CHILD SOLDIER IN SIERRA
LEONE
Population of Sierra Leone
• Sierra Leone has 6 Million inhabitants (source
World Bank, 2013). It has density of 80 people
per square km.
• 42% of the population is under the age of 15.
• Literacy in male population is 46.9% and female is
24.4%
• Sierra Leone is the poorest country in the World
(source UNDP Human Development Index). Came
out of civil war in 2002.
• In 2013 59.98% of populated areas are rural and
40.02% urban.
How the population affects child
soldiers
• Because of the high percentage of children in
the population they have been targeted,
kidnaped and forced to become child soldiers.
Economics of Sierra Leone
• The economy before 1991 was traditional and in
some areas commanded.
• The country is rich with diamonds, gold and other
natural resources.
• Agriculture is dominant, manufacturing is less
than 10% of GDP. Because of the traditional way
of production, small quantities were produced
and very low income was coming in the hands of
the peasants and working class people.
How Economy affects child soldiers
• For some very poor families or refugees
having their child joining the army would
mean access to food, shelter and clothing.
Politics of Sierra Leone
• Sierra Leone is a Republic, that has three
branches (executive/President/,
legislative/Parliament/ and independent
judicial). Multi-party system and democratic
elections.
How Politics affect child soldier
• The elections have been manipulated by the
government(the government is corrupted). Because of
the unfairness the citizens have started a civil war.
• e.g. The government before the civil war (started in
1991) was closely related to the diamond and gold
mining business. The politicians have been trading with
the resources for their personal benefit, and not
respecting the laws. Instead of using the natural wealth
to raise the education level of the population,
improving the infrastructure and develop healthcare in
the communities, they have been enjoying the
personal gains of the trade.
Reasons for Sierra Leoneans to
emigrate
• Natural disasters destroyed homes and farms of
Sierra Leoneans it makes them get concerned
about there safety.
• Some of the disasters are flooding that helped
epidemics grow, one of the diseases(epidemics) is
Ebola.
• Also a civil war has been going on four a decade.
• Because of the undeveloped economy poor living
conditions have developed.
Reasons for Sierra Leoneans to
immigrate to Australia
• Australia has lots of business opportunities, its
one of the safest countries and it has high
developed economy and it’s a democratically
organized country.
Barriers that stop Sierra Leoneans
from migrating
• Physical barriers that stop migration are the
mountains and the sea on one side of the State.
• Technology is changing these barriers as modern
transportation takes people over and across
barriers(over the sea).
• Political barriers to migration are the closed
borders because of war.
• There are no exit taxes but people are so poor
that they can’t afford the(plain or taxi) ticket.
• Environmental Migration floods from time to
time block the roads and traffic.