Joint Ministerial Statement on the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, and the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, issued the following statement today to commemorate the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers:
“As a result of their recruitment and usage in armed conflicts, children continue to be deprived of their most basic rights.”
These children are not allowed to enjoy their childhood because they have been trained to fight and are armed with lethal weapons.

They are made victims of child labour, are sexually exploited or forced into marriage.

As a result, many of these children are killed or suffer from severe and lasting physical and emotional trauma.