Ask the Russian Federation to ratify Child Soldiers Protocol
Every year thousands of children continue to fight and die in wars around the world, and many thousands more are left physically and emotionally scarred for life.
On 25 May 2000, the UN General Assembly adopted by consensus the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. This represents a milestone in protecting children from participation in armed conflicts.
As of 2 May 2006,107 states were parties to the Protocol including three (France, UK and USA) of the five permanent members of the Security Council but not the Russian Federation and China.
The Russian Federation signed the Protocol on 15 February 2001 and has supported numerous Security Council resolutions urging states to ratify it*. However, despite these positive actions the Russian Federation has yet to ratify it and to incorporate its provision into national law.
To mark the sixth anniversary of the Protocol’s adoption, AI, together with the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, is calling on the Russian Federation to ratify it without any further delay. At the time of ratification the country should make a binding declaration setting 18 years as the standard minimum age for voluntary recruitment into its armed forces.
* Resolutions 1379 (2001), 1460 (2003), 1539 (2004) and 1612 (2005)
War is not child's play
External link
Coalition’s 2004 Global Report entry on Russia
Take action!
Write to the Russian authorities to urge prompt ratification of the Protocol
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