"MORE MUST BE DONE TO END THE USE OF CHILD SOLDIERS"

10.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 6th Sep 2007

Liz Lynne, Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands, has today called for more action to eliminate the use of child soldiers.

The MEP has for many years campaigned on Human Rights issues, particularly against human trafficking and slavery.

Speaking today from Strasbourg after the launch of a Written Declaration on the elimination of the use of child soldiers, Liz said,

"The United Nations estimates that there are still more than 250,000 children actively involved in armed conflict around the world. Denied a childhood and subjected to horrific violence they are direct participants in war. This cannot be allowed to continue."

"I implore my colleagues to sign Written Declaration 0077/2007 which will help to end their horror."

"We cannot continue to stand by whilst children as young as eight are forced to commit atrocities, these children cannot wait."

The Declaration calls on Member States and the Commission to commit to sustainable financial support for the reintegration of these children, who often find it impossible to return to 'normal' life after so long surrounded by violence.

It also calls on every country to ratify the UN optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, and to fully comply with it.

The campaign will put pressure on national governments and international organisations to take more action to stamp out the use of child soldiers.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The Written Declaration runs until the 3rd December 2007.

It requires 393 signatures to be adopted and is the EU's first ever declaration on the subject.

The campaign is being supported by the charities War Child and Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers.

The text of the written declaration is as follows:

0077/2007

Written declaration on the elimination of the use of child soldiers

The European Parliament,

• having regard to Rule 116 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the adoption of the Paris Principles and Commitments shows a broad consensus against the use of child soldiers, but the UN estimates that there are still more than 250000 children actively involved in armed conflict worldwide,

B. whereas girls are increasingly being recruited in armed conflicts and they are particularly vulnerable, often the victims of sexual abuse and violence,

C. whereas the definition of child soldier is not limited to a child carrying arms but includes any person under 18 years of age used in any capacity by an armed force or group, including those used as cooks, porters, messengers, spies and for sexual purposes,

D. whereas many of these children are forcibly abducted, or induced to fight by violent means, and in some cases are forcibly recruited,

E. whereas child soldiers often experience lasting psychological trauma and social exclusion as well as physical damage,

1. Urges every country to ratify the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, and those which are parties to this treaty to fully comply;

2. Urges that targeted sanctions are applied to individuals who recruit child soldiers or who knowingly support those who do;

3. Calls on all Member States and the European Commission to commit to sustainable financial support for existing demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration (DDR) projects, and especially for longer-term financial and technical support for the meaningful reintegration of children;

4. Urges the European Commission and all Member States to acknowledge a responsibility to protect - which explicitly refers to children - in parallel with the United Nations;

5. Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of the signatories, to the Council, the Commission, the Member States, the Council of Europe and the United Nations.