identifier: Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict, 2000

depositary: United Nations

publisher: International Committee of the Red Cross

reference: Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict, 2000

title: Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, 25 May 2000

country: Cabo Verde

action: declaration

reservation: Declaration: [The Republic of Cape Verde] declare[s] on behalf of the Cape Verdean Government, that the minimum age for special voluntary recruitment into the Cape Verdean armed forces is 17 years in accordance with article 31 of Legislative Decree No. 6/93 of 24 May 1993, published in official gazette No.18, series I. Moreover, Decree-Law No. 37/96 of 30 September 1986, published in official gazette No. 32, series I, which governs the provisions contained in the above-mentioned Legislative Decree, states the following in its article 60: Special recruitment … shall apply to citizens, who of their own freely expressed will, decide to enter military service subject to meeting the following requirements: (a) They must have attained the minimum age of 17 years; (b) They must have the consent of their parents or legal guardians; c) They must be mentally and physically fit for military service. Article 17 of Legislative Decree No. 6/93 and articles 29 and 63 of Decree-Law No. 37/96 provide that persons to be enrolled must be fully informed through appropriate documentation prepared by the high command of the armed forces about the duties involved in national military service. Under article 28 of that Decree-Law, all volunteers shall provide, prior to enlistment and as reliable proof of identity, their national identity card or passport. While article 8 of Legislative Decree No. 6/93 provides that in war time the minimum/maximum age for recruitment may be amended, the fact that Cape Verde is bound by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and is becoming a party to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, means that in no case shall the minimum age for recruitment be lower than 17 years. Indeed, article 12, paragraph 4, of the Constitution provides that the norms and principles of general international law and international treaty law duly approved or ratified shall take precedence, after their entry into force in the international and domestic legal system, over all domestic municipal legislative or normative acts under the Constitution.

country: Albania

country: Iraq

reservation: Pursuant to article 3, paragraph 2, the Government of the Republic of Iraq: (a) Declares that the minimum age at which it permits voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces is 18 years; (b) Sets forth below a description of the safeguards it has adopted to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced: - Such recruitment must be genuinely voluntary; - Volunteers must present reliable proof of age prior to acceptance into the national armed forces.

country: Costa Rica

reservation: Declaration : .....article 12 of the Constitution of the Republic of Costa Rica proscribes the army as a permanent institution. Accordingly, my Government considers that the declaration in question may be dispensed with for the purposes of article 3, paragraph 2, of the Protocol.

country: Romania

reservation: Declaration under article 3 (2) of the Protocol (Original: English): “According to the law, military service is compulsory for Romanian citizens, males, who reached the age of 20, except in case of war or upon request, during peacetime, when they may be recruited after the age of 18.”

reservation: Objection to the interpretative declaration made by Myanmar upon ratification (Original: English): “The Government of Romania has examined the interpretative declaration relating to Article 4 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (New York, 25 May 2000) made by the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar at the time of its ratification of the Optional Protocol. The Government of Romania considers that the aforementioned interpretative declaration constitutes in fact a reservation that seeks to limit the scope of Article 4, paragraph 2 and of Article 6, paragraph 3 of the Optional Protocol. Placing any responsibility deriving from recruitment of children under 18 years of age or their use in hostilities by non-state army solely with such groups runs counter to the obligation of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to take all feasible measures to prevent such recruitment and use, including the adoption of legal measures necessary to prohibit and criminalize such practices, as well as to ensure that persons within its jurisdiction recruited or used in hostilities contrary to the Optional Protocol are demobilized or otherwise released from service. Therefore, such a reservation contravenes the object and purpose of the Optional Protocol centered on the due diligence obligation of States Parties to take all feasible measures to protect persons under the age of 18 years from taking a direct part in hostilities and from being compulsorily recruited in their armed forces. The Government of Romania recalls that, according to customary international law as codified in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, a reservation incompatible with the object and purpose of a treaty shall not be permitted. Consequently, the Government of Romania objects to the aforementioned interpretative declaration made by the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. This objection shall not preclude the entry into force of the [Optional Protocol] between Romania and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.”

country: Syrian Arab Republic

reservation: Declaration: Ratification of the two Optional Protocols by the Syrian Arab Republic shall not in any event imply recognition of Israel and shall not lead to entry into any dealings with Israel in the matters governed by the provisions of the Protocols. The Syrian Arab Republic declares that the statutes in force and the legislation applicable to the Ministry of Defence of the Syrian Arab Republic do not permit any person under 18 years of age to join the active armed forces or the reserve bodies or formations and do not permit the enlistment of any person under that age.

country: Lebanon

country: Eswatini

reservation: Declaration made upon accession (Original: English) “As regards Article 3 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, the Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland states that the minimum age at which it permits recruitment of volunteers in the armed forces is eighteen (18) years (see section 17 (3) of the Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force Order No. 10 of 1977 on recruitment in the Kingdom of Swaziland). The Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland further states below the safeguards it has adopted to ensure that such recruitment is by no means done by force or under duress: A) The recruitment procedure in the armed forces of the Kingdom of Swaziland is committed by an advertisement in the press and national media for young people (boys and girls); B) The record consists of recruitment as appropriate, inter-alia, a birth certificate, certificate of education, and/or a certificate of apprenticeship; C) The inclusion of young people takes place in public, on a sports field or a similar place; D) All recruits undergo rigorous medical examination.”

country: Gabon

reservation: Declaration (Translation) (Original: French) Concerning article 3 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the Government of the Republic of Gabon declares that the authorized minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the armed forces and the Gendarmerie Nationale is eighteen (18) years. The Government of the Republic of Gabon further indicates below the safeguards it has adopted to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced: a) The recruitment procedure for the armed forces and the Gendarmerie Nationale in the Republic of Gabon is launched by an announcement in the national press and media for youth; b) The recruitment dossier includes, as the case may be, a birth certificate and a certificate of school enrolment and/or apprenticeship, inter alia; c) The induction of youths takes place in public, at a sports field or similar location; d) All recruits undergo a rigorous medical examination"

country: Togo

reservation: Declaration: In accordance with article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol, the Government of the Republic of Togo: (i) Declares that the minimum age at which voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces is permitted is eighteen (18) years; (ii) The following is a description of the safeguards that the Government has adopted to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced: Any person under 18 years of age cannot be recruited, neither accepted for recruitment, even voluntarily, nor registered as a member of the Togolese Armed Forces (FAT). National military service does not exist in Togo. The recruitment is national, voluntary, conducted in public upon presentation of a birth certificate, a school or training certificate and of diplomas obtained. All recruits undergo a rigorous medical examination.

country: Congo

reservation: Declaration (Translation) (Original: French) With regard to article 3 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, the Government of the Republic of the Congo declares that the minimum age at which it permits voluntary enlistment into the armed forces and national gendarmerie is eighteen (18) years in the case of the army and twenty (20) years in the case of the gendarmerie (see article 4 of Act No.17-61 of 16 January 1961 on the organization of and recruitment into the armed forces of the Republic of the Congo). The Government of the Republic of the Congo further sets forth below the safeguards it has adopted to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced: (a) The procedure for recruitment into the armed forces of the Congo and the national gendarmerie shall be initiated through an advertisement addressed to young men and women in the press and the national media; (b) Applications shall include a birth certificate, a certificate of school attendance and/or apprenticeship certificate; (c) The induction ceremony of the young recruits shall be held in public, at a sports field or other similar venue; (d) All the recruits shall undergo a thorough medical examination.

country: Vanuatu

reservation: Declaration: "... the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu pursuant to Article 3 (2) of the Protocol hereby declares that the minimum age at which it will permit voluntary recruitment into its national Armed Forces is 18 years of age as provided under Section 3 (2) of the Police Rules. Further declaration is made that Vanuatu has adopted the following safeguards to ensure that recruitment of personnel is not forced or coerced: A Candidate for appointment to the Force shall: a) have reached the age of 18 years and shall not be over the age of 30 years b) be certified by a Government medical officer to be in good health, of sound constitution and fitted both physically and mentally to perform the duties on which he will be employed after appointment; c) have a minimum height of 1.70 meters (5 feet 8 inches); d) have a minimum education certificate of a Senior Primary Certificate on a Certificate d'Études Primaire or pass a Police Entrance Examination; e) be of good moral character."

country: Nigeria

reservation: Declaration: For the purposes of the provisions of article 3 of the Protocol, Spain declares that the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into its armed forces is 18 years.

country: North Macedonia

reservation: Declaration: "Related to Article 3, paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts the Republic of Macedonia states that under the Macedonian legislation there are no possibilities, neither on obligatory or voluntary grounds, to direct any person younger than 18 years of age to military service, i.e. there is no opportunity to violate the right to a special protection of persons of less than 18 years of age. In order to ensure that persons under 18 do not join its Armed Forces, the Republic of Macedonia has made the following provision: Article 62 of the Law on Defense of the Republic of Macedonia sets forth that draftees shall be directed to military service after attaining 19 years of age. The draftee who requests to be drafted for military service shall be directed to military service after three months from the day of submission of the application, if he/she has attained 18 years of age."

country: Bolivia

reservation: Declaration: Bolivia declares that, under its legislation in force, the minimum age for compulsory military service in the armed forces is 18 years. As for pre-military service, it is a voluntary alternative available for young persons from the age of 17 years.

country: Jordan

country: Afghanistan

reservation: Declaration: ".....according to the Decree No. 20 dated 25 May 2003 on the voluntary enrollment to the Afghan National Army, signed by H.E. Hamed Karzi Head of State of Afghanistan, the minimum age for recruitment of Afghan Citizen to an active military service is limited by the age of 22 to 28. All recruitments of personnel in the Afghan National Army is voluntary and is not forced or coerced."

country: Timor-Leste

reservation: Declaration: "Pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed conflicts the Government of Timor-Leste declares, that the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces is 18 years, as specified by the domestic law of Timor-Leste."

country: Holy See

reservation: Declaration: "The Holy See, with regard to article 3, paragraph 2, of the Protocol, declares that, for what concerns the Vatican City State, the Regulations of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, approved in 1976, establish that the recruitment of its members is only voluntary and that the minimum age is set forth at 19 years."

country: Democratic Republic of the Congo

reservation: Declaration: Pursuant to article 3, paragraph 2, of the Protocol, the Democratic Republic of the Congo undertakes to implement the principle of prohibiting the recruitment of children into the armed forces, in accordance with Decree-Law No. 066 of 9 June 2000 on the demobilization and rehabilitation of vulnerable groups on active service in the armed forces, and to take all feasible measures to ensure that persons who have not yet attained the age of 18 years are not recruited in any way into the Congolese armed forces or into any other public or private armed group throughout the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

reservation: Declaration: "The Government of the Republic of Kenya declares that the minimum age for the recruitment of persons into the armed forces is by law set at eighteen years. Recruitment is entirely and genuinely voluntary and is carried out with the full informed consent of the persons being recruited. There is no conscription in Kenya. The Government of the Republic of Kenya reserves the right at any time by means of a notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to add, amend or strengthen the present declaration. Such notifications shall take effect from the date of their receipt by the Secretary General of the United Nations."

reservation: Declaration made upon accession: "In accordance with article 3 of the second Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, and with a view to concluding the procedures for the ratification thereof, I have the honour to transmit to you the following Declaration on behalf of the Government of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria: By virtue of Order No. 74-103 dated 15 November 1974 containing the National Service Act, Algerian youths who have reached the age of 19 years may be recruited for National Service. In application of Order No. 06-02 dated 18 February 2006 containing the General Military Service Personnel Act, Presidential Decree No. 08-134 dated 6 May 2008 specifies the conditions for the recruitment of officers serving in the Algerian Army under which the minimum age for the recruitment of persons in this category shall be 18 years. The same legislative provision shall apply to enlisted military personnel, primarily noncommissioned officers, and is extended to private soldiers by virtue of internal regulations since 1969 (Order No. 69-90 dated 31 October 1969 containing the Act on Non-Commissioned Officers Serving in the National People’s Army). Furthermore, all the guarantees relating to the voluntary recruitment of those concerned and which, in the case of minors, require the permission of the persons legally responsible for them as well as adequate knowledge of the obligations inherent in military service are contained in the Algerian legal texts. Those texts, in addition to establishing the free and uncoerced nature of recruitment in the ranks of the National People’s Army, are also applicable to holders of the baccalaureat who have reached the age of 17 years and who, by virtue of article 14 of Presidential Decree No. 08-134 dated 8 May 2008, must obtain the permission of their parents or legal guardian. It is worth mentioning that the military schools that are scheduled to be established in Algeria do not fall within the scope of article 3 of the second Optional Protocol because the students of such establishments are under the administration or tutelage of the armed forces which are exempt from the obligation to raise the minimum age of voluntary recruitment (article 3, paragraph 5, of the Optional Protocol). The Protocol will enter into force for Algeria on 6 June 2009 in accordance with its article 10 (2) which reads as follows: "For each State ratifying the present Protocol or acceding to it after its entry into force, the present Protocol shall enter into force one month after the date of the deposit of its own instrument of ratification or accession.""

reservation: Declaration: Ukraine confirms its obligations taken under Article 38 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in case of the armed conflicts which concern children and, referring to paragraph 2 of Article 3 of the Optional Protocol, declares hereby that the minimum age for the voluntary (on a contractual basis) joining into its national armed forces is 19 years. Ukraine, in accordance with the provisions of its national legislation, guarantees its adherence to the exclusive principle of voluntarism in the process of recruitment of citizens into its armed forces on a contractual basis, without any manifestation of violence and enforcement.

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification (Original: English): “Pursuant to Article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts, the Government of the Republic of Ghana hereby declares that the minimum age at which it permits voluntary recruitment into its National Armed Forces is 18. The age limit is prescribed in the Armed Forces Regulations Volume 1, Article 6.01 (1) (c) and applicants are requested to submit their birth certificate for verification. The recruitment into the Army is not forced or coerced and is voluntary.”

reservation: Declaration: "With regard to article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the participation of Children in Armed Conflict, the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone declares that: 1. The minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the Armed Forces is 18 years; 2. There is no compulsory, forced or coerced recruitment into the National Armed Forces; 3. Recruitment is exclusively on a voluntary basis."

