A/70/289 nurturing environment, in the home, at school and in the neighbourhood; it hampers health and care institutions; and it is associated with enhanced challenges to fighting impunity. 72. The direct effects of armed violence in the community include physical injuries and psychological harm, as well as deaths. Homicides have a young face. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, homicide claims some 36,000 children under the age of 15 each year (8 per cent of all victims) and about 43 per cent of all homicides are of adolescents and young people aged between 15 and 29. Overall, 40 per cent of homicides are from firearms; however among children and youths killed in the Americas that figure is almost 70 per cent. As regards non-lethal injuries, it is estimated that for every youth homicide, between 20 and 40 young people receive hospital treatment for violence. 73. Beyond the direct damage it causes, armed violence has a psychological and cultural impact. Weapons are involved in forced recruitment into gangs and criminal networks and in kidnapping, abuse and sexual exploitation, torture, forced displacement and other serious human rights violations. 74. As well as victimizing children directly, injuries and deaths from armed violence affect relatives and others in their social circle. The trauma of the loss of parents, loved ones, peers, friends and role models produces profound changes in children’s lives. Too often, children living in violent communities must suddenly assume adult responsibilities of caring for siblings, minding the home and going to work, thereby sacrificing their own education and development. Moreover, children may become involved with violent gangs for protection, or to seek revenge against aggressors, thus placing themselves at greater risk. 75. Because of their social leadership role, schools and health institutions may b e attacked and used by violent organizations to control territories. Those attacks can range from bribery and the kidnapping of workers to threats that ultimately lead institutions to close. For children, that means a deep sense of insecurity and a negative impact on their ability to learn and thrive. Gangs sometimes use schools to recruit children to join in illicit activities. Furthermore, injuries from armed violence use up the human and material resources of health -care centres, reducing their ability to prevent and respond to other health problems. C. Children, youth gangs and organized crime networks 76. Home to socially excluded children and young people, gangs may begin as unsupervised adolescent peer groups, but some become institutionalized i n neighbourhoods, ghettos and prisons. 77. Institutionalized gangs may become business enterprises within the informal economy and a few are linked to international criminal cartels. However, not every group of young people is a gang and not all gangs are the same. Gangs are not all violent and only some are linked to organized crime. 78. Gangs can provide young people with an identity and sense of belonging, as well as protection, recognition and respect. However, local gangs can also be linked to illegal activities, including extortion, illegal drug sales, fighting for territorial control and, in extreme cases, contract killings. Gangs may be associated with transnational criminal groups whose strong economic connections facilitate their 18/25 15-13244