Children: Tunisia joins signatory states of the Paris Commitments and Principles

Tunisia has joined the 105 signatories to the "Paris Commitments and Principles" to protect children from illegal use or recruitment by groups or armed forces.

Tunisia endorsed these Commitments and Principles at a ministerial congress organised by the French government and the United Nations Children's Fund in Paris on the theme "Let’s Protect children from war" according to a statement issued Thursday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Paris Commitments and Principles aimed at combating illegal recruitment or use of children by armed forces or armed groups, preventing this phenomenon, facilitating the release of children recruited by armed groups and promoting the reintegration of children soldiers.

Tunisia's membership to these Commitments and Principles has reinforced the process of reforming the Tunisian legislation in matters of protection of children's rights and the principles consecrated in the Code of the Rights of the Child, the same statement said.

The Paris Commitments and Principles were adopted at the Paris International Conference on "Free Children from War" in February 2007. They are based on the Cape Town Principles on the Prevention of the Recruitment of Children in the Armed Forces and demobilisation and social reintegration of children soldiers in Africa (Cape Town Principles) adopted in 1997.

The signatory states voiced "readiness to identify and implement sustainable solutions against illegal use and recruitment of children in conflict".

source: TAP