Recommendation 59: The Australian Government reviews its defence force
laws and policies to ensure that safety considerations for those under 18
are not secondary to military operational considerations.
(b)
Physical and psychological recovery of children involved in armed conflict
359. The numbers of refugee, asylum seeking and migrant children recruited
for, or used in, armed conflict are not widely available. However, in its
submission to this report, MYAN notes that children recruited as child
soldiers in other countries have been resettled in Australia.369 In the 2016–
2017 financial year, Australia resettled nearly 4000 young people (aged 12–
24) from Syria and Iraq, making up 65% of the overall humanitarian youth
arrivals to Australia.370 Child recruitment continues to be an ongoing
practice for children in many countries, including Syria and Iraq, with
increases in verified cases of the recruitment and use of children in armed
conflict, including children as young as four.371
360. Refugees and humanitarian entrants are eligible for trauma counselling
through the Program of Assistance for Survivors of Torture and Trauma.
However, it is unclear whether there is a specific process for identifying on
arrival whether asylum-seeking or refugee children have prior experiences
of armed conflict, in order to assist their recovery.
361. The Australian Government indicated in its 2018 report to the Committee
that it is concerned at the use of child soldiers in conflicts abroad,
including Australian children recruited by the Islamic State group.372 It
states that it is ‘working closely with communities to carefully manage the
return of children exposed to the terrible effects of violent extremism’, and
that ‘each child will receive tailored support to suit their needs’.373
However, there is no detailed information on the process for identifying
and rehabilitating these children.
Recommendation 60: The Australian Government provides appropriate and
specific physical and psychological rehabilitation for all children arriving in,
or returning to, Australia, who may have been involved in armed conflict.
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