An Intolerable Situation for Iraqi Children

Amman/ Baghdad/ New York, 25 April 2008 - The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, in concluding her visit to Iraq of 20-25 April, stated that children of Iraq are the silent victims of the on-going violence. “Many of them no longer go to school, many are recruited for violent activities or detained in custody, they lack access to the most basic services and manifest a wide range of psychological symptoms from the violence in their everyday lives”. Increasing cases of gender based violence are also reported. “It is an intolerable situation” she said. She called on religious, political, military and community leaders to send one clear message to Iraqi children: “Stay out of the violence and go back to school”.

https://www.uniraq.org/newsroom/getarticle.asp?ArticleID=669