South Sudan army releases 7 child soldiers

JUBA – South Sudan’s military has released seven child soldiers associated with armed forces and armed groups, UN Children’s Fund said in a statement on Friday.

The children, aged between 13 and 17, were released in Rumbek of Lakes State on Thursday.

They were taken as prisoners of war during clashes between the government forces and rebels many years ago.

Hamida Lasseko, the UNICEF Country Representative in South Sudan welcomed the release of seven children associated with armed forces in Lakes State.

“The release of these children today demonstrates the commitment of authorities to ensure that the rights of children are respected. It fills me with hope,” Lasseko said in a statement issued on Friday.

Lasseko said the UN Children’s Fund is working tirelessly with the government to ensure there are no children left in the barracks.

“This is an opportunity for all across the country to work together to ensure all children who are in the barracks are released,” Lasseko said.

Lasseko said the UNICEF and the government are committed to implementing the action plan signed last year to ensure no child is allowed to serve in the army.

The release was supported by UNICEF, the UN Mission in South Sudan, the Ministry of Gender Child and Social Welfare and the National Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration Commission, and other partners including Save the Children and Plan International.

South Sudan government signed the Comprehensive Action Plan to end all six grave violations against children on 7 February 2020.

The Action Plan is the most comprehensive plan signed globally since the creation within the United Nations of the Children and Armed Conflict mandate.

The recruitment and use of children are prohibited by the South Sudan Labour Act (2017 and Transitional Constitution with its Amendments (2011/ 2018), Penal Code Act (2008), and Child Act (2018)) and international treaties that the country has signed, including the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its Optional Protocols.