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification (Original: English): "Pursuant to article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts, Ireland declares: In general, the minimum age for recruitment into the Irish armed forces is 17. An exception is made in the case of apprentices, who may be recruited at the age of 16. However, apprentices are not assigned to any military duties until they have completed up to four years apprenticeship trade training, by which time all would have attained the age of 18. Ireland has adopted the following safeguards to ensure that recruitment of personnel under the age of 18 is not forced or coerced: All recruitment to the Irish armed forces is voluntary. Ireland does not practice conscription and recruitment campaigns are informational in nature. Applicants must fill in an application and are selected on the basis of suitability. Applicants who are offered a position are under no obligation to accept that position. All applicants are required to provide proof of age. All unmarried applicants who are under 18 must have the written consent of a parent or guardian. In Ireland a person attains full age or adulthood either on attaining the age of 18 or upon marriage if they marry before that age. Under Irish law a person who is under the age of 18 years may not enter into a valid marriage unless an exemption is granted by the Circuit or High Court."

reservation: Declaration made on 12.01.2015 (Original: English): “… refer[s] to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict and the declaration made by Ireland, pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 2, when depositing its instrument of ratification in respect of the Protocol on 18 November 2002. … notif[ies], on behalf of Ireland, pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 4, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, of the following amended declaration: ‘Pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, Ireland declares: The minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the Irish armed forces is 18 years of age. All recruitment to the Irish armed forces is voluntary. Ireland does not practice conscription and recruitment campaigns are informational in nature. Applicants must fill in an application and are selected on the basis of suitability. Applicants who are offered a position are under no obligation to accept that position. All applicants are required to provide proof of age.’"

reservation: Declaration: "The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka [....] declares in accordance with article 3 (2) of [the Protocol] that under the laws of Sri Lanka: (a) there is no compulsory, forced or coerced recruitment into the national armed forces; (b) recruitment is solely on a voluntary basis; (c) the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into national armed forces is 18 years."

reservation: Declaration: The Government of Burkina Faso, pursuant to article 3 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, hereby declares that the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces is 18. Recruitment is voluntary and such persons must provide reliable proof of age. They are fully informed, prior to recruitment, of the duties involved in such military service. The Government of Burkina Faso hereby states that it is forbidden for any person under the age of 18 to participate in times of war and in times of peace in any peacekeeping operation or in any kind of armed operational engagement.

reservation: Declaration: We hereby declare that the minimum age required for regular conscription and for entry into the schools for officers and sub-officers is twenty (20) years. Candidates shall enlist in an individual capacity and shall sign enlistment and re-enlistment contracts freely and in person.

reservation: Declaration: In fulfilment of the obligation laid down in article 3, paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the Government of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay, in line with the reservation made at the time of depositing the instrument of ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, declares: That in exercise of its sovereignty and in accordance with domestic law, it does not under any circumstances permit voluntary recruitment into the armed forces of persons under 18 years of age.

reservation: Declaration under article 3 (2) made upon ratification (Original: English): “[…] 1. That pursuant to Article 3 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in Armed Conflict, the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces is 18. 2. That recruitment is voluntary and such persons must provide reliable proof of age. 3. That they are fully informed, prior to recruitment, of the duties involved in such military service. 4. That the Republic of The Gambia has established safeguards to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced, including a requirement in Section 59 of the Children’s Act, 2005, which stipulates that ‘a child shall not be recruited into any of the branches of the Armed Forces of The Gambia or other Security Agencies and that the Government or any other relevant agency or body shall ensure that no child is directly involved in any military operations or hostilities’.”

reservation: Declaration: "With regard to article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the Brazilian Government declares that, according to article 143 of the Federal Constitution, military service is compulsory, as set forth by law. The Constitution also provides that it is within the competence of the Armed Forces, according to the law, to assign an alternative service to those who, in times of peace, after being enlisted, claim imperative of conscience. Women and clergymen are exempt from compulsory military service in times of peace, but are subject to other duties assigned by law. According to the Military Service Act (Law no 4.375, of 17 August 1964), the obligation to military service, in times of peace, begins the 1st January of the year the citizen becomes 18 years old (article 5). Pursuant to the Regulation of the Military Service (Decree no 57.654, of 20 January 1966), citizens may freely present themselves to voluntary military service provided they have the minimum age of 16 years (article 41, paragraph 1 and article 49, paragraph 4). However, their acceptance to voluntary military service is only possible from the 1st January of the year they become 17 years old (article 127). The acceptance of voluntaries to Military Service requires special authorization from the Armed Forces (Military Service Act, article 27). Pursuant to the Regulation of the Military Service, the civil incapacity to act, to the purposes of military service, ends on the date the citizen becomes 17 years old. Voluntaries who, upon the act of incorporation or enrollment to the military service, have not yet completed 17 years old, must present written consent from parents or guardians (article 239)."

reservation: Declaration: "In accordance with Article 3 (2) of [the Optional Protocol], the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh declares that the minimum age at which it permits voluntary recruitment into its national Armed Forces is sixteen years for non-commissioned soldiers and seventeen years for commissioned officers, with informed consent of parents or legal guardian, without any exception. The Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh further provides hereunder a description of the safeguards it has adopted to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced: The process of recruitment in the national Armed Forces is initiated through advertisement in the national press and the media for officers and other ranks without exception. The first induction of new recruits is conducted invariably in a public place such as a national park, school ground or a similar place. Public participation is welcomed in such programmes. Before a recruit presents himself he has to submit a written declaration from his parents or legal guardians consenting to his recruitment. If the parent or legal guardian is illiterate the declaration is verified and counter signed by the Chairmain of the Union Parishad. The recruit is required to present birth certificate, matriculation certificate and full school records. All recruits whether officers or other ranks have to undergo rigorous medical examination including checks for puberty. A recruit found to be pre-pubescent is automatically rejected. Officers and other ranks without exception are required to undergo two years of compulsory training. This ensures that they are not assigned to combat units before the age of 18. All officers and other ranks are carefully screened before being assigned to combat units. These tests include tests of psychological maturity including an understanding of the elements of international law of armed conflict inculcated at all levels. The Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh declares that stringent checks in accordance with the obligations assumed under the Optional Protocol will continue to be applied without exception."

reservation: Declaration: "The Republic of Montenegro hereby declares that in accordance with article 3, paragraph 2, the Government of the Republic of Montenegro does not impose mandatory military service. The minimum age at which Montenegro will permit voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces shall be 18 years. This provision is already prescribed in the Bill on Defence and Bill on the Army of the Republic of Montenegro, which are currently in the procedure in the Montenegrin Government."

reservation: Declaration: "The Government of the Republic of Botswana declares, pursuant to Article 3 (2), of the Optional Protocol, that: a) There is no compulsory conscription into the Defence Force. b) The process of recruitment in the Defence Force is initiated through advertisement in the national press in which the minimum age limit of 18 years is stipulated as one of the requirements. c) The induction of all recruits is conducted in public. d) All recruits are required to present a national identity card which states their date of birth, school completion certificate, and other educational records where necessary. e) All recruits undergo a rigorous medical examination where pre-pubescence would be noticed, and any person determined to be underage is routinely rejected from recruitment."

reservation: Declaration: "The State of Bosnia and Herzegovina will not permit voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces of any person under age of 18. Such provision is incorporated into the Law on Defense of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina ("Official Gazette of Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina" No. 15/96, 23/02, 18/03) and Law on Army of Republika Srpska ("Official gazette of Republika Srpska" No 31/96, 96/01), and is in compliance with Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child that was ratified by Bosnia and Herzegovina."

reservation: Declaration: With reference to Article (3), Paragraph (2) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child concerning the involvement of children in armed conflict, the Kingdom of Bahrain hereby declares that the minimum age for voluntary recruitment to Bahrain Defence force is 18 years.

reservation: Declaration made upon accession (Original: English): “Pursuant to article 3 paragraph 2 of the said Optional Protocol, the Government of Malaysia declares that the minimum age for a person to voluntarily enlist in its armed forces is at the age of seventeen and a half years. This enlistment shall be realised on the basis of deliberative consent of parents or guardians, upon the provision of full information regarding the general conditions of the engagement to be entered, and the production of a certified copy of an entry in the register of births verifying the enlistee’s age.”

reservation: Declaration: "... The Republic of Croatia makes the following declaration in relation to Article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts: "Related to Article 3, paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts, the Republic of Croatia states that Croatian legislation prevents persons under 18 from joining the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia. In order to ensure that persons under 18 do not join its Armed Forces, the Republic of Croatia has made the following provisions: - It has been stipulated by law that military service consists of duty to register as a recruit, to enter military service (conscription), and to serve in the reserves in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia; - The duty to register as a recruit arises in the calendar year in which a person turns 18, and remains until the person enters military service (conscription) or service in civilian life i.e. until the person is transferred to the reserves or until military service ceases pursuant to the provisions of the Defence Act. The process of recruitment includes registration in the military records, medical and other examinations, psychological tests and recruitment itself. It is a preliminary procedure required in order to determine whether a person is eligible for military service. The status of the recruit remains valid until entering military service (conscription) to which, according to the law, a recruit may not be sent before reaching the age of 18; - Eligible recruits are sent to do their military service (conscription) after they come of age (turn 18), normally in the calendar year in which they turn 19, thereby becoming conscripts. Recruits are not part of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia; conscripts make one component of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia."

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification (Original : English) : “In accordance with Article 3, paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, 2000, the Government of Saint Lucia declares that the minimum age required for voluntary recruitment into the Police Force is eighteen (18) years, in accordance with section 3 (a) of the Police (amendment) Act, 2013.”

reservation: Declaration: The Government of the Republic of Poland, with the regard to article 3, paragraph 2 of the Protocol, declares that: 1. under the Polish law the minimum age in the case of obligatory recruitment of the Polish citizens into the national Armed Forces is eighteen (18) years. 2. under the Polish law the minimum age for the voluntary recruitment of the Polish citizens into the national Armed Forces is seventeen (17) years. Joining the Polish Armed Forces is really voluntary and a candidate is obliged to show a special document certifying the date of his/her birth. Moreover the consent of the person's parents or legal guardians is required before the admission to the service.

reservation: Declaration: ".....the Slovak Republic declares that according to its legislation, the minimum age at which voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces is permitted, is regulated by Act No. 570/2005 on the Conscription Obligation and on Amendment of certain Acts section 6, which stipulates that a person can voluntary accept the conscription obligation as of 1st January of the calendar year in which he/she reaches the age of 19 years; and Act No. 346/2005 on the State Service of the Professional Soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic and on Amendment of certain Acts section 13, which stipulates reaching the age of 18 years as the requirement for admission to the state service of the professional soldier. The fact, that the recruitment can be performed exclusively on the basis of a law in accordance with the Constitution of the Slovak Republic, is the sufficient safeguard to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced."

reservation: Declaration: The military forces of Colombia, in application of the norms of international humanitarian law for the protection of the best interests of the child and in application of domestic legislation, do not recruit minors in age into their ranks unless they have the consent of their parents. Act 418 of 1997, extended through Act 548 of 1999 and amended by Act 642 of 2001, stipulates that persons under 18 years of age shall not be recruited to perform military service. Students in the eleventh grade who are minors, in accordance with Act 48 of 1993, and who are selected to perform such service, shall defer their enlistment until they have reached age 18. If, on reaching majority, the youth who has deferred military service shall have been matriculated or admitted to an undergraduate programme in an institution of higher education, he shall have the option of serving his duty immediately or deferring it until completion of his studies. If he should choose to serve immediately, the educational institution shall reserve a space for him under the same conditions; if he should choose to defer, the corresponding degree may be granted only when his military service has been completed as ordered by law. Interruption of higher-level studies shall entail the obligation of enlistment into military service. Civilian or military authorities who disregard this provision shall be subject to dismissal on grounds of misconduct. The youth recruited who has deferred his military service until completion of his professional studies shall fulfil his constitutional duty as a graduate professional or technician in the service of the armed forces in activities of social service to the community, public works and tasks of a scientific or technical nature as required in the respective unit to which he has been assigned. In such case, military service shall be of six months' duration and shall be credited as the rural service year, practicum, industrial semester, year of court internship, obligatory social service or similar academic requirements that the programme of study establishes as a degree requirement. For those entering a law career, such military service may replace the thesis or monograph for the degree and in any case, shall replace the obligatory social service referred to in article 149 of Act 446 of 1998.

reservation: Declaration: "Under the Malta Armed Forces Act (Chapter 220 of the Laws of Malta), enacted in 1970, enlistment in the Armed Forces of Malta shall be made on a voluntary basis and no person under the age of seventeen years and six months may be so enlisted. A person under 18 years may not be enlisted unless consent to the enlistment is given in writing by the father of such person or, if such person is not subject to paternal authority, by the mother or by an other person in whose care the person offering to enlist may be. In any case, the term of engagement of a person enlisting under the age of 18 expires on reaching 18 years of age and enlistment has to be renewed. It is a mandatory condition for enlistment of potential recruits to produce a birth certificate from the national Civil Status Office to attest their age. The Malta Armed Forces Act also provides that any person of whatever age offering to enlist in the regular force shall, before enlistment, be given a notice on the prescribed form stating the general conditions of engagement and the recruiting officer shall not enlist any person in the regular force unless satisfied that the potential recruit has been given such notice, understood its contents and wishes to be enlisted. In practice the Armed Forces of Malta do not recruit and have not since 1970 recruited persons under the age of 18 years. The Government of Malta further declares that if in future recruitment of persons under 18 years were made such members of the armed forces will not take part in hostilities. Regulations under the Malta Armed Forces Act provide for a Junior Leaders Scheme whereby persons under the age of seventeen and six months could be recruited for training but in a non-combatant position, but in effect no such recruitment has taken place since 1970."

reservation: Declaration: "The Principality of Liechtenstein declares that, with respect to the Principality of Liechtenstein, articles 1 and 2 as well as article 3, in particular paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol of 25 May 2000 to the Convention on the Rights of the Child of 20 November 1989 on the involvement of children in armed conflict have to be understood in light of the fact that the Principality of Liechtenstein has no national armed forces and that hence no legislation on a minimum age for the recruitment of persons into the armed forces and for taking part in hostilities exists. The Principality of Liechtenstein regards the ratification of the Optional Protocol as part of its continuing commitment to the protection of the rights of children and at the same time as an act of its solidarity with the objectives of the said Protocol."

reservation: Declaration: The Swiss Government declares, in accordance with article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol, that the minimum age for the recruitment of volunteers into its national armed forces is 18 years. That age is specified by the Swiss legal system.

reservation: Declaration: "1. The minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the Armed Forces of the Philippines is 18 years, except for training purposes whose duration shall have the students/cadets/trainees attain the majority age at the completion date; 2. There is no compulsory, forced or coerced recruitment into the Armed Forces of the Philippines; and, 3. Recruitment is exclusively on a voluntary basis."

reservation: Declaration: "The Government of Belize declares that in accordance with Article 3 of the Protocol, the minimum age at which voluntary recruitment to any military service in Belize shall be permitted in sixteen years. In recruiting among persons who have attained sixteen years but less than eighteen years, the following principles are to be observed: 1. Such recruitment is to be genuinely voluntary and reliable proof of age must be given; 2. Such persons are to receive the informed consent of his/her parent or guardian; 3. Such persons are, before being recruited, well-informed of the duties involved in the military service; 4. Such persons may be able to withdraw from the military service within the first month of having enlisted."

reservation: Declaration under article 3 (2) made upon ratification on 29.03.2021 (Original: English): “… pursuant to article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the Republic of Fiji Military Forces is 18 years.”

reservation: Declaration: On behalf of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the honor to declare that, in accordance with [paragraph] 2 of article 3 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of a Child with respect to participation of children in military conflicts, the voluntarily recruitment of those under age of 18 to the armed forces of the Republic of Tajikistan shall be prohibited.

reservation: Declaration : France hereby declares that it recruits only volunteers aged at least 17 who have been informed of the rights and duties involved in military service and that the enlistment of recruits under the age of 18 is valid only with the consent of their legal representatives.

reservation: Declaration: "In compliance with Article 3, Paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol, the Republic of Slovenia declares that the minimum age at which it will permit voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces is 18 years. The minimum age shall apply equally to men and women. By phasing out the recruitment system and introducing professional military service, the contractual reserve forces and service in the national armed forces shall be voluntary and regulated by a contract between the two parties."

reservation: Declaration: "Pursuant to article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts, Canada hereby declares: 1. The Canadian Armed Forces permit voluntary recruitment at the minimum age of 16 years. 2. The Canadian Armed Forces have adopted the following safeguards to ensure that recruitment of personnel under the age of 18 years is not forced or coerced: (a) all recruitment of personnel in the Canadian Forces is voluntary. Canada does not practice conscription or any form of forced or obligatory service. In this regard, recruitment campaigns of the Canadian Forces are informational in nature. If an individual wishes to enter the Canadian Forces, he or she fills in an application. If the Canadian Forces offer a particular position to the candidate, the latter is not obliged to accept the position; (b ) recruitment of personnel under the age of 18 is done with the informed and written consent of the person's parents or legal guardians. Article 20, paragraph 3, of the National Defence Act states that 'a person under the age of eighteen years shall not be enrolled without the consent of one of the parents or the guardian of that person', (c) personnel under the age of 18 are fully informed of the duties involved in military service. The Canadian Forces provide, among other things, a series of informational brochures and films on the duties involved in military service to those who wish to enter the Canadian Forces; and (d) personnel under the age of 18 must provide reliable proof of age prior to acceptance into national military service. An applicant must provide a legally recognized document, that is an original or a certified copy of their birth certificate or baptismal certificate, to prove his or her age."

