Child Soldiers Global Report 2001 - Honduras
| Publisher | Child Soldiers International |
| Publication Date | 2001 |
| Cite as | Child Soldiers International, Child Soldiers Global Report 2001 - Honduras, 2001, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/498805f3c.html [accessed 19 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
REPUBLIC OF HONDURAS
Mainly covers the period June 1998 to April 2001 as well as including some earlier information.
- Population:
– total: 6,316,000
– under-18s: 3,094,000 - Government armed forces:
– active: 8,300
– reserves: 60,000
– paramilitary: 6,000 - Compulsory recruitment age: no conscription
- Voluntary recruitment age: 18
- Voting age (government elections): 18
- Child soldiers: none indicated
- CRC-OP-CAC: not signed
- Other treaties ratified: CRC; GC/API+II; ILO 138
- There are no indications of under-18s in government armed forces.
GOVERNMENT
National Recruitment Legislation and Practice
Article 276 of the 1982 Constitution was amended by Decree No.24-94, ratified by Congress in 1995, establishing voluntary military service from the age of 18 during peacetime and calling for the 1985 Military Service Act and corresponding regulations to be redrafted.830 In its periodic report to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, the Government asserted that "military service is now voluntary and educational" and that "there is no compulsory conscription."831 The Government also reported that "for incorporation into the armed forces the minimum age is 18 years."832 However, the 1985 Military Service Act has not yet been redrafted, nor has new legislation been passed since 1994.833
Although forced recruitment was the norm in the 1980's and early 1990's, there have been no reported cases since 1994.834 There is no evidence of underage recruitment.
830 Horeman and Stolwijk op. cit.
831 Periodic Report of Honduras submitted to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, UN Doc. CRC/C/65/Add.2, 20/2/98, para.328.
832 Ibid, para.328.
833 CSC 1999 report on Honduras.
834 Ibid.
