Year 8s’ Red Hand Campaign: Save a Child Soldier

In Citizenship, Year 8 students are working on the Red Hand Campaign, which is an international initiative to persuade governments and the UN to put political and economic pressure on countries where children are used as soldiers and treated appallingly. Children are taken from their families, threatened, beaten, raped, drugged, de-sensitised and shot if they refuse to fight. It is estimated that over 250,000 children are abused in this way, some as young as eight years old; a shocking 10-30% are girls. Among the countries involved are Burma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Colombia, India, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Mali, Pakistan, Thailand, Sudan, Syria, Yemen and Chad.

Our Year 8 students want to make a difference, but researching information and presenting to the class has no impact on the life of an individual, perhaps of their age, in a nightmare situation in Burma, for example. That individual cannot escape the situation alone and must desperately hope for someone, somewhere to do something to rescue him or her.

If we can save one child, this campaign would be worth the effort. If governments and the UN can persuade just one country, then perhaps 10,000 individual children can be saved.

Can you be the someone, here and now, who does something (sign your name in support) to make a difference?

Can you do a little more? How about downloading the petition, copying it and passing it round to family, friends, neighbours and colleagues to pass along the line? How many names can you generate to make a difference?

Petition Download

Petitions can be returned to Great Marlow School, Bobmore Lane, Marlow, Bucks., SL7 1JE.

The World Humanitarian Summit will be in May 2016. Let us show that this country cares and give our government a stronger voice to push for change.

For more information check online the Red Hand Campaign and Child Soldiers.