Berlin, March 15, 2022 . In the annual report of the military officers of the German Bundestag, Eva Högl published today, problems with underage Bundeswehr soldiers are again documented. The alliance »Under 18 NEVER! No minors in the Bundeswehr «demands a quick increase in the recruitment age to 18 years.
"As in previous years, the annual report of the military officers also shows problems with minor soldiers in the Bundeswehr and the lack of protective measures," says Ralf Willinger from the children's rights organization Terre des Hommes, spokesman for the alliance "Never! No minors in the Bundeswehr". "There were only three examples for adult covid vaccines, so were placed on minors, so Because the vaccination process was not integrated into the Bundeswehr's number of sexual self -determination in the Bundeswehr, including many minors, around 8 percent. When a fifth (21%) of the minors newly set in 2020, the service broke off again in the first 6 months, significantly more than adult (15%), ”lists Willinger. "This is a loose-free situation, from which minors suffer and from which the Bundeswehr has nothing."
The alliance refers to the children's rights secured in the UN Convention on the Children Rights and the UN Committee for the rights of the child and the Bundestag children's commission, which have repeatedly asked Germany to increase the recruitment age to 18 years.
"There must be no more excuses now," says Stephan Fegers from the IPPNW medical organization, member of the alliance "Under 18 Never!". " At a request from MP Frank Heinrich, the answer of the Department of Defense, Frank Heinrich , demonstrated that minor soldiers in the Bundeswehr are subject to numerous risks: they become victims of sexual offenses, almost a third of the suspects are superiors! They take physical and mental damage, there are accidents, depression, serious psychological problems and self -murder. It is urgently stopped.
The alliance »Under 18 NEVER! No minors in the Bundeswehr «are borne by various organizations and mergers from the areas of peace, human rights, church and unions. It calls for the increase in the recruitment age for military service to 18 years and a ban on any Bundeswehr advertising in minors.