Afghan MPs Approve Law on Protection of Children

Based on the law, those who are under the age of 18 are considered children.

Afghan MPs have approved the Law on Protection of Child Rights--the Child Protection Act--on Monday after years of wrangling over the legal age of boys and girls.

Now, according to the law, boys and girls under the age of 18 are considered children.

The law will help victims of the illegal practice of Bacha Bazi and it will prohibit the recruitment of children as soldiers.

The law has 16 chapters and 118 articles.

Along with prohibiting the misuse and abuse of children, the law will secure the rights of children for citizenship, identity, and birth registration. Also, the law establishes freedom for children of religious minorities as well as the right of access to services, and the right to education.

More than half of Afghanistan’s children don’t have adequate living standards. Access to food, education, water and sanitation as well as other basic services is severely limited.