US Includes Pakistan, Turkey To its Child Soldiers Prevention Act List

US Includes Pakistan, Turkey To its Child Soldiers Prevention Act List

US Includes Pakistan, Turkey To its Child Soldiers Prevention Act List
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The United States (US) has on Thursday added Pakistan and Turkey to its Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) list, a classification that could lead to strict sanctions on military assistance.

The US Child Soldiers Prevention Act requires publication in the annual TIP report of a list of foreign governments that have recruited or used child soldiers during the previous year (April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021).

According to media reports, the designation is included in the US State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, which ranks countries in various ranges in accordance with their efforts for eradicating trafficking.

The articles reviewed for this designation include armed forces, police, other security forces and government-supported armed groups.

The 2021 CSPA list covers governments of the following countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Venezuela and Yemen.

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The statement, issued by the State Department in Washington, defines the term “child soldier” as: “Any person less than 18 years of age who takes a direct part in hostilities as a member of governmental armed forces, police, or other security forces”.

The CSPA obstructs listed governments in the following US programmes: International Military Education and Training, Foreign Military Financing, Excess Defence Articles, and Peacekeeping Operations. Some programmes undertaken pursuant to the Peacekeeping Operations authority, are exempted.

The CSPA also prohibits the issuance of licences for direct commercial sales of military equipment to such governments.

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