HRW Urges Myanmar Junta to End Use of Child Soldiers

HRW Urges Myanmar Junta to End Use of Child Soldiers
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Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Myanmar’s military authorities to end the recruitment and use of child soldiers, which has reportedly increased since the military coup in 2021 and the introduction of mandatory conscription in early 2024, news outlet Jurist reported. Shayna Bauchner, an HRW researcher, condemned the military’s long-standing practice of involving children in combat and support roles, urging cooperation with the United Nations to release all child recruits.

A recent UN report documented 2,138 grave violations against children in Myanmar’s conflict in 2023, including the verified recruitment of 482 child soldiers and the detention of 47 children. The report also noted over 1,200 cases of children killed or maimed, as well as attacks on schools, hospitals, and instances of sexual violence and abductions.

Since April 2024, the military has conscripted 14 groups under a 2010 law allowing mandatory service. Defectors allege a rise in underage recruitment and forced conscription, particularly from the stateless Rohingya community, despite the law applying only to citizens. HRW called on influential governments to press Myanmar to halt the exploitation of children and urged international donors to support rehabilitation efforts for child victims through local organizations.