An estimated 300,000 children are being used as soldiers right now.

Children are fighting in 19 conflicts worldwide.

Most of them are abducted from their families and forced to become soldiers. Some are orphaned, and joining an armed group is their only chance of survival.

Once recruited, they are often used as front line soldiers, as spies, scouts and sex slaves.

Serving in both government armies and rebel groups, these children are subjected to unimaginable violence and torture.

Commanders often ply them with drugs and alcohol. In some places, they are given brown brown, a rudimentary mixture of cocaine and gunpowder.

These children are repeatedly abused, and disposed of when they are deemed useless or ineffective.

Young girls are also used as soldiers. Some are forced to become "wives" to commanders and are consistently beaten and raped.

Close to 2 million children have been killed in conflict since 1996.

What can we do . . .