COSTA RICA

The Ibero-American Youth Convention recognises explicitly in its article 12 the right to conscientious objection, and prohibits the recruitment of under-18s:
“1. Youth have the right to make conscientious objection towards obligatory military service.
2. The States Parties undertake to promote the pertinent legal measures to guarantee the exercise of this right and advance in the progressive elimination of the obligatory military service.

According to article 62 of the American Convention, “a State Party may, upon depositing its instrument of ratification or adherence to this Convention, or at any subsequent time, declare that it recognizes as binding, ipso facto, and not requiring special agreement, the jurisdiction of the Court on all matters relating to the interpretation or application of this Convention.
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Article 12 of the American Convention protects freedom of thought, conscience, and religion:
“1. Everyone has the right to freedom of conscience and of religion. This right includes freedom to maintain or to change one's religion or beliefs, and freedom to profess or disseminate one's religion or beliefs, either individually or together with others, in public or in private.
2. No one shall be subject to restrictions that might impair his freedom to maintain or to change his religion or beliefs.

Article III of the American Declaration guarantees freedom of religion:
“Every person has the right freely to profess a religious faith, and to manifest and practice it both in public and in private.”

Article 2 of the Optional Protocol states:
“States Parties shall ensure that persons who have not attained the age of 18 years are not compulsorily recruited into their armed forces.”

Article 14 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child protects a child's freedom of thought, conscience and religion.
Article 28 guarantees the right of the child to education.

The OptionalProtocol establishes the competence of the Human Rights Committee to receive individual communications in relation to violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

Article 18:
"1. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.
2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.

Article 6 guarantees the "right of everyone to the opportunity to gain his living by work which he freely chooses or accepts". A substitute service that is much longer than military service can be seen as a disproportionate restriction of this right.
Article 13 guarantees the right to education.

Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."