[7] Since 2008 Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, and Côte d'Ivoire have been removed from the UN list of countries where children are used in hostilities.

[13][14] The military use of children has been common throughout history; the practice has only met with informed criticism and concerted efforts to end it in recent decades.

[citation needed] Since 2002, nations and regional coalitions from around the world have been holding events on February 12, Red Hand Day, to draw attention to the issue and encourage steps to end the use of children for military purposes.

Seven thousand red hands were collected in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where child recruitment had increased dramatically.

Hundreds of events, such as marches, petitions, school awareness programs, exhibitions, and red hands were delivered to members of local congress and parliaments.

Over 250,000 red hands were collected from youths of 101 countries around the world and presented to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a book at 5 pm on February 12, 2009, in New York City by former child-soldiers from Colombia and Côte d'Ivoire accompanied by young activists from Germany.