Bill Cracks Down on US Military Assistance to Countries Using Child Soldiers

Following extensive consultation with Human Rights Watch, Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) introduced the Child Soldiers Prevention Act, which would restrict US military financing, training, and weapons transfers to governments involved in the recruitment or use of child soldiers. On April 25, Senator Durbin chaired a Senate hearing on child soldiers, where he launched a short film produced by Human Rights Watch to make a compelling case for the bill. Of the 10 governments worldwide implicated in the recruitment or use of child soldiers, 9 currently receive US military assistance. Human Rights Watch has long been a leading voice against the use of child soldiers worldwide. We co-founded the International Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers and spearheaded the international campaign for a UN treaty to ban the use of children in armed conflict.