Myanmar continues efforts to end recruitment of minors in military service

Myanmar continued efforts to end recruitment of minors in military service, releasing 80 more child soldiers from military services and sending them back to their homes in its latest move.

The 80 minors freed in Yangon constitute the eighth batch that returned to their families by the army so far since 2012.

The move signified Myanmar military's commitment to stopping recruitment of under-age children as soldiers.

Besides medical treatment, plans are also underway to provide them with education for those wishing to go back to school and receive vocational training, according to the army office.

Myanmar armed forces last released 109 child soldiers from military service in Yangon in September this year.

The latest release has brought the total number of such minors discharged from the military service to 553, according to compiled statistics.

Under a program of protecting under-age children from joining military services, Myanmar signed an 18-month Action Plan with the United Nations' Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting in 2012 and renewed to another six months in December 2013.

Reports said action had been taken against more than 319 military officers for breaking recruitment rules.

Myanmar and the United Nations started engagement in a dialogue on issues related to child soldiers six years ago, agreeing to the appointment of a high-level focal point from the Ministry of Social Welfare to engage with the UN Country Team and especially UNICEF on all issues related to children and armed conflict as well as the setting up of a monitoring mechanism to find out the real situation in the country regarding child soldiers with a task force established.

Myanmar has made efforts not to recruit minors for military service, promising continuous supervision over the personnel concerned to ensure that they do not accept minors, and working according to the law, rules and regulations and directives.

The country formed the Committee for Prevention against Recruiting Minors into Army in January 2005.

Meanwhile, Myanmar has reiterated its commitment to implement child-labor-related Convention-182 of the International Labor Organization (ILO) which will come into force from Dec. 18, 2014.

The ILO Convention-182 calls for prohibition of child labor and immediate action to eliminate its worst forms.

Myanmar's National Committee on the Rights of Child has also pledged to make endeavors to ensure the rights of child in the nation which was cited as the rights to survival, to develop to the fullest to protection from harmful influence, abuse and exploitation and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life.