resources: useful materials

The minimum age for enlisting in the UK armed forces is 16.  The UK is the only country in Europe and the only country on the UN Security Council to recruit 16 year olds into its armed forces and is one of fewer than 20 countries in the world which recruit from the age of 16 years.  Those who sign on when 16 or 17 must serve until they are 22. 

The recruitment of minors has been criticised by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, Parliament’s own Joint Committee on Human Rights and a number of charities.  The Armed Forces Bill is an opportunity to phase out the recruitment of people under 18, while introducing greater protection for 16- and 17-year-old personnel in the meantime. 

This briefing outlines the issues and makes the following recommendations:

Employment in the armed forces is unique in placing severe restrictions on rights and freedoms that are available to the rest of the UK population.  The armed forces are also the only employers in the UK who legally require their employees to commit themselves for several years, with the risk of a criminal conviction if they try to leave sooner.

This situation is all the more worrying given that the majority of recruits are very young.  There is also evidence that many personnel are unclear about the length of their commitment and their rights to leave and that the information they receive can be misleading.

This briefing outlines the issues and makes recommendations for improving the terms and conditions of service in the armed forces.

The armed forces recognise the right of serving personnel to be discharged if they develop a conscientious objection.  But this right is not set out clearly in legislation, is not mentioned in the terms of service and many, perhaps most, forces personnel are unaware of it.  The system for registering a conscientious objection is opaque and little information about it is easily available.  

A briefing outlining the issues and recommendations of how to make registering a conscientious objection accessible to armed forces personnel.

Order copies of our postcard to the Minister for the Armed Forces asking him to use the Armed Forces Bill to address human rights in the
armed forces.

This archive and educational materials resource has an extensive collection of materials which tell the stories of the men and women conscientious objectors of the 20th century. It documents their experiences, videos their recollections, promotes their ideals and publishes teaching resources.

A range of materials, history and reflections about the white poppy and what is symbolises - remembering the dead and hope for a culture of peace. From the Peace Pledge Union.