International law, last resolution

RESOLUTION 1.1

Committee: International Law

Topic Area A: Preventing children from interfering in armed conflicts.

Submitted by: Finland, Belgium, Iceland, Denmark, Austria, Luxembourg, Portugal, Venezuela, Ireland, Zimbabwe, Australia, Spain, Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Afghanistan, Iraq

Sponsored by: Russian Federation

The International Law Committee,

A. Recalling the International convention on the Rights of the Child as well as the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, both of which promote the principle of non-recruitment of children below the age of eighteen years old in armed conflicts,

B. Deeply concerned that in the last decade , two million children have been killed in armed conflicts, while six million children have been disabled or injured and over a quarter of a million child soldiers are being abused and exploited in various situations of armed conflicts worldwide,

C. Further realizing the fact that child soldiers participate in conflagrations in approximately 17 countries, and that most child soldiers are aged between 14-18 with some as young as 8 years old, and participate due to poverty , lack of educational opportunities, fear or forced inscription by armed groups and some government force,

D. Condemning with the gravest concern the recruitment, training and use within and across national borders of children in hostilities by armed groups distinct from the armed forces of a State. This could be achieved by,

1. Encouraging prohibition of compulsory recruitment of individuals under the age of 18 by both government and non-government armed forces. It also raises the previous standard by obligating States to ensure that members of their armed forces under aged 18 do not take part in combat. Regarding voluntary enlistment by governments, the treaty raises the minimum age to at least 16 years of age and includes specific safeguards to ensure that the recruitment is not involuntary. These include the provision of proof of age and the consent of both the volunteer and the parents;

2. Suggesting that countries should address the root causes of children’s recruitment and participation in conflict and to give support to local communities trying to provide protection for their children in times of war;

3. Asking for State Parties taking feasible measures to prevent such as effective and use, including the adoption of legal measures necessary to prohibit and criminalize such practices;

4. Further recommending focusing more on supporting national measures such as effective implementation of disarmament, demobilization and the establishment of social and legal conditions for preventing recruiting and other crimes against children;

5. Calling upon States and the United Nations system to recognize the important role of education in conflict areas in halting and preventing recruitment and re-recruitment of children contrary to the obligations of parties to conflict;

6. Urging the international community to establish child psychology units and mental health programms since kids are seriously suffering psychologically due to the insecurity they feel and fear of explosions and kidnappings;

7. Calling upon all states to approve the follow restrictions:

a) Travel restrictions on government and rebel leaders guilty of recruiting child soldiers

b) Imposition of arms embargoes

c) Ban of military assistance

d) Restrictions on the flow of financial resources

e) And the exclusion of government and insurgent leaders from any governance structures and amnesty provisions;

8. Decides to remain actively seized of this matter.