Committee: Disarmament
Question: The Use of Child Soldiers
Submitted by: Brazil
Defines child soldiers as military combatants who are under the age of 18,
Reminds that these soldiers are declared as combatants whether they are in active operations or not,
Fully Aware that Child Soldiers are used commonly not only in Africa but also in South America and Asia,
Recognises that recruitment of Child Soldiers can involve methods such as abduction, intimidation, and desperation,
Further recognises the various usages of child soldiers other than in combat areas such as human mine detectors, espionage, or as suicide bombers,
Keeping in mind the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict,
Aware that rebel forces may not be bound to the Optional Protocol,
- Urges that the United Nations make the Optional Protocol a compulsory protocol;
- Authorises the United Nations to investigate countries that allegedly make use of child soldiers such as Myanmar;
- Affirms that those found to have used child soldiers will be prosecuted for war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court;
- Calls for an initiation of programs in countries to provide help to children whose aims will include;
- giving children a livelihood as an alternative to volunteering to armed forces,
- speaking to rebel forces to provide education about the Optional Protocol,
- Requests that the UN provides finances to programs in nations which help with the re-education of children who have gone into combat;
- Commits to providing precise military support to nations containing militant factions alleged to be using conscripted child soldiers;
- Trusts that this military intervention will act as a deterrent for leaders of rebel groups who make use of conscripted child soldiers.