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Child Soldiers Global Report 2001 - Dominican Republic

Mainly covers the period June 1998 to April 2001 as well as including some earlier information.

• Population:
  – total: 8,364,000
  – under-18s: 3,306,000
• Government armed forces:
  – active: 24,500
  – paramilitary: 15,000
• Compulsory recruitment age: no conscription
• Voluntary recruitment age: 18
• Voting age in government elections: 18
• Child soldiers: none indicated
• CRC-OP-CAC: not signed
• Other treaties ratified: CRC; GC/API+II; ILO 138; ILO 182

• There are no indications of under-18s in government armed forces. National legislation provides for the special protection of children at times of war.

GOVERNMENT

National Recruitment Legislation and Practice

The 1966 Constitution, as amended in 1994, provides in Article 9(b) that "Every able-bodied Dominican has the duty to perform the civilian and military services his country may require for its defence and preservation," but there is no compulsory military service. Persons may voluntarily enlist in the armed forces as from the age of 18.⁶⁰⁵

Act No. 14-94, which established the Code for the Protection of Children and Adolescents, stipulates that in the event of war, priority protection shall be given to children and adolescents.606

605 Initial report of the Dominican Republic to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, UN Doc. CRC/C/8/Add.40, para. 35.(26/8/99).

606 Ibid; Domincan law defines children as persons up to the age of 12 and adolescents as persons aged between 13 and 18.

Topics: Child soldiers, Military service,