reservation: Declaration: "The Government of New Zealand declares that the minimum age at which New Zealand will permit voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces shall be 17 years. The Government of New Zealand further declares that the safeguards which it has adopted to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced include the following: (a) Defence Force recruitment procedures requiring that persons responsible for recruitment ensure that such recruitment is genuinely voluntary; (b) legislative requirements that the consent of parent or guardian is obtained for enlistment where such consent is necessary under NZ law. The parent or guardian must also acknowledge that the person enlisting will be liable for active service after reaching the age of 18 years; (c) a detailed and informative enlistment process, which ensures that all persons are fully informed of the duties involved in military service prior to taking an oath of allegiance; and (d) a recruiting procedure, which requires enlistees to produce their birth certificate as reliable proof of age."

reservation: Declaration : .....on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Paraguay, that in accordance with the relevant national and international legal norms, it has been decided to establish the age of sixteen (16) years as the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the armed forces. Moreover, the measures adopted to permit voluntary recruitment will be in conformity with the principles laid down in article 3, paragraph 3 of the Optional Protocol.

reservation: Declaration : In accordance with article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the Republic of Tunisia declares the following: Under Tunisian law, the minimum age for voluntary recruitment of Tunisian citizens into the armed forces is 18 years. In accordance with article 1 of Act No. 51-1989 of 14 March 1989 on military service, "all citizens aged 20 shall perform national service in person, except in the case of a medically certified impediment. However, citizens may, at their request, and with the consent of their legal guardian, perform military service at the age of 18 years, subject to the approval of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence." In accordance with article 27 of Act No. 51-1989 of 14 March 1989 on military service, "any citizen between the ages of 18 and 23 may be admitted into military schools subject to such conditions as may be determined by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence. Young people who have not attained the age of majority must first get the consent of their legal guardian; in such case, the first year of service shall count towards the fulfilment of military service obligations and be considered as enlistment before call-up." Articles 1 and 27 of the Act of 14 March 1989 provide legal safeguards for citizens under the age of 18 years, since acceptance into national military service or recruitment into the armed forces is on a strictly voluntary basis.

reservation: Declaration made on 18 november 2010 (Original: English) "The Government of the Republic of Guyana hereby declares that under the Defence Act 15:01 Section 18(2), as amended, the age of recruitment into the national armed forces is eighteen years. Eighteen years is the age of adulthood under the laws of Guyana. Recruitment is permitted between the ages of 16 and 18 years but must be with the consent of the parent or legal guardian. Guyana does not practice conscription or any other form of forced or obligatory military service. The Government of Guyana has adopted the following safeguards to ensure that recruitment is not forced or coerced: (i) Recruitment is carried out by public advertisement and an open entrance examination; (ii) Selection of Recruits is done by a Recruitment Board comprising Defence Force members and Government representatives; (iii) Persons are not recruited without the reliable proof of age; (iv) Before recruitment, persons are fully briefed on the duties and responsibilities involved in military service; (v) Persons recruited have the option of withdrawing from military service after three years or before if the circumstances are extenuating; (vi) Persons recruited undergo a full and rigorous medical examination."

reservation: Declaration: "In accordance with the Article 3, paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, adopted in New York, 25 May 2000, I have the honour to declare that in the Kyrgyz Republic the minimum age for recruitment of its citizens (men) to an active military service is limited by the age of 18 years (Article 10 of the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic "On the general military service of citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic")."

reservation: Declaration: ...the required legal age for volunteering to serve in the armed forces of the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, according to the national legislation thereof, is eighteen years.

reservation: Declaration: In accordance with the requirements currently in force, young persons of both sexes wishing to enter the Nicaraguan armed forces must: 1. Be between 18 and 21 years of age. Young persons choosing a military career must submit a notarized authorization from their parents or guardians in order to prevent recruitment by force or coercion; 2. Be Nicaraguan nationals; 3. Be physically and mentally fit; 4. Be unmarried and without children; 5. Not be subject to criminal proceedings and not have been convicted by the country's jurisdictional bodies; 6. Consent voluntarily and freely to join the Nicaraguan army

reservation: Declaration under article 3 (2) made upon ratification on 16.11.2021 (Original: English): “Pursuant to Article 3, Paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, the Republic of Suriname hereby declares that in accordance with Article 9, Paragraph 1 sub b and Article 11, Paragraph 2 of the Military Legal Position Law (S.B. 1996 No. 28) of the Republic of Suriname, the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the Suriname National Army is 18 years. In order to guarantee that applicants are not under aged, they are required to submit a certificate from the National Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.”

reservation: Declaration: "Minimum age for voluntary recruitment:18 years. Minimum age for entry into schools operated by or under the control of armed forces: Not applicable. Status of pupils in these schools (are they part of the armed forces: Not applicable. What reliable proof of age is required: birth certificate. What do the armed forces comprise: Adult men and women."

reservation: Declaration: .....pursuant to article 3, paragraph 2 of the above-mentioned Protocol, the Government of the Republic of El Salvador declares that the minimum age for Salvadorans who wish to enlist voluntarily for military service is 16 years, in accordance with articles 2 and 6 of the Act on Military Service and Reserves of the Armed Forces of El Salvador. The following is a description of the safeguards that the relevant Salvadoran authorities have adopted to ensure that the military service provided is legally voluntary: - The 16-year-old minor must submit a written request to the Recruitment and Reserves Office or its subsidiary offices, unequivocally stating a desire to provide military service; - Submission of the original birth certificate or minor's card; - Document certifying knowledge of and consent to the request to provide military service from the minor's parents, guardian or legal representative, all in accordance with the provisions of title II on parental authority, article 206 et seq. of the Family Code; - Acceptance of the request shall be subject to the needs for military service.

reservation: Declaration: The Government of the Italian Republic declares, in compliance with article 3: - That Italian legislation on voluntary recruitment provides that a minimum age of 17 years shall be required with respect to requests for early recruitment for compulsory military service or voluntary recruitment (military duty on a short-term and yearly basis); - That the legislation in force guarantees the application, at the time of voluntary recruitment, of the provisions of article 3, paragraph 3, of the Protocol, inter alia, as regards the requirement of the consent of the parent or guardian of the recruit.

reservation: Declaration : ".....in accordance with Article 3 paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol, [...] the minimum age required for voluntary recruitment into the Swedish National Armed Forces is eighteen (18) years."

reservation: Upon signature: Declaration: This signature is equally binding on the French community, the Flemish community and the German-speaking community. Upon ratification: Declarations: 1. In accordance with article 3, paragraph 2, and bearing in mind article 3, paragraph 5, the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium states that the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the Belgian armed forces is not lower than 18 years. 2. The Government of the Kingdom of Belgium states that it is absolutely forbidden under Belgian law for any person under the age of 18 years to participate in times of war and in times of peace in any peacekeeping operation or in any kind of armed operational engagement. Moreover, non-governmental militias are prohibited, regardless of the age of the persons concerned. 3. The Government of the Kingdom of Belgium shall not act upon a request for judicial cooperation where doing so would lead to discrimination between governmental and non-governmental forces in violation of the principle of international humanitarian law of equality of parties to a conflict, including in the event of armed conflict of a non-international nature.

reservation: Declaration (Translation) (Original: Chinese) 1. The minimum age for citizens voluntarily entering the Armed Forces of the People’s Republic of China is 17 years of age. 2. The Government of the People’s Republic of China is applying the following safeguard measures in implementing the foregoing provision: (1) The Military Service Law of the People’s Republic of China provides that each year, male citizens who have reached 18 years of age by 31 December shall be recruited for active service. To meet the needs of the armed forces and on the principle of voluntary participation, male and female citizens who have not yet reached 18 years of age by 31 December of a given year may be recruited for active service. Citizens eligible for enlistment who have registered for military service but who have not been recruited for active service shall serve in the enlistees reserves, for which the minimum age is 18. The Regulations on the Recruitment of Soldiers formulated by the State Council and the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China on the basis of the Military Service Law of the People’s Republic of China, provides that in order to meet the needs of the armed forces and on the principle of voluntary participation, male and female citizens who have not yet reached 17 years of age by 31 December of a given year may be recruited for active service. (2) The Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China provides that whoever engages in favouritism and commits irregularities in conscription work or accepts or delivers unqualified recruits shall be sentenced to not more than three years of fixed-term imprisonment or criminal detention, if the circumstances are serious; such an offender is to be sentenced to not less than three years but not more than seven years of fixed-term imprisonment if the consequences are especially serious. (3) Under the provisions of the Regulations on Honest and Non-Corrupt Recruitment, formulated by the State Council and the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China, neither the loosening of recruitment conditions nor the lowering of enlistment standards are to be allowed. They further provide for the implementation of a system of visiting the homes and work units of youth who enlist, and for verifying the ages of enlisting youth. The Protocol will enter into force for China on 20 March 2008 in accordance with its article 10 (2) which reads as follows: "For each State ratifying the present Protocol or acceding to it after its entry into force, the present Protocol shall enter into force one month after the date of the deposit of its own instrument of ratification or accession." Communication (Translation) (Original: Chinese) In accordance with provisions of article 153 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, and of article 138 of the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region, the Government of the People’s Republic of China decides that the ratification shall apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China.

reservation: Déclaration: "In accordance with paragraph 2, Article 3 of the aforementioned Protocol, the Government of the Republic of Korea declares that the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the Korean national armed forces is 18 years."

reservation: Declaration : ".....the Republic of Lithuania declares that under Republic of Lithuania law the citizens of the Republic of Lithuania under the age of 18 years may not serve in the national armed forces: the minimum age of citizens of the Republic of Lithuania for voluntary recruitment into the active military service is 18 years, and the minimum age of citizens of the Republic of Lithuania for enlisting into the mandatory military service must be 19 years. Compulsory recruitment of children under the age of 18 years into the national armed forces shall involve liability under law of the Republic of Lithuania."

reservation: Declaration (Original: English) “Pursuant to Article 3, Paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol, the Republic of Singapore declares that: 1. The minimum age at which persons may be voluntarily recruited or enlisted into the Singapore Armed Forces is 16 years and 6 months; and 2. The Republic of Singapore maintains the following safeguards in respect of voluntary recruitment or enlistment of persons below the age of 18 years into the Singapore Armed Forces - a. The person is required to produce documentary proof of age, including an authentic birth certificate and identity card; b. Written consent of a parent or legal guardian of the person is required; and c. The person is fully informed of the duties involved in military service by the Singapore Armed Forces through, among other things, informational brochures and career counselors to explain the demands of military life.”

reservation: Declaration (Courtesy Translation) (Original: German): The Federal Republic of Germany declares that it considers a minimum age of 17 years to be binding for the voluntary recruitment of soldiers into its armed forces under the terms of Article 3 paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol. Persons under the age of 18 years shall be recruited into the armed forces solely for the purpose of commencing military training. The protection of voluntary recruits under the age of 18 years in connection with their decision to join the armed forces is ensured by the need to obtain the consent of their legal guardian and the indispensable requirement that they present an identification card or passport as a reliable proof of their age.

reservation: Objection to the reservation made by Oman upon signature (Courtesy Translation) (Original: German): “The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany has carefully examined the reservation made by the Government of the Sultanate of Oman to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. The reservation refers to all the provisions of the instrument that do not accord with Islamic law or the legislation in force in the Sultanate of Oman. The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany is of the opinion that the aforesaid restrictions make it unclear to which extent the Sultanate of Oman considers itself bound by the obligations from the Optional Protocol and that this gives rise to serious doubts as to the commitment of the Sultanate of Oman to the object and purpose thereof. The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany therefore objects to the reservation made by the Sultanate of Oman to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. This objection shall not preclude the entry into force of the Optional Protocol between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Sultanate of Oman.”

reservation: Objection made on 21.09.2020 to the interpretative declaration made by Myanmar upon ratification (Original: English): “The Permanent Mission of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Nations presents its compliments to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and has the honor to inform the Secretary-General, in his capacity as depositary of the Optional Protocol of May 25, 2000 to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict (hereinafter "the Optional Protocol"), that the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany has carefully examined the interpretative declaration made by the Republic of the Union of Myanmar upon ratification of the Optional Protocol on September 27, 2019. 1) Objection By maintaining that any responsibility deriving from recruitment of children under 18 years of age or their use in hostilities by non-state armed groups lies solely with such groups, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, in its declaration, purports to modify the legal effect of Article 4(2) and Article 6 of the Optional Protocol in their application to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. The Federal Government therefore qualifies the first sentence of this interpretative declaration as a reservation under Article 2(1)(d) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. In accordance with Article 4(2) of the Optional Protocol, States Parties shall take all feasible measures to prevent the recruitment and use of persons below the age of 18 years in hostilities, including the adoption of legal measures necessary to prohibit and criminalize such practices. Under Article 6 of the Optional Protocol, each State Party shall take all necessary legal, administrative and other measures to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of the provisions of the present Protocol within its jurisdiction. The States Parties undertake to make the principles and provisions of the present Protocol widely known and promoted by appropriate means, to adults and children alike. They shall take all feasible measures to ensure that persons within their jurisdiction recruited or used in hostilities contrary to the present Protocol are demobilized or otherwise released from service. States Parties shall, when necessary, accord to such persons all appropriate assistance for their physical and psychological recovery and their social reintegration. It is incompatible with the object and purpose of Article 4(2) and Article 6 of the Optional Protocol to assign any responsibility arising from the recruitment of children under the age of 18 or their use in hostilities by non-state armed groups solely to those groups. The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany recalls that, according to customary international law as codified in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, reservations that are incompatible with the object and purpose of a convention are not permissible. The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany therefore objects to the above-mentioned reservation by the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the Optional Protocol. This objection shall not preclude the entry into force of the Optional Protocol between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar in its entirety. The Optional Protocol will thus become operative between the two States without the Republic of the Union of Myanmar benefitting from the aforementioned reservation. 2) Declaration The Government of the Federal Republic of Germany understands the second and the third sentence of the interpretive declaration made by the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to mean that all ethnic armed groups in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar also have a duty to apply at all times the principles governing international humanitarian law.”

reservation: Declaration (Original: English) “… WHEREAS the age of majority in Seychelles is established at 18 years, under the ‘Age of Majority Act of 13th October 1980’; WHEREAS the ‘Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles of 21st June 1993’enshrines the rights of minors in Article 31 where it recognises the right of children and young persons to special protection; WHEREAS pursuant to Section 23 of the Seychelles ‘Defence Act of 1st January 1981’, no person who is under the age of 18 years shall be enrolled without the consent in writing of his/her parents or his/her guardians; WHEREAS according with the same ‘Defence Act of 1st January 1981’whenever a member of the Defence Force is under the age of 18 years and was enrolled irregularly or in error without the consent required by the law of Seychelles, he/she shall be discharged at the request of his/her parent or guardian; WHEREAS the Defence Academy of Seychelles admits children above the age of 15 only with the consent of their parents or guardians; BEARING IN MIND that Article 3, paragraph 4, of the aforesaid Protocol allows each State Party to strengthen its declaration at any time by notification to the Secretary-General of the United Nations;” The Protocol will enter into force for Seychelles on 10 September 2010 in accordance with its article 10 (2) which reads as follows: "For each State ratifying the present Protocol or acceding to it after its entry into force, the present Protocol shall enter into force one month after the date of the deposit of its own instrument of ratification or accession."

reservation: Declaration: In accordance with article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, the Government of the Republic of Mali declares that the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the national armed forces is 18 years of age or older. No boy or girl under 18 years of age may be recruited or be allowed to be recruited, even on a voluntary basis, or be enrolled as a member of the national armed forces. The Government of Mali is fully committed to this declaration and pledges to impose on anyone who violates such provision a penalty commensurate with the seriousness of the offence as provided for under its criminal law. Children who are unlawfully recruited into the armed forces may, depending on their individual circumstances, receive support for their economic and social rehabilitation and reintegration.

reservation: Declaration: "The Australian Defence Force (ADF) shall continue to observe a minimum voluntary recruitment age of 17 years. Pursuant to Article 3 (5) of the Optional Protocol, age limitations do not apply to military schools. A list of authorised establishments, both military and civilian (including those used to train apprentices), to which this age exemption applies is held by the Service Director-General Career Management. Age limitations also do not apply to cadet schemes, members of which are not recruited into, and are therefore not members of, the ADF. Persons wishing to join the ADF must present an original certified copy of their birth certificate to their recruiting officer. Before their enlistment or appointment, all ADF applicants who are less than 18 years of age must present the written informed consent of their parents or guardians. All applicants wishing to join the ADF must be fully informed of the nature of their future duties and responsibilities. Recruiting officers must be satisfied that an application for membership by a person less than 18 years of age is made on a genuinely voluntary basis."

reservation: Declarations : ".....the minimum age at which voluntary recruitment will be permitted into the Police Force (in the absence of national and armed forces) is eighteen (18) years in accordance with the Police Act, Chapter 14:01, Section 5 (a); .....recruitment will be carried out only through a recognized registered body; .....the consent of recruits is voluntary and is witnessed to with a signed declaration; .....an orientation period is provided prior to recruitment with the option of voluntary withdawal."

reservation: Declaration made upon signature on 06.09.2000: "Concerning article 2 of the Protocol, the Portuguese Republic considering that it would have preferred the Protocol to exclude all types or recruitment of persons under the age of 18 years - whether this recruitment is voluntary or not, declares that it will apply its domestic legislation which prohibits the voluntary recruitment of persons under the age of 18 years and will deposit a binding declaration, in conformity with paragraph 2 of article 3 of the Protocol, setting forth 18 years as the minimum age for voluntary recruitment in Portugal."

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification on 19.08.2003: "The Government of Portugal declares, in accordance with article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvment of Children in Armed Conflict that the minimum age for any recruitment - including voluntary - of persons into its national armed forces is 18 years. This age limit is already contained in the Portuguese domestic legisation."

reservation: Objection made on 25.09.2020 to the interpretative declaration made by Myanmar upon ratification (Original: English): “The Government of the Portuguese Republic has examined the interpretative declaration made by the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to Article 4 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict and considers that it amounts to a reservation that seeks to limit the scope of the [Optional Protocol] on a unilateral basis The Government of the Portuguese Republic considers this reservation to be contrary to the terms of Article 4, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol, according to which State Parties are obligated to take all feasible measures (including the adoption of legal measures necessary to prohibit and criminalize such practices) to prevent the recruitment and use in hostilities, by armed groups that are distinct from the armed forces of a State, of persons under the age of 18 years. Furthermore, the Government of the Portuguese Republic considers the reservation to be contrary to Article 6, paragraphs 1 and first part of paragraph 3, of the Optional Protocol, under which State Parties are obligated to “(...) take all necessary legal, administrative and other measures to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of the provisions of the present Protocol within its jurisdiction” and to “(...) take all feasible measures to ensure that persons within their jurisdiction recruited or used in hostilities contrary to the present Protocol are demobilized or otherwise released from service (...)”. Moreover, the Government of the Portuguese Republic considers that reservations allowing a State to limit its responsibilities under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict by waiving its responsibility over the recruitment of minors by non-State armed groups raises doubts as to the commitment of the reserving State to the object and purpose of the [Optional Protocol], as the reservation is likely to deprive the provisions of the [Optional Protocol] of their effect and is contrary to the object and purpose thereof. The Government of the Portuguese Republic recalls that according to customary international law as codified in the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, a reservation incompatible with the object and purpose of the [treaty] shall not be permitted. Thus, the Government of the Portuguese Republic objects to this reservation. This objection shall not preclude the entry into force of the Optional Protocol between the Portuguese Republic and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.”

reservation: Declaration: In accordance with article 3 paragraph 2 of the Protocol, the Republic of Moldova declares that the minimum age for recruitment into conscript military service in the Republic of Moldova is 18 years.

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification (Translation) (Original: French): Pursuant to article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the Government of Cameroon declares the following: 1. There is no conscription in Cameroon. Recruitment into the defence forces is voluntary, and forced military service does not exist. The minimum age for entry into the defence forces and national service is eighteen (18) years, pursuant to article 2 of Decree No. 2001/187 of 25 July 2001, which establishes the conditions for recruitment and admission to officer training schools; article 12 of Decree No. 2001/190 of 25 July 2001 on the specific status of defence force personnel below the rank of officer; and article 30 of Law No. 67/LF/9 of 12 June 1967 on the general organization of defence. 2. The following measures have been taken as additional safeguards: a) Recruitment is widely publicized in the media; b) Prior to admission to military service, reliable proof of age is required of all candidates, i.e., a certified copy of the candidate’s birth certificate no more than three (3) months old; c) Candidates who are not eighteen (18) years of age or older must provide the written, informed consent of a parent or legal guardian; d) A background check is conducted to confirm the accuracy of the information provided by the candidate; e) Candidates undergo a medical fitness examination; f) During training, members of the defence forces are fully informed of the duties associated with military service; g) The defence forces provide the public with regular information on the duties associated with military service, through radio and television broadcasts as well in the print media.

reservation: Declaration: "(1) The minimum age for recruitment in the Nepal Army and the Armed Police Force shall be 18 years. (2) The recruitment in the Nepal Army and the Armed Police Force shall be voluntary and shall be conducted through open competition."

reservation: Declaration : "In connection with the deposit of Denmark's instrument of ratification of the Optional Protocol on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict [the Government of Denmark declares] that Danish legislation does not permit the recruitment of any person below the age of 18 in the arrmed forces." With a territorial exclusion with respect of the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Further, on 23 January 2004, the Government of Denmark informed the Secretatry-General that it had decided to withdraw its territorial exclusion with regard to the Faroe Islands and Greenland made upon ratification.

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification (Translation) (Original: Spanish): Declares that, under the Dominican legislation in force, persons enlisting in the armed forces must be at least 18 but less than 23 years of age at the time of recruitment. Persons between 16 and 18 years of age may enlist in the armed forces with the prior consent of their parents or guardians. Recruitment into the armed forces is voluntary in peacetime and forced or compulsory when a state of emergency has been declared in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic. Should compulsory recruitment be imposed, persons under the age of 18 years will not be enlisted, and persons under the age of 18 years who are already enlisted will not be permitted to take an active part in hostilities.

reservation: Declaration made upon accession (Original: Arabic): 1. Saudi laws and regulations include neither texts nor provisions that allow any form of compulsory recruitment into the armed forces. 2. Joining the national armed forces is limited to formal employment (voluntary); and the law requires that the person requesting to be recruited should be at least 17 years old.

reservation: Declaration: "To defend the Homeland is the sacred duty and right of all citizens. Citizens have the obligation to fulfil military service and participate in building the all-people national defense. Under the law of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, only male citizens at the age of 18 and over shall be recruited in the military service. Those who are under the age of 18 shall not be directly involved in military battles unless there is an urgent need for safeguarding national independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. Male citizens up to the age of 17 who wish to make a long-term service in the army may be admitted to military schools. Voluntary recruitment to military schools shall be ensured by measures which, inter alia, include: - The Law on Military Duty and other regulations on the recruitment to military schools are widely disseminated through mass media; - Those who wish to study at a military school shall, on the voluntary basis, file their application, participate in and pass competitive examinations; they shall submit their birth certificates provided by the local authority, their education records, secondary education diploma; they shall also undergo health check in order to ensure that they are physically qualified to study and serve the military."

reservation: Declaration: "The Government of Finland declares in accordance with Article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol that the minimum age for any recruitment of persons into its national armed forces is 18 years. The minimum age applies equally to the military service of men and to the voluntary service of women."

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification “In accordance with Article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts, the Royal Government of Bhutan declares that the minimum age at which it permits voluntary recruitment into the national armed forces is 18 years. The minimum age is prescribed by the legal system and no recruitment is carried out without the submission of compulsory proof of age.”

reservation: Declaration: The Republic of Bulgaria declares hereby that all men, Bulgarian citizens who have attained 18 years of age shall be subject to a compulsory military service. Bulgarian citizens who have been sworn in and done their military service or have done two thirds of the mandatory term of their military service shall be admitted, voluntarily, to regular duty. Persons who have not come of age shall be trained at military schools subject to the conclusion of a training agreement to be signed by them with the consent of their parents or guardians. Having come of age, the trainees shall sign a training agreement on a regular military duty.

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification (Original: English): "With regards to Article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol, the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia declares that it currently has no national armed forces, and thus, a minimum age requirement for recruitment into its national armed forces is not applicable in the case of the Federated States of Micronesia. Similarly, it is not necessary for the Government of the Federated States of Micronesia to describe the safeguards that it has adopted to prevent any coerced recruitment of children into its armed forces."

reservation: Declaration under article 3 (4)1 effected on 13 November 2008 (Original: Spanish): Pursuant to the provisions of article 3, paragraph 4, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, the Republic of Chile is amending the declaration made when it deposited the instrument of ratification of the Protocol, as follows: “The Government of Chile declares that, in accordance with its internal legislation, the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces is 18 years. As an exception, persons who are 17 years of age may, at their request, advance by one year their ordinary conscription into military service, although they may not be mobilized before they have reached the age of 18.”

reservation: Declaration: "The Government of the United States of America declares, pursuant to Article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict that - (A) the minimum age at which the United States permits voluntary recruitment into the Armed Forces of the United States is 17 years of age; (B) The United States has established safeguards to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced, including a requirement in section 505 (a) of title 10, United States Code, that no person under 18 years of age may be originally enlisted in the Armed Forces of the United States without the written consent of the person's parent or guardian, if the parent or guardian is entitled to the person's custody and control; (C) each person recruited into the Armed Forces of the United States receives a comprehensive briefing and must sign an enlistment contract that, taken together, specify the duties involved in military service; and (D) all persons recruited into the Armed Forces of the United States must provide reliable proof of age before their entry into military service." Understandings: (1) NO ASSUMPTION OF OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD.-The United States understands that the United States assumes no obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child by becoming a party to the Protocol. (2) IMPLEMENTATION OF OBLIGATION NOT TO PERMIT CHILDREN TO TAKE DIRECT PART IN HOSTILITIES.-The United States understands that, with respect to Article 1 of the Protocol - (A) the term "feasible measures" means those measures that are practical or practically possible, taking into account all the circumstances ruling at the time, including humanitarian and military considerations; (B) the phrase "direct part in hostilities"- (i) means immediate and actual action on the battlefield likely to cause harm to the enemy because there is a direct causal relationship between the activity engaged in and the harm done to the enemy; and (ii) does not mean indirect participation in hostilities, such as gathering and transmitting military information, transporting weapons, munitions, or other supplies, or forward deployment; and (C) any decision by any military commander, military personnel, or other person responsible for planning, authorizing, or executing military action, including the assignment of military personnel, shall only be judged on the basis of all the relevant circumstances and on the basis of that person's assessment of the information reasonably available to the person at the time the person planned, authorized, or executed the action under review, and shall not be judged on the basis of information that comes to light after the action under review was taken. (3) MINIMUM AGE FOR VOLUNTARY RECRUITMENT.- The United States understands that Article 3 of the Protocol obligates States Parties to the Protocol to raise the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into their national armed forces from the current international standard of 15 years of age. (4) ARMED GROUPS.- The United States understands that the term "armed groups" in Article 4 of the Protocol means nongovernmental armed groups such as rebel groups, dissident armed forces, and other insurgent groups. (5) NO BASIS FOR JURISDICTION BY ANY INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL.- The United States understands that nothing in the Protocol establishes a basis for jurisdiction by any international tribunal, including the International Criminal Court."

reservation: Déclaration:"The State of Eritrea declares that the minimum age for the recruitment of persons into the armed forces is eighteen years."

reservation: Declaration: "Pursuant to article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts, the Republic of Kazakhstan hereby declares: In accordance with the Military Service on Contract Basis Act No. 167-II 3PK of March 20, 2001: 1. Military Service on Contract Basis grounded on the principles of legitimacy, voluntary recruitment, professionalism and competency, social security and protection of rights of military servants. 2. Every military servant is entitled in full equality in his or her rights. No one shall be limited in his or her rights or attain any advantages realising the rights with regard to sex, age, race, nationality, language, religion, official capacity and social status. 3. Article 17, paragraph 1 permits voluntary recruitment at the minimum age of 19. 4. According to the article 14, paragraph 1 a contract should obligatory include description of the identification document, number and date of issue of the document, number of social individual code and tax-payer's registration number."

reservation: Declaration: The Government of the Republic of Benin declares that the minimum age at which it permits the recruitment of volunteers into the armed forces and the national gendarmerie is eighteen (18) years (cf. article 13 of Act No. 63-5 of 30 May 1963 on recruitment in the Republic of Benin). The Government of the Republic of Benin also indicates below the safeguards that it has adopted to ensure that such recruitment is in no event forced or coerced: (a) The process of recruitment into the Beninese Armed Forces and the national gendarmerie is initiated by an announcement in the national press and news media for young persons; (b) The recruitment file is composed, as appropriate, inter alia, of a birth certificate, a certificate of school attendance and/or a certificate of apprenticeship; (c) The induction of young persons takes place in public, at a sports ground or a similar location; (d) All recruits undergo a rigorous medical examination.

reservation: Declaration: In conformity with article 3, paragraph 2 of the aforementioned Protocol, the Government of Guatemala makes the following declaration: 'Guatemala shall not permit the compulsory recruitment of persons under 18 years of age into its armed forces, and, in keeping with article 3, paragraph 4, of the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the description of the safeguards it has adopted to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced shall be submitted at a later date. '

reservation: Declaration: "According to Article 47 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia "Every citizen shall participate in the defence of the Republic of Armenia in a manner prescribed by law. Participation of the citizens of the Republic of Armenia in the defence of the country is regulated by the laws of the Republic of Armenia on "Military Duty" (15 September 1998) and on "Performance of Military Service" (3 June 2002). According to Article 4, paragraphs 1 and 2, of the law of the Republic of Armenia on "Performance of Military Service", "the military service consists of active and reserve military services; the active military service consists of obligatory and contractual military service. Obligatory military service means the military service of ranks and officers called up to the armed forces or other forces and of cadets of military schools". According to Article 11, paragraph 1, of the law of the Republic of Armenia on "Military Duty", male conscripts aged between 18 and 27 and reserve officers of the first group assessed as fit for military service in peace time according to their state of health are required for military service". Based on the above-mentioned laws, the citizens of the Republic of Armenia, who have attained the age of 18, are required to serve in the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia; the Republic of Armenia guarantees that those citizens who have not yet attained the age of 18 cannot be called upon for either obligatory or contractual (voluntary) military service."

