Event: Child Soldiers: Prevention and Protection (4/8/15, New York City Bar, 42 West 44th Street)

Congress passed the groundbreaking Child Soldiers Prevention Act in 2008, prohibiting the United States from giving several forms of military assistance to governments using child soldiers. However, the Act allows the President to waive these prohibitions in full or in part if he determines that doing so is in the national interest of the United States. The panel of noted experts will discuss the effectiveness of the waivers and rehabilitation measures for former child soldiers.

Moderator: Elizabeth Barad, International Law and Gender Consultant; Co-chair, Committee on African Affairs

Speakers: Jo Becker, Advocacy Director, Children’s Rights Division, Human Rights Watch; Daniel Mahanty, Senior Advisor for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor at the State Department; Grace Akallo, Former Child Soldier and Founder and Executive Director of United Africans for Women and Children (UAWCR)

Sponsored by: Committee on African Affairs, Elizabeth Barad and Brandon Smith, Co-chairs; Committee on International Human Rights, Elisabeth Wickeri, Chair; Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice