(OSRSG-CAAC) – “The image of the child soldier as a young boy carrying a gun bigger than himself is so deeply ingrained in our minds that many still forget that girls are also victims of recruitment. As the MONUSCO report published this week states clearly, we can no longer look away when girls as young as four, have been –and continue to be- recruited by armed groups in DR Congo. Most testimonies referred to in the report indicate that three girls out of four recruited and used by armed groups are 15 years old or younger. They are used to perform support tasks, including cooking and cleaning. They also receive military training to be sent to the front lines.”
