Progress: No progress
Increase the minimum age for voluntary recruitment to 18 in line with the Committee on the Rights of the Child recommendation
Proponent:
Croatia
Republic of Croatia
Remarks to progress by Liga (last modified Dec 31, 2024):
The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict was ratified by Austria on 1 February 2002. The main point of the protocol is to raise the minimum age for participation in armed conflict to 18 years (https://www.kinderrechtskonvention.info/kindersoldaten-3205/). Recruitment into the national military starts at 18 years. However, persons at an age of 17 may voluntarily join the armed forces according to sec. 9 para. 2 of the Defense Act and sec. 10 sex. 1 of the Defence Act provides that in general conscription may start at the age of 17.
