Draft law vs child soldiers open to misinterpretation, abuse - rights groups

From InterAksyon (Oct 16): Draft law vs child soldiers open to misinterpretation, abuse - rights groups

.... The provision in the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Bill makes it “unlawful for parents, ascendants, guardians, step parents or collateral relatives within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity, or any person having control or moral ascendancy to the child, to allow, willfully encourage, compel, coerce or influence their child or children to be part of an armed group or a governmental armed force.” In a statement, Human Rights Watch quoted Charu Lata Hogg, Asia program manager at Child Soldiers International, as acknowledging that, “this bill could bring Philippine law in line with the best international standards for protecting children in armed conflict.” “But the recruiters of child soldiers, not the children’s parents, should be the ones prosecuted for putting these children at grave risk,” she stressed....

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/45684/draft-law-vs-child-soldiers-open-to-misinterpretation-abuse---rights-groups