reservation: Declarations: "The Government of the State of Israel declares pursuant to article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict that: (a) The minimum age in which the State of Israel permits voluntary recruitment into its armed forces is 17 years of age, according to article 14 of the defense service law (consolidated version) 5746-1986; (b) The Government of the State of Israel maintains the following safeguards in respect of voluntary recruitment into the armed forces so as to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced: 1. In accordance with section 14 of the defense service law (consolidated version) 5746-1986, no person under 18 years of age may enlist in the Israeli armed forces without a written application submitted by the person and the written consent of the person's parents or legal guardian; however, should there be an appreciable difficulty in contacting one of the parents, the written consent of the other parent is sufficient; 2. Clear and precise explanation of the nature of the duties involved in military service is provided to both the person and the person's parents or legal guardian; 3. Prior to acceptance of any person into the Israeli armed forces a reliable proof of age is obtained through the Ministry of the Interior's official national population registry. 4. The IDF has several long-term programs in which participants may engage in academic or rabbinic studies or perform volunteer work, prior to the commencement of their actual military service. Enrollment in these programs is open to participants from the age of 17.5. For administrative purposes, these participants undergo a one-day administrative induction into the armed forces. Following their administrative induction, these participants are released from active service and enroll in their chosen program. 5. Persons under 18 years of age, who enlist in one of the aforementioned ways, may in no case be posted to combat duty."

reservation: Declaration: "Pursuant to article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts, Namibia hereby declares: 1. The Namibian Defence Force permit voluntary recruitment at the minimum age of 18 years. 2. The Namibian Defence Force have adopted the following safeguards to ensure that recruitment of personnel at the age between 18 and 25 years is not forced or coerced. (a) Advertisements on the availability of military career opportunities in the Namibian Defence Force are placed yearly in the local print and broadcast for the purposes of inviting interested young men and women to apply. (b) As a standpoint the candidate is not obliged to accept the position if the Namibian Defence Force offer a particular position. (c) Military career opportunities may emanate from Infantry, Engineering, Air wing, Maritime Wing, Communication and Medical Services. The potential recruits undergo instruction courses to give them an overview of what is expected of them as future soldiers in respect of military career opportunities stated under paragraph 2 c). The recruits may select their career paths after training. (d) To ensure the absence of any possible form of remote or direct coercion the Namibian Defence Force requires that i) the potential recruit should not have previous criminal records or convictions ii) the potential recruits be Namibian Citizens 3. As a standpoint and policy Namibia Defence Force does not allow voluntary recruitment under the age of 18 years thus: i) as proof of age requires that the candidates show certified copies of legally recognised Namibian identity documents as well as birth certificates. 4. All recruitments of personnel in the Namibian Defence Force are voluntary. Namibia does not practice conscription or any form of forced obligatory service."

reservation: Declaration : "Pursuant to article 3(2) of the Protocol, I have the honour to inform that the provisions of articles 291 and 301 of the Law on the Yugoslav Army specified that a person of military age who has turned eighteen may be recruited into the Army of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in that calendar year. The person of military age may only exceptionally be recruited in the calendar year in which he turns seventeen, at his own request, or during a state of war by order of the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In the light of the fact that, under the Law, only persons who have done their military service or have undergone the required military training may be called up, the minimum age for voluntary recruitment in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has been set at eighteen. Safeguards that recruitment of underage persons will not be forced or coerced are provided in the Penal Code of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and those of its constituent republics, relating to the criminal act against civil rights and liberties and dereliction of duty."

reservation: Declaration: "The Argentine Republic declares that the minimum age required for voluntary recruitment into the national Armed Forces is eighteen (18) years."

reservation: Declaration (Translation) (Original: Spanish): In accordance with article 3, paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol, the United Mexican States declares: (i) That the minimum age for voluntary recruitment of its nationals into the armed forces is 18 years; (ii) That article 24 of the Military Service Act provides that only volunteers will be accepted into the armed forces for active service until the figure set annually by the Ministry of Defence has been met and provided that the following conditions are fulfilled: I. They must submit an application; II. They must be Mexican nationals who are over 18 but not over 30, and must be under 40 in the case of personnel enlisted as specialists in the army; Those over 16 and under 18 shall be accepted into signals units for training as technicians under contracts with the State not exceeding five years in duration. Moreover, under article 25 of the Military Service Act, only the following persons may be accepted for early enlistment in the armed forces: I. Those who wish to leave the country at the time when they would be required by law to undertake military service if they are over 16 at the time of requesting enlistment; II. Those who are obliged to request early enlistment because of their studies. The maximum number of individuals who may be allowed to enlist early shall be set every year by the Ministry of Defence; and Interpretative declaration* (Translation) (Original : Spanish): In ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 25 May 2000, the Government of the United Mexican States considers that any responsibility deriving therefrom for non-governmental armed groups for the recruitment of children under 18 years or their use in hostilities lies solely with such groups and shall not be applicable to the Mexican State as such. The latter shall have a duty to apply at all times the principles governing international humanitarian law. * withdrawn on 28.05.2013 , see below

reservation: Withdrawal of interpretative declaration made upon ratification The interpretative declaration that has been withdrawn read as follows: (Translation) (Original: Spanish) In ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 25 May 2000, the Government of the United Mexican States considers that any responsibility deriving therefrom for non-governmental armed groups for the recruitment of children under 18 years or their use in hostilities lies solely with such groups and shall not be applicable to the Mexican State as such. The latter shall have a duty to apply at all times the principles governing international humanitarian law.

reservation: Declarations made upon ratification on 04.05.2004 (Original: English): “I. The Republic of Turkey declares that it will implement the provisions of the existing Optional Protocol only to the States Parties which it recognizes and with which it has diplomatic relations. II. 1. The Republic of Turkey declares, in accordance with Article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol, that military service is compulsory in Turkey, however Turkish citizens are not subjected to compulsory military service before reaching the legal age of maturity. In accordance with the Turkish Military Code, military service begins on 1st January of the twentieth age; in cases of mobilisation and state of emergency, individuals who are liable to military service may be recruited at the age of 19. There is no voluntary recruitment in Turkey. However, Article 11 of the Military Code envisages a voluntary recruitment for navy and gendarmerie classes and non-commissioned officers at a minimum age of 18. Nevertheless, this article, which is in compliance with the age regulation of the Optional Protocol, is not applied in practice. Students of military schools, who are exempted from the Optional Protocol according to Article 3 (5) of this protocol, are not subjected to compulsory military service. Under the Turkish legal system, such students are not considered as “soldiers” and are not held liable for “military service”. 2. Admittance to the military high schools and preparatory non-commissioned officer schools is on a voluntary basis, depending on success in the entrance examinations and with the consent of parents or legal guardians. Students who have completed their primary school education and enrolled into such schools at a minimum age of 15 can quit them at any time if they so wish. III. The Republic of Turkey declares with regard to Article 3 (5) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict that the reservation it made to Article 29 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is referred to in the said paragraph of the Optional Protocol, fully retains its validity.” The Protocol will enter into force for Turkey on 4 June 2004 in accordance with its article 10 (2) which reads as follows: "For each State ratifying the present Protocol or acceding to it after its entry into force, the present Protocol shall enter into force one month after the date of the deposit of its own instrument of ratification or accession."

reservation: "According to Article 42 of the Law on the General Status of Royal Cambodian Armed Forces stipulated that the Cambodian citizen of either sex who has attained the age of 18 years should be permitted or recruited into the armed forces."

reservation: Declaration: ".....in accordance with the Mozambican legislation, the minimum age for enlistment into its national armed forces is 18 years, The Republic of Mozambique declares, also that according to the law, the incorporation starts at the age of 20. The Republic of Mozambique, furthermore declares that in case of war the age for the military service can be modified."

reservation: Declaration: "In response to article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol, in accordance with the Lesotho Defence Force Act of 1996, section 18 thereof, the minimum age at which the Government of Lesotho permits voluntary recruitment into the national armed forces is when the interested person has already attained the age of 18. Such recruitment is voluntary as would be recruits submit applications for advertised vacancies in the armed forces."

reservation: Declaration: "The Government of the Republic of Uganda declares that the minimum age for the recruitment of persons into the armed forces is by law set at eighteen (18) years. Recruitment is entirely and squarely voluntary and is carried out with the full informed consent of the persons being recruited. There is no conscription in Uganda. The Government of the Republic of Uganda reserves the right at any time by means of a notification addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, to add, amend or strengthen the present declaration. Such notifications shall take effect from the date of their receipt by the Secretary-General of the United Nations."

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification (Original: English): “According to Article 3 paragraph 2 the Republic of Estonia declares that the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into national armed forces is 18 years.”

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification on 17.11.2016 (Original: English): “The Islamic Republic of Pakistan, pursuant to article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, declares that: i. The minimum age of recruitment of personnel into the armed forces of Pakistan is 16 years. ii. The armed forces personnel are sent to combatant areas only after they attain eighteen years of age. iii. The recruitment into the armed forces of Pakistan is purely voluntary, and made through open competition on merit without any force or coercion. iv. The recruit is required to present B-Form issued by the National Database and Registration Authority as a token of proof of having attained minimum age prescribed under the law for recruitment.”

reservation: Declarations: "Pursuant to article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, the Government of the Republic of India declare that: (i) The minimum age for recruitment of prospective recruits into Armed Forces of India (Army, Air Force and Navy) is 16 years. After enrollment and requisite training period, the attested Armed Forces personnel is sent to the operational area only after he attains 18 years of age; (ii) The recruitment into the Armed Forces of India is purely voluntary and conducted through open rally system/open competitive examinations. There is no forced or coerced recruitment into the Armed Forces."

reservation: Declaration: Pursuant to article 11 of Edict No. 78-002 of 16 February 1978 on the general principles governing National Service, young men and women aged 18 years or more may request to be recruited into the Armed Forces or outside the Armed Forces before young men and women of their age-group. Any citizen may, from the age of 18 onwards, enlist in the Armed Forces for an indefinite period. In order to preserve his or her contractual liberty, the person requesting voluntary enlistment shall submit a request approved by his or her parents or legal guardian. Offences against the requirements of these provisions shall be prosecuted and penalized under the Code of Justice on National Service or the Penal Code.

reservation: Declaration: "In accordance with the Law of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the minimum age at which it will permit voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces is 18 (eighteen). The law on obligations of national defense service stipulates in Article 13 that 'all young men of Lao nationality between 18 (eighteen) and 28 (twenty-eight) years of age, having good health conditions, shall be obliged to serve for a short-term in national defense forces. In case of necessity, young women between 18 (eighteen) and 23 (twenty-three) years of age may also be called upon to serve for a short-term in national defense; and in Article 7 that following health check-up, there shall be a selection process at a district level to select voluntary recruits, with good health, into short-term defense services, according to the recruitment number officially set forth on a yearly basis.' "

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification: "The Russian Federation, pursuant to article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol, declares that, in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, citizens under the age of 18 may not be recruited for military service in the armed forces of the Russian Federation and a military service contract may not be concluded with them; In accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, citizens who have reached the age of 16 are entitled to admission to professional military educational institutions. Upon enrolment in these institutions they shall acquire the status of members of the military performing compulsory military service. The legislation of the Russian Federation guarantees that such citizens shall conclude military service contracts on reaching the age of 18, but not before they have completed the first year of education in these educational institutions."

reservation: Declaration* (Courtesy Translation) (Original: Polish): The Government of the Republic of Poland, with the regard to article 3, paragraph 2 of the Protocol, declares that: 1. under the Polish law the minimum age in the case of obligatory recruitment of the Polish citizens into the national Armed Forces is eighteen (18) years. 2. under the Polish law the minimum age for the voluntary recruitment of the Polish citizens into the national Armed Forces is seventeen (17) years. Joining the Polish Armed Forces is really voluntary and a candidate is obliged to show a special document certifying the date of his/her birth. Moreover the consent of the person's parents or legal guardians is required before the admission to the service. * modified on 28.06.2013, see below

reservation: Objection to the reservation made by Oman upon accession (Original: English and Polish): “The Government of the Republic of Poland [has] examined the reservation made by the Government of the Sultanate of Oman upon accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child as regards the participation of children in armed conflicts, which confirms that the reservations made to the Convention are currently valid. The above mentioned reservations refer in general to all the provisions of the Convention which are not in accordance with Islamic Law of the legislation of the Sultanate of Oman and stipulate that the provisions of the Convention should be applied within the limits imposed by the materials resources available. The Government of the Republic of Poland considers that reservations do not specify the extent to which the Sultanate of Oman has accepted the obligations of the Convention are contrary to the object and purpose of the Protocol, i.e., to guarantee better protection of the rights of the child set forth in the Convention. The Government of the Republic of Poland would like to note that pursuant to article 19 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, any reservations contrary to the scope and purpose of the treaty are unacceptable. The Government of Poland therefore objects to the aforesaid reservation made by the Government of the Sultanate of Oman to the Optional Protocol. However, this objection shall not preclude the entry into force of the Optional Protocol between the Republic of Poland and the Sultanate of Oman.”

reservation: Modification of the declaration made upon ratification (Original: English): “1. Under the Polish law the minimum age in the case of obligatory recruitment of the Polish citizens into the national Armed Forces is eighteen (18) years. 2. Under the Polish law the minimum age for the voluntary recruitment of the Polish citizens into the national Armed Forces is eighteen (18) years. The candidate is obliged to show a special document certifying the date of his/her birth.”

reservation: Declaration: "In accordance with article 3, paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the Government of Japan declares as follows: The Government of Japan, by relevant laws and regulations, recruits only those who are at and above the minimum age of 18 as a member of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, with the exception of the cases of the students solely receiving educational training at the schools within the structure of the Japan Self-Defense Forces ( hereinafter referred to as "the Youth Cadets"), which come under "schools"stipulated in Article 3, paragraph 5 of the Optional Protocol. The minimum age of recruitment of the Youth Cadets is 15 years. In Japan, the safeguards to ensure that the recruitment of the Youth Cadets is not forced or coerced are as follows: 1. In accordance with the provisions of the Law on the Japan Self-Defense Forces (Law No 165/1954), the recruitment of personnel of the Japan Self-Defense Forces including the Youth Cadets is required to be based upon examination or selection, and it is prohibited to use such measures as threat, compulsion and similar means with the intention of realizing unjust recruitment of the members. 2. Further, in recruiting the Youth Cadets, the following shall be confirmed beforehand in accordance with the Instruction on the recruitment of the students of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (Japan Defense Agency Instruction No 51/1955). (1) Either the person who executes the parental authority over a Youth Cadet or his/her guardian gives consent to the recruitment. (2) The candidate for a Youth Cadet is fully informed of the duties to be involved in advance. (3) A proof of the age of the Youth Cadets for being at or over 15 years is provided by a certifying document.

reservation: Declaration: With the aim of specifying the scope of this Protocol and upon depositing its instrument of accession, the Government of the Republic of Honduras, acting in accordance with article 3 of the Protocol, declares that: 1 (a). Under the legislation of the State of Honduras, the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the armed forces is 18 years, as part of the country's educational, social, humanist and democratic system". II. This Agreement shall be submitted to the Sovereign National Congress for consideration, for the purposes of article 205, number 30, of the Constitution of the Republic.

