Abstract
The UK is one of only 19 countries worldwide that still has a recruitment age of 16 years or below in to their armed forces. Children as young as 15 years and 7 months can apply to join, with minors making up nearly a third of new recruits in to the British Regular Army. Drawing on the protection of children provided by the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), but focusing on the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict (OPAC), this paper will explore the recruitment of under 18 years olds in to the British Armed Forces. Examining the voluntariness of enlistment and analysing the effectiveness of the safeguards to protect the best interests of the child, the paper challenges the legitimacy and appropriateness of the current armed forces recruitment policy.
| Original language | English |
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| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
| Event | Emerging Human Rights in the 21st century: 70 years after the UDHR - Liverpool John Moore's University, Liverpool, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Duration: 07 Dec 2018 → … |
Conference
| Conference | Emerging Human Rights in the 21st century: 70 years after the UDHR |
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| Country/Territory | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
| City | Liverpool |
| Period | 07 Dec 2018 → … |
