Compendium on Human Rights of Armed Forces Personnel: Children

OSCE participating States have committed to ensuring that the recruitment practices for service in its military, paramilitary and security forces are consistent with human rights obligations, including the Convention on the Rights of Children. The threshold for voluntary recruitment should not be less than age 16. Countries that allow young people between 16 and 18 years of age to enlist must ensure that their recruitment is strictly voluntary, that they are fully informed of their duties, have parental consent and provide reliable proof of their age.