reservation: Declaration: The Chadian Government declares that, pursuant to article 3, paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol, the minimum age for recruitment into the armed forces is 18 years. Enlistment is entirely and absolutely voluntary and may take place only on a fully informed basis

reservation: Declaration made upon signature and confirmed upon ratification: "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will take all feasible measures to ensure that members of its armed forces who have not attained the age of 18 years do not take a direct part in hostilities. The United Kingdom understands that article 1 of the Optional Protocol would not exclude the deployment of members of its armed forces under the age of 18 to take a direct part in hostilities where: - a) there is a genuine military need to deploy their unit or ship to an area in which hostilities are taking place; and b) by reason of the nature and urgency of the situation:- i) it is not practicable to withdraw such persons before deployment; or ii) to do so would undermine the operational effectiveness of their ship or unit, and thereby put at risk the successful completion of the military mission and/or the safety of other personnel." Upon ratification: Declaration: ".....in accordance with Article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol: - The minimum age at which individuals may join the UK Armed Forces is 16 years. This minimum broadly reflects the minimum statutory school leaving age in the United Kingdom, that is the age at which young persons may first be permitted to cease full-time education and enter the full-time employment market. Parental consent is required in all cases of recruitment under the age of 18 years. The United Kingdom maintains the following safeguards in respect of voluntary recruitment into the armed forces: 1. The United Kingdom Armed Forces are manned solely by volunteers; there is no compulsory recruitment. 2. A declaration of age, backed by an authoritative, objective proof (typically the production of an authentic birth certificate) is an integral and early requirement in the recruitment process. Should an individual volunteering to enter the United Kingdom Armed Forces be found either by their own declaration or by inspection of supporting evidence of age to be under 18 years of age, special procedures are adopted. These procedures include: - the involvement of the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of the potential recruits: - clear and precise explanation of the nature of duties involved in military service to the both the individual and their parent(s)/guardian(s); and - as well as explaining the demands of military life to the individual volunteer and establishing that he/she remains a genuine volunteer, the requirement that the parent(s) or guardian(s), having been similarly informed, freely consent to the individual's entry into the Armed Forces and duly countersign the appropriate application or other appropriate recruitment process forms.

reservation: Declaration of territorial application (Original: English): “… the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland wishes the United Kingdom's Ratification of [the Optional Protocol] be extended to the territory of the Bailiwick of Jersey for whose international relations the United Kingdom is responsible. The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland considers the extension of [the Optional Protocol] to the Bailiwick of Jersey to enter into force on the date of receipt of this notification by [the Secretary-General] for deposit…”

reservation: Objection to the declaration made by Myanmar upon ratification (Original: English): “The Government of the United Kingdom has examined the declaration made by the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, [upon] its [ratification of] the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, which reads: Declaration ‘With reference to article 4 of the optional protocol, the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar considers that any responsibility deriving from recruitment of children under 18 years of age or their use in hostilities by non-state armed groups lies solely with such groups. In the prevention of underage military recruitment, the government would collaborate with the ethnic armed groups which have signed the NCA (Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement). The latter shall also have a duty to apply at all times the principles governing international humanitarian law’. The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland considers that this declaration seeks to restrict Myanmar’s obligations under Article 4(2) of the Optional Protocol and amounts to a reservation incompatible with the object and purpose of the treaty. The Government of the United Kingdom therefore objects to the aforesaid reservation. This objection shall not preclude the entry into force of the Optional Protocol between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.”

reservation: Declaration of territorial application in respect of Guernsey and Alderney (Original: English): “… the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland hereby extends the application of the United Kingdom’s Ratification of the […] Optional Protocol […] to Guernsey and Alderney for whose international relations the United Kingdom is responsible. The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland considers the extension of the […] Optional Protocol […] to Guernsey and Alderney to enter into force on the date of receipt of this notification…”

reservation: Declaration: The Republic of Belarus, pursuant to article 3 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, declares that voluntary recruitment of citizens into the armed forces of the Republic of Belarus shall occur upon the attainment by them of 18 years of age. Admission to a military academy, to which citizens aged 17 years or over, including those who attain 17 years of age during the year in which they are admitted to such an academy, are entitled, in accordance with article 43 of the Act of the Republic of Belarus of 5 November 1992 on Military Obligations and Military Service, shall constitute an exception to the above. Such admission shall not be forced or coerced. The legislation of the Republic of Belarus guarantees that entry into military service as a cadet at a military academy: Shall be voluntary; Shall occur with the informed consent of the person's parents or legal guardians; Shall occur on condition that such persons are fully informed of the duties involved in military service; Shall be permitted on condition that such persons provide reliable proof of age prior to acceptance into military service.

reservation: Declaration: Pursuant to paragraph 2 of article 3 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, The State of Qatar declares that recruitment to its armed forces and other regular forces is voluntary and is for those who have attained the age of 18 years and that it takes account of the safeguards set forth in paragraph 3 of the same article. In making this declaration, the State of Qatar affirms that its national legislation makes no provision for any form of compulsory or coercive recruitment.

reservation: Declaration: "1. The Minimum age at which the Maldives permits recruitment to its National Security Service and its Police Service is 18 years. 2. Any individual who wishes to enter the National Security Service and the Police Service has to apply for it in writing. 3. All applicants are required to present proof of birth date. 4. All applicants short listed for recruitment are carefully screened for medical fitness. "

reservation: Declaration: .....the minimum legal age for enlistment in the Ministry of Defence and the Sultan's armed forces is eighteen years; that a birth certificate or a certificate of ascertainment of age from the competent governmental authorities constitutes the precautionary measure for ensuring compliance with that requirement; and that enlistment is optional, not compulsory.

reservation: Declaration: "Pursuant to Article 3, second paragraph, of the Protocol, the Government of the Kingdom of Norway declares that the minimum age for voluntary recruitment to the armed forces is 18 years."

reservation: Declaration made upon accession: “In accordance with Article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts, 2000, the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines declares that the minimum age required for voluntary recruitment into the Police Force is nineteen (19) years in accordance with the Police Act, Chapter 280 section 6(1) of the Law of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.”

reservation: Declaration: "Pursuant to article 3, paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflicts, Greece declares that the minimum age at which voluntary recruitment in the Greek armed forces is permitted by national law, is 18 years."

reservation: Declaration (Original: English) “Pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 2, of the ‘Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, New York, 25 May 2000’, the Republic of Cyprus declares: 1. The National Guard Law No. 20 of 1964, as variously amended, most recently in 2006, hereinafter ‘The National Guard Law’, provides that the obligation to military service, in times of peace, begins the 1st January of the year the citizen becomes 18 years old. Although military service is compulsory for all Cypriot citizens, women and some categories of mates (e.g. clergymen) are exempted from military service in times of peace. 2. The National Guard Law also provides for the voluntary enlistment of citizens under 18 who have attained the age of 17 by the date of their recruitment in the armed forces. The acceptance of volunteers to Military Service, requires special authorization from the Ministry of Defense. Volunteers must have recent written consent from parents or legal guardians. 3. The recruitment, on a voluntary basis, by the armed forces at the minimum age of 17 years shall continue to be permitted under the conditions and with the safeguards provided in Article 3, paragraph 3, of the Optional Protocol. 4. Proof of age prior to recruitment is presented through the application of section 4A of the National Guard Law providing for mandatory registration for all citizens with the appropriate authorities in the District of their normal residence once they reach the age of 16. Section 4A of the Law specifies that the data must be submitted in a written form and include, among others, details on the place and date of birth. It is a punishable offence to submit erroneous data at the time of registration. 5. The Republic of Cyprus understands that Article 1 of the Optional Protocol would not prevent members of its armed forces to be deployed where: a. There is a genuine military need to deploy their unit to an area in which hostilities are taking place; and b. By reason of the nature and urgency of the situation: i. it is not practicable to withdraw such persons before deployment; or ii. to do so would undermine the operational effectiveness of their unit, and thereby put at risk the successful conduct of the military mission and/or the safety of other personnel. The above understanding is all the more necessary under the circumstances prevailing nowadays in the Republic of Cyprus as a result of the continued illegal military occupation of 37% of its national territory by a foreign State, Party to the Optional Protocol.” Objection (Original: English) “The Government of the Republic of Cyprus has examined the declaration made by the Government of the Republic of Turkey to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, New York, 25 May 2000, on 4 May 2004, in respect of the implementation of the provisions of the Optional Protocol only to the States Parties which it recognizes and with which it has diplomatic relations. In the view of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, this declaration amounts to a reservation. This reservation creates uncertainty as to the States Parties in respect of which Turkey is undertaking the obligations in the Protocol and raises doubt as to the commitment of Turkey to the object and purpose of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and of the said Protocol. The Government of the Republic of Cyprus therefore objects to the reservation made by the Government of the Republic of Turkey to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. This reservation or the objection to it shall not preclude the entry into force of the Convention on the Rights of the Child or the future entry into force of the said Protocol between the Republic of Cyprus and the Republic of Turkey.”

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification (Original: English): " a) The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is a voluntary force and therefore there is no compulsory conscription into the SANDF; b) The process of recruitment in the SANDF is initiated through advertisement in the national newspapers and the minimum age limit of 18 years is stipulated by law as a requirement; c) The induction of all recruits is conducted in public; d) All recruits are required to present a national identity document which states their date of birth and where appropriate, their educational records; and e) All recruits undergo a rigorous medical examination in terms of which prepubescence would be noticed, and any recruit determined to be underage is routinely declined from recruitment."

reservation: Declaration: The Republic of Panama, in ratifying the Protocol, declares that it has no armed forces. The Republic of Panama has a civilian security force consisting of the National Police, the National Air Service, the National Maritime Service and the Institutional Protection Service. Their legal charters define the requirements for recruitment of personnel by such institutions and stipulate that recruits must have reached the age of majority, i.e. 18 years.

reservation: Declaration (Original: English) “In accordance with Article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflicts (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Protocol’), the Republic of Malawi declares that: 1. the Minimum age for recruitment for employment in the Defence Force of Malawi is eighteen (18) years. By Virtue of Section 19 (2) of the Defence Force Act of the Laws of Malawi (Number 11 of 2004), which applies Article 3 of the Protocol, a recruiting officer is prohibited from enlisting a person under the age of eighteen (18) years, or over the age of 24 years, into the Defence Force of Malawi; 2. the Protocol is applied by the Republic of Malawi in all areas where an officer of the Defence Force of Malawi is employed and is working; 3. recruitment into the Defence Force of Malawi is genuinely voluntary; 4. recruitment into the Defence Force of Malawi is carried out with the informed consent of each person’s parents or legal guardians; 5. all persons interested to join the Defence Force of Malawi are fully informed of the duties involved in such military service; and 6. all persons interested to join the Defence Force of Malawi provide reliable proof of age prior to acceptance into national military service.”

reservation: Declaration (Original: English) “… , in according with Article 3 (2) of the additional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict [the] Government of Georgia declares that according to the legislation of Georgia the minimum age for the recruitment of a citizen of Georgia in the Armed Forces is clearly defined. According to the paragraph 2 of article 21 of Georgian Law on ‘Military Obligations and Military Service’, the decision concerning the recruitment of the citizens into the obligatory military service shall be made only upon they have reached 18 years of age. According to the Georgian Law on ‘Military Obligation and Military Service’, for the recruitment in the capital of Georgia is established regional recruiting commission and on the local level – municipality commission. A citizen can appeal the decision of the recruiting commission in the central recruiting commission established by the decree of the President of Georgia or in the Court. In that case the decision of the recruiting commission will be suspended until the decision of the central recruiting commission is declared or Court’s decision enters into force (Article 184 of the Administrative Code of Georgia and article 29 of the Administrative Procedure Code of Georgia). In case the essential violation of the human rights is caused by illegal recruitment, the action of the official or equivalent shall be qualified as an [excess] of authority and be subject of criminal responsibility (Article 333 of Criminal Code of Georgia).”

reservation: Objection made on 23.09.2020 to the interpretative declaration made by Myanmar upon ratification (Original: English): “The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has carefully examined the interpretative declaration made by the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar upon ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict on 27 September 2019, relating to Article 4 thereof. The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands considers the first sentence of the interpretative declaration to be contrary to the terms of Article 4, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol,according to which States Parties commit themselves to ‘take all feasible measures to prevent such recruitment and use, including the adoption of legal measures necessary to prohibit and criminalize such practices’. This sentence is also contrary to the terms of Article 6 of the Optional Protocol, according to which States Parties ‘shall take all necessary legal, administrative and other measures to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of the provisions of this Protocol within its jurisdiction’ as well as ‘all feasible measures to ensure that persons within their jurisdiction recruited or used in hostilities contrary to this Protocol are demobilized or otherwise released from service’. The first sentence of the interpretative declaration made by the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar implies that Myanmar would not be responsible for the recruitment of children under 18 years of age or their use in hostilities by non-state armed groups and that it has no obligation to address such recruitment and use. This is incompatible with the object and purpose of the Protocol and with Article 4, paragraph 2, and Article 6 thereof. The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands therefore objects to the first sentence of the interpretative declaration of the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict. This objection shall not preclude the entry into force of the Optional Protocol between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands further understands the last sentence of the interpretative declaration made by the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to mean that all ethnic armed groups in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar also have a duty to apply at all times the principles governing international humanitarian law.”

reservation: Declaration: Pursuant to paragraph 2 of the article concerning the involvement of children in armed conflicts, the Kingdom of Morocco declares that the minimum age required by national law for voluntary recruitment in the armed forces is 18 years.

reservation: Declaration: The Government of the Republic of Ecuador hereby declares that, in accordance with the provisions of its Constitution, military service is compulsory. Citizens who invoke conscientious objection on moral, religious or philosophical grounds are assigned to community service, in the manner prescribed by the law. Article 5 of the Act on Compulsory Military Service states that "military obligations begin, for Ecuadorian citizens, at 18 years of age, and end at 55 years of age. The period between the ages of 18 and 55 shall be called 'military age' ".

reservation: Declaration : "The Government of the United States of America declares, pursuant to Article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict that - (A) the minimum age at which the United States permits voluntary recruitment into the Armed Forces of the United States is 17 years of age; (B) The United States has established safeguards to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced, including a requirement in section 505 (a) of title 10, United States Code, that no person under 18 years of age may be originally enlisted in the Armed Forces of the United States without the written consent of the person's parent or guardian, if the parent or guardian is entitled to the person's custody and control; (C) each person recruited into the Armed Forces of the United States receives a comprehensive briefing and must sign an enlistment contract that, taken together, specify the duties involved in military service; and (D) all persons recruited into the Armed Forces of the United States must provide reliable proof of age before their entry into military service." Understandings: (1) NO ASSUMPTION OF OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD.-The United States understands that the United States assumes no obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child by becoming a party to the Protocol. (2) IMPLEMENTATION OF OBLIGATION NOT TO PERMIT CHILDREN TO TAKE DIRECT PART IN HOSTILITIES.-The United States understands that, with respect to Article 1 of the Protocol - (A) the term "feasible measures" means those measures that are practical or practically possible, taking into account all the circumstances ruling at the time, including humanitarian and military considerations; (B) the phrase "direct part in hostilities"- (i) means immediate and actual action on the battlefield likely to cause harm to the enemy because there is a direct causal relationship between the activity engaged in and the harm done to the enemy; and (ii) does not mean indirect participation in hostilities, such as gathering and transmitting military information, transporting weapons, munitions, or other supplies, or forward deployment; and (C) any decision by any military commander, military personnel, or other person responsible for planning, authorizing, or executing military action, including the assignment of military personnel, shall only be judged on the basis of all the relevant circumstances and on the basis of that person's assessment of the information reasonably available to the person at the time the person planned, authorized, or executed the action under review, and shall not be judged on the basis of information that comes to light after the action under review was taken. (3) MINIMUM AGE FOR VOLUNTARY RECRUITMENT.- The United States understands that Article 3 of the Protocol obligates States Parties to the Protocol to raise the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into their national armed forces from the current international standard of 15 years of age. (4) ARMED GROUPS.- The United States understands that the term "armed groups" in Article 4 of the Protocol means nongovernmental armed groups such as rebel groups, dissident armed forces, and other insurgent groups. (5) NO BASIS FOR JURISDICTION BY ANY INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL.- The United States understands that nothing in the Protocol establishes a basis for jurisdiction by any international tribunal, including the International Criminal Court."

reservation: Declaration made upon accession: “With the aim of specifying the scope of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict and upon depositing its instrument of accession, the Government of Grenada, acting in accordance with article 3 of the Protocol, declares that it currently has no national armed forces, and hence, a minimum age for recruitment is not applicable in the case of the Government of Grenada. The only specialized force in Grenada is the Royal Grenada Police Force. The Government of Grenada further declares that the minimum age required for voluntary recruitment into the Royal Grenada Police Force is nineteen (19) years in accordance with Section 16 (1) (a) of the Police Act.”

reservation: Declaration: In depositing the instrument of ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the Government of Peru declares that, in compliance with its article 3, paragraph 2, the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the national armed forces, under national legislation, is 18 years.

