Publications:

This report was prepared in advance of the Committee’s examination of Australia’s initial report under OPAC, in June 2012. It analyses the extent to which Australia meets its obligations under OPAC, focusing specifically on: the measures in place to ensure under-18s do not participate in hostilities; the low voluntary recruitment age (Australia is one of the few countries to recruit under-18s); the application of article 3.3 safeguards; the need to criminalize the recruitment and use of under-18s by armed forces and armed groups in both peace and wartime; the provision of appropriate assistance to asylum-seekers and refugees; and the sale of small arms and light weapons to countries that are known to recruit and use under-18s. It puts forward several recommendations and requests that the Committee seek further clarification on certain issues.