Composition

Position Paper – Russia

Committee: Rights of the child

Topic: Child soldiers

Country: Russia/ Russian Federation

Delegate: Alexia Uscatu

First, what are child soldiers and who are they?

There are over 250,000 children worldwide (under the age of 18, minors) that are not following an educational path as they are serving as child soldiers in armies or armed groups such as the Islamist separatists in the Republic of Dagestan. The United Nations Children’s Fund defines a child soldier as “any child – boy or girl – under eighteen years of age, who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity”.

The introduction of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child in 1989 was the first time that any formal commitment was entered, it protected and realised the human rights of a child. This Convention sets out the civil, political, economic, social, health and cultural rights of children. It was ratified by the Russian Federation on the 16th of August 1990.

Our country has history in the use of children as child soldiers even in the Second World War, taking part, often unofficially, in the Soviet Union’s Red Army. Since then

• Population: 143.2 million (28.8 million under 18)
• Government armed forces: 1,027,000
• Compulsory recruitment age: 18
• Voluntary recruitment age: 18 (16 at military education institutes)

Reports of state armed forces using children in hostilities: NO

Armed forces listed in 2017 by the UN for child recruitment and use: NO

Reports of non-state armed groups using children in hostilities: NO

Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict (OPAC)Ratified24/09/2008

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