Middle East: The horrifying increase in child-targeted violence “must stop,” according to UNICEF

• news by AUN News correspondent
• Saturday, November 19, 2022
• AUN News – ISSN: 2949-8090

Summary:

• Children in the region “continue to suffer the devastating effects of protracted conflicts, communal violence, explosive ordnance and remnants of war, and political and social unrest that permeate several countries,”  according to the UN agency, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

• On Sunday, which was World Children’s Day and also the anniversary of when the Convention on the Rights of the Child was passed, UNICEF sent out a warning about the roughly 580 children who had been killed or hurt in violence or conflict in the MENA region this year.

• This year alone, 65 kids have been killed or hurt because of these explosives.

• The continued high cost of conflict and violence to children concerns UNICEF. The UN agency reminded everyone that the Convention on the Rights of the Child is a set of rules that all countries must follow.

• States that have signed and ratified the Convention are required to protect children’s right to life and keep them safe from violence and conflict.

Children in the region “continue to suffer the devastating effects of protracted conflicts, communal violence, explosive ordnance and remnants of war, and political and social unrest that permeate several countries,” according to the UN agency, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

On Sunday, which was World Children’s Day and also the anniversary of when the Convention on the Rights of the Child was passed, UNICEF sent out a warning about the roughly 580 children who had been killed or hurt in violence or conflict in the MENA region this year.

An illustration

Just this past week, two young girls were found brutally killed at the Al-Hol camp for displaced people in northern Syria. Many of those living there are relatives of former terrorist fighters.

In Yemen, an UN-backed cease-fire that had made the conflict much less dangerous and cut down on the number of people killed ended last month, putting children back in danger.

Due to the fighting in the Blue Nile and West Kordofan States, children in Sudan are now more likely to be hurt.

Iranian terrorism

UNICEF is still very worried about reports of children being killed, hurt, or jailed in Iran.

Even though there are no official numbers, it is thought that 50 children have died there since late September because of the people’s anger.

Kiyan, a 10-year-old boy who was shot and killed while riding in a car with his family, was the most recent terrible loss.

UNICEF stated, “This is horrible and must stop.”

A high cost

A 14-year-old Palestinian girl was slain earlier this week near Ramallah, increasing the total number of youngsters killed in Palestine since the beginning of the year to 49.

Libyan youngsters lost at least three of their lives in Tripoli earlier this year due to violence.

Also, explosives left over from earlier wars in Iraq continue to put kids’ lives in danger. This year alone, 65 kids have been killed or hurt because of these explosives.

The continued high cost of conflict and violence against children concerns UNICEF.

The UN agency reminded everyone that the Convention on the Rights of the Child is a set of rules that all countries must follow. These rules include not discriminating against children, putting their best interests first in all decisions that affect them, and, most importantly, respecting their right to life.

States that have signed and ratified the Convention are required to protect children’s right to life and keep them safe from violence and conflict.

“All parties to a conflict should always support the right of children to be safe from violence,” says UNICEF. Violence is never a solution, and it is never acceptable to use violence towards children.

Analysis by: Advocacy Unified Network