The Myanmar military allowed 968 child soldiers to resign from 2012 to 2019, according to the ministry of social welfare, relief and resettlement.

At a seminar held in Nay Pyi Taw on September 27, Win Naing Tun, director general of the rehabilitation department under the ministry, said they were provided with K500,000 each by the ministry and handed over to their parents.

"From 2012 to 2019, the military allowed 968 minors to quit the army for their reunification with their parents. Our ministry provided cash assistance in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Each was provided K500,000.

The rehabilitation department is working on reintegration process in cooperation with 107 former child soldiers—75 and 32 allowed to resign in 2018 and 2019 respectively.

"Child soldier issue is important for the military. In human trafficking also, the international community has regarded child soldier issue as human trafficking," said Win Naing Tun.

Under a joint action plan, national registration cards were issued to child soldiers released in 2017. Later, the rate of issuing registration cards reduced due to policies of relevant ministries.

"I hope that there will be ways to reduce those restrictions (on issuing national registration cards to child soldiers when they are allowed to resign)," said the director general.