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification (Translation) (Original: French and Portuguese): Paragraph 1 of article 31 of Law No. 4/99, of 7 September, establishing the concept and objective of compulsory military service, published in the Supplement to Official Gazette No. 36 of Tuesday 07/09/99, stipulates that the minimum age at which Guinea-Bissau will permit voluntary recruitment into its armed forces is 17. Such recruitment shall take place with the formal consent of the parents or legal representative of the young person concerned, after the latter has been informed of the legal responsibilities associated with national military service and upon presentation of proof of age documents.

reservation: Declaration: With regard to article 3, paragraph 2, of the Protocol, the Principality of Andorra declares that it currently has no armed forces. The only specialized forces in the Principality are those of the Police and Customs, for which the minimum recruitment age is that specified in article 2 of the Optional Protocol. Moreover, the Principality wishes to reiterate in this declaration its disagreement with the content of article 2, in that that article permits the voluntary recruitment of children under the age of 18 years.

reservation: Declaration: "Under the relevant law of Mongolia the minimum age for recruitment into military service is 18 years. Mongolian male citizens of 18 to 25 years have the duty to fulfill a military service. Men of 18 to 25 years who have not fulfilled their military service for the reasons of their religious faith or moral belief may fulfill an alternative service for a period of 24 to 27 months with rescue or professional units or divisions of the General Department on Disaster Management, assisting forces of the Border Troops or other humanitarian organizations."

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification: “The Republic of San Marino, in accordance with article 3, paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, declares as follows: a) The minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the Military Corps of the Republic of San Marino, in conformity with the Special Regulations of each Corps, is set at 18; b) In San Marino there is neither a compulsory military service nor a compulsory civil service, although Articles 3 and 4 of Law no. 15 of 26 January 1990 ‘Regulation and Discipline of Military Corps’ provide that, in the exceptional circumstances of a general mobilization, all San Marino citizens from 16 to 60 years of age may be called up to serve in the military. This provision represents a historical heritage and such circumstances have never arisen in the whole history of the Republic. The Republic of San Marino intends to introduce a reform of the Regulation and Discipline of Military Corps to repeal this provision.”

reservation: Declaration replacing the declaration made upon ratification (Translation) (Original: French): The Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg declares, in accordance with article 3 of the Protocol, that by law the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the Armed Forces of Luxembourg is 18 years of age.

reservation: Declarations: "1. Military service is compulsory by law. Thai men reaching the age of 18 have a duty to register on the inactive military personnel list. At the age of 21, selected inactive military personnel will become active military personnel. Inactive military personnel may also voluntarily apply to become active military personnel to serve in the national armed forces. Women are exempt from compulsory military service both in times of peace and in times of war, but are subjected to other duties assigned by law. 2. In times of war or national crisis, inactive military personnel (men aged over 18) may be recruited to participate in the armed forces. 3. Admittances to military schools such as Army Non-commissioned Officer School, Air technical Training School, Navy Non-Commissioned Officer School, Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School and Army, Naval, and Air Forces Academies is on a voluntary basis, depending on the success in the entrance examinations and subject to the consent of parents or legal guardians. 4. High school and university students regardless of gender may voluntarily apply to receive military training from the Army Reserve Command, with the consent of parents or legal guardians, without any exception. Students who complete 3 years' training are exempt from military service (as active military personnel) when they reach the age of 21. 5. Non-governmental militias are prohibited by law, regardless of the age of persons concerned."

reservation: Declaration: .....the Government of the State of Kuwait is committed to maintaining the minimum age for voluntary service in the Kuwaiti armed forces at 18 years of age, and to prohibiting the forced conscription of any persons under the age of 18, pursuant to article 3, paragraph 2 of the aforementioned Protocol.

reservation: Declaration: .....pursuant to article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol, the Government of the Republic of the Sudan declares that the Republic of the Sudan is committed to maintain the minimum age for voluntary service in the Sudan armed forces at 18, and to maintain the prohibition of forced or voluntary conscription of any person under the age of 18 years.

reservation: Declaration : “With reference to Article 3 paragraph 2 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, the Republic of Hungary declares that under Hungarian law the minimum age for voluntary recruitment into the Hungarian national armed forces is eighteen (18) years. Pursuant to the Constitution of the Republic of Hungary all recruitments to the national armed forces are voluntary in peacetime, and the minimum age for mandatory military service during armed conflict is also eighteen (18) years.”

reservation: Declaration: Adopting this Protocol we declare in accordance with article 3 paragraph 2 of the Protocol that the minimum age at which voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces is permitted is 18 years. This age limit is prescribed by law.

reservation: Declaration (Courtesy Translation) (Original: Amharic): … in accordance with Article 3(2) of the said Optional Protocol, the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia declares that the minimum age at which it will permit voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces is 18 years old …

reservation: Declaration: "Pursuant to Article 3 of the protocol, the Republic of Azerbaijan declares that in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the military service of 3 November 1992, the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan and other persons, who are meeting the defined requirements of the military service, may voluntarily enter and be admitted in age of 17 the active military service of the cadets military school. The legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan guarantees that this service shall not be forced or coerced, shall be realized on the basis of deliberative consent of the parents and the legal representatives of those persons, that those persons shall be provided with the full information of the duties regarding this service, and that the documents certifying their age shall be required before the admission to the service in the national armed forces."

reservation: Declaration: "Pursuant to Article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, Jamaica hereby declares that: 1. The Jamaica Defence Force permits voluntary recruitment and enlistment at the minimum age of 18 years. 2. The Jamaica Defence Force has adopted the following safeguards, under the 1962 Defence (Regular Force Enlistment And Service Regulations) Act, to ensure that recruitment of personnel under the age of 18 is not forced or coerced; (a) All recruitment to the Jamaica Defence Force is voluntary. If an individual wishes to enter the Jamaica Defence Force, he or she completes the relevant application (Notice Paper) form in accordance with Section 5 of the Act; (b) The applicant is given the notice paper with the condition and warning that if he knowingly makes a false attestation, he is liable to be punished; (c) The recruiting officer shall satisfy himself that the person offering to enlist is, or as the case may be, is not, over the age of eighteen years; (d) The recruiting officer shall read or cause to be read to the person the questions set out in the attestation paper and shall ensure that the answers are duly recorded thereon; (e) Written parental consent is required for applicants who have attained the age of 171/2 years. Persons in this category are not permitted to graduate as trained soldiers from training institutions, until they have attained the age of eighteen (18) years. 3. Personnel must provide reliable proof of age prior to acceptance into national military service, in the form of a legally recognized document, that is, an original or a certified copy of their birth certificate. If the Jamaica Defence Force offers a particular position to the candidate, he or she is not compelled to accept the position."

reservation: Declaration: "1) according to the Article 17 paragraph 1 of the Mandatory Military Service Law adopted by the Parliament of the Republic of Latvia on 19th day of February 1997 citizens from the age of 19 years to the age of 27 years shall be liable for mandatory active military service; 2) according to the Article 17 paragraph 2 of the Mandatory Military Service Law male and female persons from the age of 18 years to the age of 27 years may enlist voluntarily for mandatory active military service."

reservation: Declaration made upon accession (Original: English): “Pursuant to Article 3, paragraph [2] of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict the Republic of Zimbabwe do hereby declare that: In terms of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Standing Orders, recruitment of members into the Defence Forces is voluntary but restricted to the ages of between 18 and 22 years. However, Zimbabwe contemplates to include this provision in its statutory law for certainty and consistency despite the fact that no problems have been encountered. To ensure that every recruit is 18 years of age, every potential recruit must be in possession of his/her National Identity Card, Birth Certificate and school and professional certificates before he is recruited into the Defence Forces. He/she also undergoes thorough medical and physical examinations in order to ascertain his/her fitness and age. Recruitment commences at District Centres to ensure that there is equal representation of all members who join the Defence Forces, throughout the country. In fact, all recruitments into the Zimbabwe Defence Forces are voluntary and is strictly for those who are of the age of 18 years.”

reservation: Declaration: "With regard to Article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvment of Children in Armed Conflict, the Republic of Iceland declares that it has no national armed forces, and hence, a minum age for recruitment is not applicable in the case of the Republic of Iceland."

reservation: Declaration: Under Austrian law the minimum age for the voluntary recruitment of Austrian citizens into the Austrian army (Bundesheer) is 17 years. According to paragraph 15, in conjunction with paragraph 65 (c) of the Austrian National Defence Act 1990 (Wehrgesetz 1990), the explicit consent of parents or other legal guardians is required for the voluntary recruitment of a person between 17 and 18 years. The provisions of the Austrian National Defence Act 1990, together with the subjective legal remedies guaranteed by the Austrian Federal Constitution, ensure that legal protection in the context of such a decision is afforded to volunteers under the age of 18. A further guarantee derives from the strict application of the principles of rule of law, good governance and effective legal protection.

reservation: Declaration: The minimum age for conscription and voluntary enlistment into the national armed forces of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is between 18 and 50 years, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and laws of the Republic. The safeguards adopted by the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced are as follows: 1. Article 134 of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela provides: "Everyone, in accordance with the law, has the duty to provide the necessary civilian or military services for the defence, preservation and development of the country, or to deal with situations of public emergency. No one may be subjected to forced recruitment." 2. When a person has been subjected to forced recruitment, article 27, first paragraph of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela provides that: "everyone has the right to be protected by the courts in the enjoyment and exercise of all constitutional rights and guarantees, including those inherent personal rights which are not expressly laid down in this Constitution or in the international human rights instruments". 3. The Constitution also provides, in article 31, first paragraph, that "everyone has the right, under the provisions laid down in the human rights treaties, covenants and conventions ratified by the Republic, to send petitions or complaints to the international organs created for these purposes, in order to seek protection of human rights". 4. Furthermore, article 4 of the Military Conscription and Enlistment Act provides that military age is the period during which Venezuelans have military obligations and are between 18 and 50 years of age. No Venezuelan under the age of 18 has military obligations or the duty to register for military service.

reservation: Declaration: “The Government of the Republic of Mauritius declares, in accordance with article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, that the minimum age for voluntary recruitment of persons into its paramilitary force is 18 years.”

reservation: Declaration: The Principality of Monaco declares, in accordance with article 3, paragraph 2, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, that it is bound by the Franco-Monaguesque Treaty of 17 July 1918 and that the French Republic thereby ensures the defence of the territorial integrity of the Principality of Monaco. The only bodies having military status in the Principality are the Prince's Guard and the Fire Brigade. In accordance with the provisions of Sovereign Ordinance No. 8017 of 1 June 1984 relating to the Police Code, members of the Guard and the Fire Brigade must be at least 21 years of age.

reservation: Declaration made upon accession (Original: English): “[...] in accordance with article 3(2) of the Optional Protocol, [...] the minimum age for recruitment of persons into Palestine’s national armed forces is 18 years.”

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification (Translation) (Original: French): The Government of the Central African Republic declares that, in accordance with article 4 of Decree No. 85.432 of 12 September 1985, which establishes regulations for non-army military personnel, and with article 6 of Decree No. 09.011 of 16 January 2009, which sets out the rules for the implementation of Act No. 08.016, which establishes regulations for the Central African police force: The minimum age for recruitment into the Central African armed forces, the gendarmerie and the police force is set at eighteen (18) years of age. Recruitment is entirely voluntary and cannot be carried out against the will of the individual concerned.

reservation: Declarations made upon ratification: Declaration under article 3 (2) (Original: English): “With reference to Article 3 (2) of the Optional Protocol, the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar declares that citizens may freely present themselves for voluntary military service provided they have attained a minimum age of 18 years, whereas citizens above 16 and under 18 years of age may voluntarily join military academies and military vocational training courses, if furnished with the proof of their age and the prior written consent of their parents or guardians.” Interpretative declaration (Original: English): “With reference to Article 4 of the Optional Protocol, the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar considers that any responsibility deriving from recruitment of children under 18 years of age or their use in hostilities by non-state armed groups lies solely with such groups. In the prevention of underage military recruitment, the Government would collaborate with the ethnic armed groups which have signed the NCA (Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement). The latter shall also have a duty to apply at all times the principles governing international humanitarian law.”

reservation: Declaration made upon accession (Original: English): "… the Republic of Kiribati has no national armed forces, and a declaration as to the minimum age for recruitment is therefore not applicable in the case of the Republic of Kiribati."

reservation: Declaration made upon accession (Original: English): "The Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas declares that the State will permit voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces at the minimum age of eighteen and will state the general conditions of the engagement to be entered into by the recruit and a recruiting officer shall not enlist any person in that Force unless satisfied by that person that he has been given such a notice, understands it and wishes to be enlisted."

reservation: Declaration under article 3 (2) made upon accession (Translation) (Original: French): The Government of the Republic of Guinea declares that the Republic of Guinea has adopted Act 001/CNT/2012 of 17 January 2012 on the general situation of members of the armed forces. Chapter I on recruitment states: ‘Article 39: Any citizen of Guinean nationality between the ages of 18 and 28 may be recruited to the Guinean armed forces. Article 40: Recruits must have Guinean nationality, be in possession of their civic rights, have the physical and intellectual capacities required for their duties and be able to read and write. Article 41: Recruitment to the army shall be by voluntary enlistment. However, in the event of a serious threat to the integrity of the national territory, the army may as an exceptional measure proceed with general mobilization. The arrangements for such mobilization shall be established by decree of the President of the Republic. Article 42: Recruitment to the Guinean army shall take place each year, in the light of the staffing needs of the armies and units and on the basis of budget forecasts. For the recruitment of specialists, the Chiefs of Staff and units shall be allowed to select their recruits, who shall be made available to the National Recruitment Board. Article 43: All recruits shall be hired for an initial two-year contract and sent to infantry training centres for nine months’ joint basic training before joining the various armies and units. Article 44: Six (6) months before the expiration of the initial contract, each recruit shall appear before the Review Board, which shall decide whether the recruit’s application to enlist is to be accepted. The accepted candidates shall appear before the National Recruitment Board for registration. Arrangements for recruitment to the ranks of career officers and non-commissioned officers shall be specified in the Special Statute.’ On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Guinea, I declare that the above provisions concerning the minimum age for voluntary enlistment in the Guinean armed forces shall be scrupulously and strictly observed.

reservation: Declarations made upon ratification (Original: English): “… the Republic of South Sudan ..., in regards to Article 3 of the Optional Protocol, states that the minimum age at which it permits recruitment of volunteers in Armed Forces is eighteen years and in accordance with section 22 of the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army Act, 2009; … the Republic of South Sudan also states that the safeguards provided in Article 3(2) of the Optional Protocol on Involvement of Children in the Armed Conflicts and in the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Army Act, 2009 shall be observed and bound by to ensure that all recruitment is made in public places and not done under force or duress, advertised in the press and national media for young people, the recruits undergo medical examination and the record consist of recruitment as appropriate, among others, a birth certificate, certificate of education or apprenticeship” .

