War

Adults wage wars, yet it's children - the most innocent of bystanders - who are felled by the bullets and bombs.

Currently, there are at least 30 wars and conflicts happening in the world. That's a lot of pushpins on a map. And every pushpin represents thousands of children whose lives have been violently shattered in any number of ways.

It is estimated that at least 10 million children have been affected by war in the last decade; almost two million children have died in wars and four million children have been left disabled.

At the most basic level, children don't receive regular social services because of war. Governments that are at war spend much of their money to fund it, leaving less and less resources to fund social programs. War destroys institutions and infrastructure; the local school, the medical clinic, roads, wells, electricity - all become targets.

During war, children's families are often ripped apart. Parents are killed, houses and villages are destroyed, and children are forced to flee. There are currently 35 million refugees in the world, many of whom may never be able to return to their homes. Certainly, they will never be able to return to the life they lived before war.

The psychological trauma that affects children because of war leaves them scarred for life. Children often witness horrendous acts of violence, including the death of a parent or the rape of a mother or sister. Psychological trauma in children manifests in many ways, including children who are withdrawn, children who can no longer speak, children who can't trust adults or authority, or children who develop illusions of revenge for their family. War can indoctrinate an entire generation with war and violence, making it difficult to break the cycle.

Children themselves are also direct victims of violence during war. They are particularly vulnerable to murder, abuse and rape, especially as their traditional protectors in society are killed or called away to fight.

The use of child soldiers is rampant. Children may be recruited or abducted and forced to fight. Orphans, refugees, and poor children are at the biggest risk of being recruited by armed groups. It is estimated that as many as 300,000 children under the age of 18 serve in government and opposition forces. Children may be used as messengers, porters, guards, spies, or sent to the front lines. Because of their emotional immaturity, children can be easily manipulated and cannot often understand the ramifications of their actions.

War also leaves a legacy for children in another way. Long after wars have ended, land mines continue to maim and kill children. At least 80 countries have unexploded land mines, causing 15,000 to 20,000 casualties per year. Children are particularly vulnerable to land mines by walking to school, working in fields, fetching water and firewood, herding animals and playing. A disability from a land mine may determine the economic future of a child, who may never be able to work or even reintegrate with society.