REPUBLIC OF NICARAGUA

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

  • Population:
    – total: 4,930,000
    – under-18s: 2,490,000
  • Government armed forces:
    – active: 16,000
  • Compulsory recruitment age: no conscription
  • Voluntary recruitment age: 17
  • Voting age (government elections): 16
  • Child soldiers: indicated in government armed forces
  • CRC-OP-CAC: not signed
  • Other treaties ratified: CRC; GC; ILO 138; ILO 182
  • There are indications of under-18s in government armed forces as voluntary recruitment is possible from the age of 17. However, there are no reports of under 18-year-olds serving at present.

GOVERNMENT

National Recruitment Legislation and Practice

Article 96, which made military service compulsory for all citizens, was amended in 1995 by Law No. 192. This law provides that "[t]here shall be no obligatory military service and any form of forced recruitment to be part of the Army of Nicaragua and the National Police is prohibited."1357 The legal minimum age for voluntary enlistment is 17.1358

Child Recruitment

There are currently no reports of underage recruitment.

1357 Goodwin-Gill and Cohn op. cit.

1358 Horeman and Stolwijk op. cit.

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