Population: 3.1 million (1.0 million under 18)
Government Armed Forces: 11,000
Compulsary Recruitment Age: 19
Voluntary Recruitment Age: 18
Voting Age: 18
Optional Protocol: not signed
Other Treaties: GC AP I, GC AP II, CRC, ILO 138, ILO 182, ICC

There were no reports of under-18s serving in the armed forces.

Government:

National recruitment legislation and practice

The constitution required all citizens to participate in the defence of the state. Conscientious objectors were required to perform alternative service (Article 166).

Under the 2003 Law on Military Service in the Republic of Albania, the minimum age for military duty was 19 although in cases of general or partial mobilization by law or by presidential decree the age could be lowered to 18. The length of duty was 12 months or only one month for university graduates.1 Under a law passed in 2006, university graduates were exempted from compulsory service.2

The minimum age for voluntary service was 18.3

Military training and military schools

Military training was offered at the Academy of Defence "Spiro Moisiu", the Military University "Skenderbej", and an academy for non-commissioned officers. The Academy of Defence was the armed forces' highest military teaching and scientific institution, and trained military leaders for all levels of command in the three armed services.4

There was no military training within the general education system, and no dedicated military educational establishment for under-18s or youth organizations with a military orientation.5

Developments:

International standards

In January 2005 the Albanian delegation informed the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child of Albania's intention to ratify the Optional Protocols, and the Committee urged Albania to do so.6 In April 2007 the Albanian embassy in London stated that the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict was under evaluation and that Albania would "soon" adhere to it.7 However, by October 2007 Albania had not yet done so.

1 Communication from embassy of Albania, London, 10 April 2007.

2 Law No. 9487 of 6 March 2006, Article 1, www.qpz.gov.al.

3 Communication from embassy of Albania, London, June 2004.

4 Ministry of Defence, www.mod.gov.al.

5 Communication from embassy, above note 3.

6 Committee on the Rights of the Child, Consideration of report submitted by Albania, Concluding observations, UN Doc. CRC/C/15/Add.249, 31 March 2005.

7 Communication from embassy, above note 1.

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