Mission Update
Victory for Organization: Stopping the Use of Child Soldiers
At the end of January, a victory for United Methodist Women and other child advocates occurred as the United States ratified the child soldiers protocol.
United Methodist Women have been participating in the campaign to end the use of child soldiers since the summer of 2000. This week, the Senate heard the voices of advocates as it delivered its signed instrument of ratification at the United Nations. The United Sates is the 45th country to ratify the protocol. One hundred eleven countries have signed it.
The protocol, entitled "The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict":
states that governments can not compulsorily recruit any persons under the age of eighteen.
prohibits rebel or other non-governmental armed groups from recruiting under-18 year-olds or using them in hostilities. Governments are required to criminalize such practices and take other measures to prevent the recruitment and use of children by such groups.
requires governments to raise their minimum age for a voluntary recruitment beyond the current minimum of fifteen, and must deposit a binding declaration stating the minimum age they will respect. (In practice, this means the minimum age for voluntary recruitment is sixteen.) Governments recruiting under-18 year-olds must maintain a series of safeguards, ensuring that such recruitment is genuinely voluntary; that it is done with the informed consent of the person’s parents or legal guardians; that recruits are fully informed of the duties involved in military service; and that proof of age is established.
says that governments must demobilize children recruited or used in violation of the protocol, and provide appropriate rehabilitation and reintegration assistance.
Ratification of the protocol will position The United States to give stronger international leadership on the issue of child soldiers. As party to the protocol, our country will be better able to discourage the use of child soldiers by other governments or armed groups.
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