Major agreement signed to protect children in Afghanistan

Today in Kabul, the Afghan government and officials from the United Nations signed an agreement to end recruitment of children in security forces. This is a major achievement because in a United Nations report last year, Afghanistan was listed as one of the countries which had child soldiers. Today’s agreement will prevent under-age recruitment into the Afghan National Security Forces as well as other violations committed against children in the context of the conflict.

“Today we come together to undertake a big step for a better future for the children of Afghanistan. This is not only the responsibility of the Government. The entire community is called upon to work together for the protection of all children in Afghanistan,” said Zalmai Rassoul, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“Today’s signing of the Action Plan to halt the use and recruitment of children into the Afghan National Security Forces and to address other child rights violations is an important first step to end such practices,” said the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Conflict Radhika Coomaraswamy.

January 30, 2011 · admin · No Comments
Posted in: Human Rights, Security in Afghanistan