reservation: Declaration made upon ratification under article 3 (2) (Original: English): “The Government of Solomon Islands declares that it does not have national armed forces, but in the event that any are established, it will ensure [that] the minimum age for voluntary recruitment of 18 years as provided for under the Police Act will in principle be applied for such recruitment. No recruitment shall be carried out without the submission of compulsory proof of age.”

reservation: Declaration of territorial application in respect of the Isle of Man (Original: English): “… the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland hereby extends the application of the United Kingdom’s Ratification of the […] [Optional Protocol] […] to the Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man, a territory for the international relations of which the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is responsible. The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland considers the extension of the […] [Optional Protocol] […] to the Crown Dependency of the Isle of Man to take effect on the date of deposit of this notification…”

text: Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court

text: Convention on the Rights of the Child

text: Convention on the Rights of the Child, article 1

text: Convention on the Rights of the Child, article 28

text: Convention on the Rights of the Child, article 29

text: Convention on the Rights of the Child, article 38

text: The States Parties to the present Protocol,

text: Encouraged by the overwhelming support for the

text: Convention on the Rights of the Child

text: , demonstrating the widespread commitment that exists to strive for the promotion and protection of the rights of the child,

text: Reaffirming that the rights of children require special protection, and calling for continuous improvement of the situation of children without distinction, as well as for their development and education in conditions of peace and security,

text: Disturbed by the harmful and widespread impact of armed conflict on children and the long-term consequences it has for durable peace, security and development,

text: Condemning the targeting of children in situations of armed conflict and direct attacks on objects protected under international law, including places that generally have a significant presence of children, such as schools and hospitals,

text: Noting the adoption of the

text: , in particular, the inclusion therein as a war crime, of conscripting or enlisting children under the age of 15 years or using them to participate actively in hostilities in both international and non-international armed conflicts,

text: Considering therefore that to strengthen further the implementation of rights recognized in the

text: Convention on the Rights of the Child

text: there is a need to increase the protection of children from involvement in armed conflict,

text: Noting that

text: article 1

text: of the

text: Convention on the Rights of the Child

text: specifies that, for the purposes of that Convention, a child means every human being below the age of 18 years unless, under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier,

text: Convinced that an optional protocol to the Convention that raises the age of possible recruitment of persons into armed forces and their participation in hostilities will contribute effectively to the implementation of the principle that the best interests of the child are to be a primary consideration in all actions concerning children,

text: Noting that the twenty-sixth International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in December 1995 recommended, inter alia, that parties to conflict take every feasible step to ensure that children below the age of 18 years do not take part in hostilities,

text: Welcoming the unanimous adoption, in June1999, of International Labour Organization Convention No. 182 on the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, which prohibits, inter alia, forced or compulsory recruitment of children for use in armed conflict,

text: 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, and recognizing the responsibility of those who recruit, train and use children in this regard,

text: Recalling the obligation of each party to an armed conflict to abide by the provisions of international humanitarian law,

text: Stressing that the present Protocol is without prejudice to the purposes and principles contained in the Charter of the United Nations, including Article 51, and relevant norms of humanitarian law,

text: Bearing in mind that conditions of peace and security based on full respect of the purposes and principles contained in the Charter and observance of applicable human rights instruments are indispensable for the full protection of children, in particular during armed conflicts and foreign occupation,

text: Recognizing the special needs of those children who are particularly vulnerable to recruitment or use in hostilities contrary to the present Protocol owing to their economic or social status or gender,

text: Mindful of the necessity of taking into consideration the economic, social and political root causes of the involvement of children in armed conflicts,

text: Convinced of the need to strengthen international cooperation in the implementation of the present Protocol, as well as the physical and psychosocial rehabilitation and social reintegration of children who are victims of armed conflict,

text: Encouraging the participation of the community and, in particular, children and child victims in the dissemination of informational and educational programmes concerning the implementation of the Protocol,

text: Have agreed as follows:

text: Preamble

text: States Parties shall take all feasible measures to ensure that members of their armed forces who have not attained the age of 18 years do not take a direct part in hostilities.

text: Article 1

text: States Parties shall ensure that persons who have not attained the age of 18 years are not compulsorily recruited into their armed forces.

text: Article 2

text: 1. States Parties shall raise in years the minimum age for the voluntary recruitment of persons into their national armed forces from that set out in

text: article 38

text: , paragraph 3, of the

text: Convention on the Rights of the Child

text: , taking account of the principles contained in that article and recognizing that under the Convention persons under the age of 18 years are entitled to special protection.

text: 2. Each State Party shall deposit a binding declaration upon ratification of or accession to the present Protocol that sets forth the minimum age at which it will permit voluntary recruitment into its national armed forces and a description of the safeguards it has adopted to ensure that such recruitment is not forced or coerced.

text: 3. States Parties that permit voluntary recruitment into their national armed forces under the age of 18 years shall maintain safeguards to ensure, as a minimum, that: (a) Such recruitment is genuinely voluntary; (b) Such recruitment is carried out with the informed consent of the person’s parents or legal guardians; (c) Such persons are fully informed of the duties involved in such military service; (d) Such persons provide reliable proof of age prior to acceptance into national military service.

text: 4. Each State Party may strengthen its declaration at any time by notification to that effect addressed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall inform all States Parties. Such notification shall take effect on the date on which it is received by the Secretary-General.

text: 5. The requirement to raise the age in paragraph 1 of the present article does not apply to schools operated by or under the control of the armed forces of the States Parties, in keeping with

text: articles 28

text: and

text: of the

text: Convention on the Rights of the Child

text: [Note : the present article includes the correction as per Depositary Notification C.N.1031.2000.TREATIES-10 of 14 November 2000 .]

text: Article 3

text: 1. Armed groups that are distinct from the armed forces of a State should not, under any circumstances, recruit or use in hostilities persons under the age of 18 years.

text: 2. States Parties shall take all feasible measures to prevent such recruitment and use, including the adoption of legal measures necessary to prohibit and criminalize such practices.

text: 3. The application of the present article shall not affect the legal status of any party to an armed conflict.

text: Article 4

text: Nothing in the present Protocol shall be construed as precluding provisions in the law of a State Party or in international instruments and international humanitarian law that are more conducive to the realization of the rights of the child.

text: Article 5

text: 1. Each State Party shall take all necessary legal, administrative and other measures to ensure the effective implementation and enforcement of the provisions of the present Protocol within its jurisdiction.

text: 2. States Parties undertake to make the principles and provisions of the present Protocol widely known and promoted by appropriate means, to adults and children alike.

text: 3. States Parties shall take all feasible measures to ensure that persons within their jurisdiction recruited or used in hostilities contrary to the present Protocol are demobilized or otherwise released from service. States Parties shall, when necessary, accord to such persons all appropriate assistance for their physical and psychological recovery and their social reintegration.

text: Article 6

text: 1. States Parties shall cooperate in the implementation of the present Protocol, including in the prevention of any activity contrary thereto and in the rehabilitation and social reintegration of persons who are victims of acts contrary thereto, including through technical cooperation and financial assistance. Such assistance and cooperation will be undertaken in consultation with the States Parties concerned and the relevant international organizations.

text: 2. States Parties in a position to do so shall provide such assistance through existing multilateral, bilateral or other programmes or, inter alia, through a voluntary fund established in accordance with the rules of the General Assembly.

text: Article 7

text: 1. Each State Party shall, within two years following the entry into force of the present Protocol for that State Party, submit a report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child providing comprehensive information on the measures it has taken to implement the provisions of the Protocol, including the measures taken to implement the provisions on participation and recruitment.

text: 2. Following the submission of the comprehensive report, each State Party shall include in the reports it submits to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, in accordance with article 44 of the Convention, any further information with respect to the implementation of the Protocol. Other States Parties to the Protocol shall submit a report every five years.

text: 3. The Committee on the Rights of the Child may request from States Parties further information relevant to the implementation of the present Protocol.

text: Article 8

text: 1. The present Protocol is open for signature by any State that is a party to the Convention or has signed it.

text: 2. The present Protocol is subject to ratification and is open to accession by any State. Instruments of ratification or accession shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

text: 3. The Secretary-General, in his capacity as depositary of the Convention and the Protocol, shall inform all States Parties to the Convention and all States that have signed the Convention of each instrument of declaration pursuant to article 3 .

text: Note: the present article includes the correction as per Depositary Notification C.N.865.2001.TREATIES-10 of 13 September 2001 .

text: Article 9

text: 1. The present Protocol shall enter into force three months after the deposit of the tenth instrument of ratification or accession.

text: 2. For each State ratifying the present Protocol or acceding to it after its entry into force, the Protocol shall enter into force one month after the date of the deposit of its own instrument of ratification or accession.

text: Article 10

text: 1. Any State Party may denounce the present Protocol at any time by written notification to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall thereafter inform the other States Parties to the Convention and all States that have signed the Convention. The denunciation shall take effect one year after the date of receipt of the notification by the Secretary-General. If, however, on the expiry of that year the denouncing State Party is engaged in armed conflict, the denunciation shall not take effect before the end of the armed conflict.

text: 2. Such a denunciation shall not have the effect of releasing the State Party from its obligations under the present Protocol in regard to any act that occurs prior to the date on which the denunciation becomes effective. Nor shall such a denunciation prejudice in any way the continued consideration of any matter that is already under consideration by the Committee on the Rights of the Child prior to the date on which the denunciation becomes effective.

text: Article 11

text: 1. Any State Party may propose an amendment and file it with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Secretary-General shall thereupon communicate the proposed amendment to States Parties with a request that they indicate whether they favour a conference of States Parties for the purpose of considering and voting upon the proposals. In the event that, within four months from the date of such communication, at least one third of the States Parties favour such a conference, the Secretary-General shall convene the conference under the auspices of the United Nations. Any amendment adopted by a majority of States Parties present and voting at the conference shall be submitted to the General Assembly of the United Nations for approval.

text: 2. An amendment adopted in accordance with paragraph 1 of the present article shall enter into force when it has been approved by the General Assembly and accepted by a two-thirds majority of States Parties.

text: 3. When an amendment enters into force, it shall be binding on those States Parties that have accepted it, other States Parties still being bound by the provisions of the present Protocol and any earlier amendments they have accepted.

text: Article 12

text: 1. The present Protocol, of which the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the United Nations.

text: 2. The Secretary-General of the United Nations shall transmit certified copies of the present Protocol to all States Parties to the Convention and all States that have signed the Convention.

text: Article 13

summary: Protection of children by International Humanitarian Law Aside from benefiting from the general protection provided to civilians, children are protected by International Humanitarian Law in two ways. First, by being protected from recruitment and participation in hostilities (Art. 77 of Protocol I prohibits recruitment and direct participation in hostilities of children under the age of 15 years, whereas Art 4, 3(c) of Protocol II also prohibits their indirect participation. The Rome Statute has recognized the recruitment and use of children under the age of 15 years in hostilities as an international crime, both in international and non-international armed conflicts), and second, by a number of specific provisions addressing their particular vulnerabilities. These provisions, which are contained in the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, include protection from the effects of hostilities (sanitary zones, evacuation), provision of special care and aid (medicine, food, clothing), protection of personal status, family and community ties (identity, registration, reunification, news), cultural environment, education, or limits to the death penalty. Other provisions specifically regulate the treatment of detained or interned children. Protection in human rights law Children are protected by general human rights instruments. In addition, they are entitled to the protection provided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which has been ratified by all states in the world, apart from Somalia and the United States of America. The CRC includes in its Article 38 a provision according to which states parties: undertake to respect and to ensure respect for relevant rules of International Humanitarian Law; ensure that children under 15 do not take a direct part in hostilities; refrain from recruiting those under 15 and give priority to the oldest among those under 18; in accordance with International Humanitarian Law, ensure protection and care of children affected by armed conflict. Article 38 has been subject to considerable criticism, for two reasons. First, because all other provisions protect the child until it has reached the age of 18. Second, because it adds nothing new and could even undermine existing standards contained in IHL (the parts relating to recruitment and participation in hostilities repeat Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, which only prohibits direct participation, whereas Protocol II also prohibits indirect participation). The ICRC contributed to the drafting process of this provision, but became involved only at a late stage, so that its possibility to influence the final text was limited. Development of an Optional Protocol A number of states have for several years sought to develop an Optional Protocol to the CRC that would raise the minimum age for participation in hostilities and for recruitment to 18 years. In line with a 1995 resolution of the Council of Delegates, the ICRC has supported this initiative and participated in the drafting process. It has made its view known in international forums (through statements at the UN Commission on Human Rights and General Assembly) and participated actively in the UN Working Group established to draft the Optional Protocol. Given that the Working Group has worked by consensus in order to adopt the text, and that there was absence of such because a handful of states opposed the adoption of the 18-years minimum age, there was almost no progress in the Working Group in previous years. To overcome the stalemate, several NGOs started a campaign aimed at generating enough political pressure to have the Optional Protocol developed outside the UN working group (this strategy was largely inspired by the Land Mines Campaign). The ICRC was not a formal member of the NGO coalition, but supported its work by participating in regional conferences organised by the Coalition, and more generally by sharing its legal expertise and operational experience. In January 2000, the UN Working Group finally met for substantive negotiations, and successfully concluded the drafting of an agreed text (the compromise position taken by States which previously had opposed consensus may have been motivated by concerns that the NGO campaign might eventually succeed). The agreed text has recently been adopted by the General Assembly in May 2000 and will be open for signature and ratification. Overall, the Optional Protocol represents a clear improvement of existing international law, although the text also contains evident weaknesses. Of particular importance may be highlighted: 1."States Parties shall take all feasible measures to ensure that members of their armed forces who have not attained the age of 18 years do not take a direct part in hostitities." (Article 1). In the opinion of the ICRC the obligation imposed on States to prevent participation in hostilities should have been made more absolute, and should also have covered indirect participation, which may often be equally dangerous for the children involved. 2."States Parties shall ensure that persons who have not attained the age of 18 years are not compulsorily recruited into their armedforces" (Article 2). This provision is in itself positive, but is considerably weakened by the following provision, which permits voluntary recruitment below the age of 18 years (it imposes the obligation on States to "raise the minimum age in years" for voluntary recruitment from the present age limit of 15 years, and this obligation does not apply to military schools) thus providing a possibility for circumventing the age limits set to recruitment. It is to be hoped that the Committee on the Rights of the Child will compensate for the weaknesses of the text by a strict interpretation, including by emphasising that all the relevant provisions of the Convention apply simultaneously. 3."Armed groups, distinct from the armed forces of a State, should not under any circumstances, recruit or use in hostilities persons under the age of 18 years." (Article 4, paragraph 1). The ICRC welcomes the fact that the issue of non-state actors has been included in the Optional Protocol, but regrets that the provision imposes a moral, as opposed to a legal obligation. Although Article 4 also provides for criminal repression under domestic law, this is likely to be of limited effect, because those who take up arms against the lawful Government of a country already expose themselves to the most severe penalties of domestic law, and because the capacity of a Government to enforce its laws is often very limited in situations of non-international armed conflicts. Third, it is uncertain whether non-state actors will feel bound by a norm which is different from that imposed on States, and thus whether it will be respected. In its written observations submitted to the UN Secretariat, the ICRC calls on States to ratify the Optional Protocol as soon as this becomes possible and to effectively implement the obligations contained therein. It also reaffirms the willingness of the Movement to continue its work for the non-recruitment and non-participation of children in hostilities, including by identifying children at risk of becoming soldiers, providing them with alternative sources of income and respect, and by raising awareness in society not to allow children to join armed forces or groups.