TRIPOLI, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Libya on Tuesday welcomed a vote by Libya's House of Representatives to raise the minimum age for recruitment into the armed forces from 17 to 18.
In a statement on its official Facebook page, UNICEF thanked the Libyan authorities for their cooperation and continued support for efforts to protect children and promote their rights.
The vote, held during an official parliamentary session on Monday in the southern city of Sebha, was the first official session of the House of Representatives held in the city.
Abdullah Bliheg, spokesperson for the House of Representatives, said lawmakers discussed a proposed law on conscription and general mobilization before voting on it. A total of 82 out of 90 lawmakers attending the session voted in favor of the proposal, including the amendment raising the minimum recruitment age to 18.
The development comes amid continued international concerns over the recruitment and use of children in armed conflicts in Libya, where years of political division and fighting have left children exposed to violence and cut off from education and basic services.
