Yemen, UN sign action plan to end children recruitment by army
The Source: SANA'A\Hadhramaut\Saba - Wednesday -14/May/2014
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Yemen and the United Nations Office for Children and Armed Conflict signed here on Wednesday an action plan to end and prevent children recruitment by the Yemen's armed forces. The action plan sets out concrete steps to release all children associated with the Yemeni Security Forces, reintegrate them into their communities, and prevent further recruitment.
It also stipulates aligning Yemen's legislation with international norms and standards banning the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict and issuing military orders prohibiting the recruitment and use of children below age 18.
Moreover, it also requires to investigate allegations of recruitment and use of children by the Yemeni forces and ensure that responsible individuals are held accountable in addition to facilitating access to the UN to monitor progress and compliance with the action plan.
In the presence of Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa and special representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict Ms. Leila Zerrougui, the Action plan was signed by Chief of Staff Ahmed al-Ashwal and the UN Resident Coordinator in Yemen Mr. Paolo Lembo and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Resident Representative in Yemen Julien Harneis.
Al-Ashwal underlined the Yemeni government and its armed and security forces' commitment to end and prohibit the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts.
The Law No. 67 for 1991 on the recruitment in the armed and security forces prevents the recruitment of children under 18 years, al-Ashwal said in a press conference held at the Cabinet's headquarters together with Ms. Zerrougui on the sidelines of the action plan's signing ceremony.
The Chief of Staff stressed that the armed forces would provide all facilities for the UN agencies and human rights organizations' representatives to carry out their part of the action plan.
"With this action plan, Yemen has formalized its commitment to protect its future generations," said Ms. Zerrougui.
"This is an important step, but a lot remains to be done to realize the promise of a brighter future for the country’s children. I rely on the Government's commitment to act on each of the points listed in the action plan, and I call on the international community to spare no efforts to support Yemeni authorities in this endeavor. On behalf of the United Nations, I pledge my full support to them."
Yemen is one of eight countries whose national security forces are listed by the Secretary-General for recruitment and use of children.
The Yemeni Government Forces will be removed from the list of the Secretary-General upon successful completion and verification by the UN of all measures agreed to in the Action Plan, a press release issued by the UNICEF read.
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