Law on Protection of Child Rights

The Law on Protection of Child Rights, approved by the Cabinet of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, has 16 chapters and 108 articles. It defines a child as an individual under 18 years of age and establishes protections for children’s rights and well-being. The law prohibits the recruitment of children into military or quasi-military activities and mandates separation between child offenders and adults during custody, detention, and incarceration. It also requires the state to adhere to international humanitarian law (IHL) with regard to children in armed conflicts. The law also sets the age of criminal responsibility at 13 years old. To safeguard young children’s welfare, the law stipulates that imprisoned mothers with children under 7 years old must be kept separate from other inmates to ensure proper care, education, and healthcare for the child.