The system is designed to use her while she is young, discard her when she is broken, and prosecute her if she complains.
: The infrastructure necessary for education and healthcare is frequently destroyed in conflict zones. For girls, this means interrupted education and limited access to healthcare, including sexual and reproductive health services. -18 - Female War Lousy Deal
She is the one sent to fetch water from the well outside the village—the same well where the enemy sniper waits because everyone sends the girls to fetch water. She is the one traded in marriage to a 50-year-old militia commander in exchange for her family’s safe passage. If she resists, the family is massacred. The system is designed to use her while
: The interruption of education and the lack of economic opportunities trap these girls in a cycle of vulnerability, making it difficult for them to envision or create a better future. She is the one sent to fetch water
The says recruiting anyone under 15 into armed forces is a war crime. The Optional Protocol raises that to 18 for forced recruitment. But voluntary recruitment? The UN allows 16-year-olds to join national armies (see: UK, Brazil, Cuba).