Condemning with the gravest concern the recruitment, training and use within and across
national borders of children in hostilities by armed groups distinct from the armed forces of a
State, and recognizing the responsibility of those who recruit, train and use children in this
regard,
Recalling the obligation of each party to an armed conflict to abide by the provisions of
international humanitarian law,
Stressing that the present Protocol is without prejudice to the purposes and principles contained
in the Charter of the United Nations, including Article 51, and relevant norms of humanitarian
law,
Bearing in mind that conditions of peace and security based on full respect of the purposes and
principles contained in the Charter and observance of applicable human rights instruments are
indispensable for the full protection of children, in particular during armed conflict and foreign
occupation,
Recognizing the special needs of those children who are particularly vulnerable to recruitment or
use in hostilities contrary to the present Protocol owing to their economic or social status or
gender,
Mindful of the necessity of taking into consideration the economic, social and political root causes
of the involvement of children in armed conflict,
Convinced of the need to strengthen international cooperation in the implementation of the
present Protocol, as well as the physical and psychosocial rehabilitation and social reintegration
of children who are victims of armed conflict,
Encouraging the participation of the community and, in particular, children and child victims in
the dissemination of informational and educational programmes concerning the implementation
of the Protocol,
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1
States Parties shall take all feasible measures to ensure that members of their armed forces who
have not attained the age of 18 years do not take a direct part in hostilities.
Article 2
States Parties shall ensure that persons who have not attained the age of 18 years are not
compulsorily recruited into their armed forces.
Article 3
1. States Parties shall raise the minimum age for the voluntary recruitment of persons into their
national armed forces from that set out in article 38, paragraph 3, of the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, taking account of the principles contained in that article and recognizing that
under the Convention persons under the age of 18 years are entitled to special protection.
2. Each State Party shall deposit a binding declaration upon ratification of or accession to the
present Protocol that sets forth the minimum age at which it will permit voluntary recruitment
into its national armed forces and a description of the safeguards it has adopted to ensure that
such recruitment is not forced or coerced.
3. States Parties that permit voluntary recruitment into their national armed forces under the
age of 18 years shall maintain safeguards to ensure, as a minimum, that:
(a) Such recruitment is genuinely voluntary;