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UNICEF Statement on Violence Against Children [EN/AR]

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UNICEF
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Baghdad, 24 September 2021. - UNICEF is gravely concerned about the video recently circulated in social media in Iraq, portraying a child brutally mistreated by a family member. This video is a horrific reminder of the scourge of violence against children that must end.

UNICEF commends the rapid reaction of the authorities to this case and encourages anyone aware of such cases to report it to the hotline 497 facilitated by the Community Police.

Nothing ever justifies violence against a child, and it is preventable. However, according to the Multiple Indicator Survey (MICS6) 2018, still 4 out of 5 children in Iraq experience violence at home or in school. UNICEF condemns all acts of violence against children and call for society to protect them from such behaviors.

UNICEF calls on government authorities to strengthen mechanisms to bring perpetrators of such crimes to justice and safeguard the life of the child. Children in Iraq need a safe environment, free of violence and conducive to allow them to develop their full potential.

In order to ensure children´s right to privacy and dignity, UNICEF calls for everyone in society to protect children by preventing the distribution of materials online in which they are subject to violence, bullied or vilified. This content should be only shared with relevant authorities to support the legal prosecution of crimes against children.

UNICEF will continue to support the Governments in both Federal Iraq and the Kurdistan Region with a shared vision that by 2024 children, adolescents and women, especially the most vulnerable, are protected from violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect, in accordance with national legal and policy framework and international standards.