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Children’s Rights – 2005

Under the guiding principles and directives of the state, the interim constitution, which became effective on 9 July 2005, had provisions for the welfare of children under Article 14. The constitution dictated that education through grade eight be made compulsory, prohibited exploitation of children, and established the legal age of marriages, 10 for girls and 15 for boys. Nevertheless, the government’s commitment to children’s rights and welfare was uneven and there were significant inequality in access to the health service for children living in different region of the country. The U.S. State Department Human Rights Report suggested that the government-allied militias and rebel forces accepted children into their military camps.¹ Under the DDR program, the UNMIS initiated disarmament of some 17,000 children.²

1. “2005 County Reports on Human Rights Practices-Sudan,” U.S. State Department, 2006, accessed January 26, 2012, http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61594.htm.
2. “Report of the Secretary-General on the Sudan,” United Nations (S/2005/821), December 21, 2005.