[Myanmar] Burma To Extend Child Age To 18 Years

Burma will revise its laws governing the status and treatment of children, and will alter the legal definition of a child by extending the child age to 18 years, the Myanmar Times reported Saturday. At present, childhood in Burma officially ends at age 16. The revision follows the government’s recent decision to adhere to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The amendments are due to be approved by several ministries, the attorney-general and the Lower House. If monitored properly, the new directive could help better protect children and reduce exploitative child labor.