International Development: Democratic Republic of Congo - 12,500 girls belong to armed groups

In a report entitled "Forgotten Casualties of War," Save the Children claim that 12,500 girls currently belong to government and non-government forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

allAfrica.com reports that many girls did not want to be in a disarmament and reintegration process. It said they did not see themselves as "child soldiers", but as "wives" or camp followers and therefore, were not entitled to demobilisation and reintegration benefits.

The program also alerts communities that girls were involved with armed groups, giving rise to community rejection. Girls have reported that community members have assumed they have been sexually abused and therefore, carriers of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. As a result, they were seen as having "lost their value" to their communities.