This week sees the launch of a new short film made by young people questioning the promotion of military activities in their schools. The film, “Engage: the military and young people†is set to launched on Thursday 26/06/2014 with the first showing taking place at Friends House in London. Commissioned by campaigning organisation ForcesWatch and made…
The European Court of Human Rights has affirmed the right to conscientious objection to military service in a judgment that has been published this month. This is the first time that the right of Conscientious Objectors (COs)Â has been explicitly recognised under the European Convention on Human Rights. The judgment came in the case of Bayatyan…
The government move to grant the right of discharge to under eighteen year old recruits to the armed forces is being warmly welcomed by Quakers, who have long campaigned for the rights of young recruits. “We warmly welcome the commitment of the Ministry of Defence to granting a right of discharge to under eighteens in…
by Michael Bartlet Sixteen-year-olds are too young to drive a car, buy a drink in the pub, or place a bet in Britain. Â They are too young to have civil contracts enforced against them. They cannot vote. Yet they are old enough to join the army where, in the event of hostilities, they may become…
Quakers in Britain are calling on the UK parliament to amend the Armed Forces Bill to raise the age of enlistment to the military. Their submission to the Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill recommends, as a first step towards raising the enlistment age, that under eighteen year olds in the army should be…