Source: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/customary-ihl/por/docs/v2_cou_de_rule137
Timestamp: 2020-03-30 10:37:13
Document Index: 467481455

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 306', '§ 505', 'art. 38', 'art. 39', '§ 807', '§ 10', '§ 5']

Germany’s Military Manual (1992) provides: “The parties to the conflict shall take all feasible measures in order that children who have not attained the age of fifteen years do not take direct part in hostilities.”
Germany, Humanitarian Law in Armed Conflicts – Manual, DSK VV207320067, edited by The Federal Ministry of Defence of the Federal Republic of Germany, VR II 3, August 1992, English translation of ZDv 15/2, Humanitäres Völkerrecht in bewaffneten Konflikten – Handbuch, August 1992, § 306; see also § 505.
Germany’s Law Introducing the International Crimes Code (2002) punishes anyone who, in connection with an international or non-international armed conflict, “uses [children under the age of 15 years] to participate actively in hostilities”.
Upon ratification of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child, Germany stated that it “regrets the fact that … even 15-year-olds may take a part in hostilities as soldiers, because this age limit is incompatible with the consideration of a child’s best interests”.
Germany, Reservations and declarations made upon ratification of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 6 March 1992, reprinted in UN Doc. CRC/C/2/Rev.4, 28 July 1995, p. 19.
2. Children in armed conflicts (art. 38), their physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration (art. 39)
International efforts of the Federal Government
808. In its declaration made upon depositing the ratification certificate instrument for the Convention, the Federal Government stated that it regretted that according to article 38, paragraph 2, of the Convention children as young as 15 may take part in hostilities as soldiers. It was and is of the opinion that this age limit is not compatible with the well-being of the child within the meaning of article 3, paragraph 1, of the Convention. Furthermore, it declared that it would not make use of the opportunity of setting this age limit at 15 opened up by the Convention.
809. Accordingly, in the period under review the Federal Government advocated for raising the age limit to 18 with reluctant countries, both in bilateral talks and together with EU partners.
811. In the negotiations on the Optional Protocol to the Convention on children in armed conflict, the Federal Government advocated the minimum age of 18 for direct participation in fighting. From the point of view of the Federal Government it was also desirable to establish the minimum age of 18 also for indirect participation in action.
812. On 21 January 2000 the working group of the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva adopted the draft of the Optional Protocol by consensus. The agreement on the draft should be welcomed from the point of view of the Federal Government because it represents clear progress over the original provisions of the Convention. The draft meets the demand of the German Bundestag that the Federal Government support the minimum age of 18 for participation in fighting. The Optional Protocol specifies the minimum age for direct participation in fighting, for State and non-governmental forces, at 18.
813. Within the context of the negotiations on the ILO Convention (No. 182) concerning the Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, an application for amendment submitted by Germany led to the inclusion of child soldiers in the agreement.
Germany, Second periodic report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child under Article 44 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 24 July 2003, UN Doc. CRC/C/83/Add.7, submitted 23 July 2001, §§ 807–809 and 811–813.
- Regarding subparagraph 3 (c): when the pre-induction examination has taken place and availability for military service has been ascertained, applicants who are still minors will be given an instruction sheet by the military recruitment authority (annex II), giving them comprehensive information on the duties involved in military service. In particular, their attention is drawn to the fact that the use of arms is confined solely to training and that there is no question of their being placed on armed guard duty. In addition to this, each military formation deploying a conscript who has not yet attained the age of 18 years is given a special instruction letter containing information from the military recruitment authority to the effect that, in accordance with the Optional Protocol, the conscript is not to be brought into operations that might foreseeably lead to armed conflicts (annex III). Corresponding orders ensure that minors will, in no event, take part in hostilities.
Germany, Initial report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, UN Doc. CCPR/C/OPAC/DEU/1, 17 April 2007, submitted 5 January 2007, §§ 10–13 and 16.
In 2008, a representative of Germany stated before the Committee on the Rights of the Child during the consideration of the initial report of Germany under the 2000 Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict:
The minimum age for voluntary enlistment in the German armed forces had been set at 17 … Soldiers under 18 were not allowed to carry weapons. They could not be deployed anywhere where there was a risk of armed conflict, and could not be used for guard duty, as that would involve carrying a weapon. They only came into contact with weapons when they were in training, and thus under supervision, and when the exercises were finished they returned their weapons. The alternative report that had been submitted to the Committee by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) unfortunately depicted that situation in a somewhat misleading light. In any event, the author of that report had stated that he did not consider Germany to have violated its international obligations under articles 1 and 2 of the Optional Protocol.
Germany, Statement by the delegation of Germany before the Committee on the Rights of the Child during the consideration of the initial report of Germany under the Optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict, 24 January 2008, § 5.
[T]he Federal Republic of Germany declared when depositing the ratification document that the commencement of voluntary service as a soldier in the armed forces is permissible from the age of 17 onwards. Persons under the age of 18 are recruited into the armed forces solely for the purpose of commencing military training. Participation in hostilities is ruled out.