, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Syria, among others. In class, I learned that some fighting groups in certain nations recruit children as soldiers. Honwana (2011) explores the issue of child soldiers in the African continent, which is triggered by political conflict. For example, in a nation like South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, political conflict triggered children's recruitment as soldiers.

The story supports what we discussed in class in several ways. For example, the article explores the adverse consequences associated with the issue of child soldiers. In class, we also looked at the consequences of children acting as soldiers during political conflicts. The authors also explore the people behind recruitment and how children become child soldiers. However, the narrative differs from what we learned in class on the issue of recruitment. According to Burke and Hatcher-Moore (2017), some children volunteer to join the fighting parties. Despite it being dangerous, most children may come up as willing and ready to fight as soldiers. In class, we learned that child soldiers are usually forced to join the war, which differs from what the article presents.

In the article, the children who are the "victims" are portrayed as unlucky and without a choice. In Africa, notably South Sudan, the children forced to join the political fight have no choice but to join the armies. Failure to join as a child soldier can lead to punishment or even being shot by the enemy. For this reason, they have no choice but to join. Additionally, the children are portrayed as "available help" that is readily available without cost. They are considered usable things that the armies can use without any cost repercussions.

When it comes to the child soldiers and people who have recruited them (perpetrators), the article portrays them correctly. To begin with, the article explains that most nations that experience conflict in Africa are likely to have child soldiers in warring parties. These child soldiers are portrayed as victims of a bigger conflict, in which they are caught in between without no where to go. Furthermore, the article also assesses the issue of child soldiers from a global perspective even though it significantly focuses on Africa. In recent years, places experiencing war have had child soldiers participating in the war, which has increased attention to the issue. Thus, the information presented in the article is relevant and portrays children as soldiers in a significant way that explains why the issue is a problem. In summary, the information can be used to evaluate child soldiers' challenges across nations in the world.

References

Burke, J. & Hatcher-Moore, P. (2017). If you are old enough to carry a gun, you are old enough to be a soldier. Retrieved 11 February 2021 from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/jul/24/south-sudan-child-soldiers

Honwana, A. (2011). Child soldiers in Africa. University of Pennsylvania Press.