‘Bring them home’: UN experts call for return of missing children to Syria
Children in conflict zones must be protected, not punished, said the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, including Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, the UN Special Representative on the protection and promotion of human rights while fighting terrorism , in a joint statement.
“Now is the time to bring them home,” they said. “A lot of kids are coming in now fifth year of detention in northeastern Syria, since the de facto authorities stopped them after the fall of Baghouz in early 2019.
They called on all participants to ensure the immediate safety and security of all children, regardless of their location in northeastern Syria prevent them from suffering further harm.
States have an obligation to protect vulnerable children from abuse and possible violations of their right to life, as recognized by the Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Victims of terrorism
“The best opportunities as extremely harmful children must be returned as a process together with their primary position as victims of terrorism and as children in need of special protection under international law,” they said.
It is Al-Hol and Roj two large lock off cup for women, girls, and young boys, unusual 56,000 individualsincluding 37,000 foreign nationals. More than half of the population in the camps are childrenof which 80 per cent are under the age of 12 and 30 percent under five.
There are also over 850 boys deprive them of their freedom in prison and other detention facilities, including appropriate rehabilitation facilities, throughout northeastern Syria.
Egregious hard claims
Mass incarceration for what their parents may have done is tribal gross violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Childwhich prohibits all kinds of discrimination and punishment of children based on the status, activities, expressed opinions, or beliefs of their parents, experts said.
“These children are detention without any legal basisjudicial authority, review, control, or supervision, in violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which affirms that no child shall be deprived of liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily,” they said.
‘No place for children’
Most of the children know nothing but conflict and closed camps, where living conditions are poor cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment and wait a while imminent danger to their livesphysical and mental integrity, and development.
“These squalid cup no place for children to live with dignity,” experts say. “They lack access to the most basic needs such as medical care and health services, food, water, and education.”
Protection, not punishment
Amid the deteriorating security situation, experts say all children in this conflict zone deserve to be protected, not punished.
“These children are victims of terrorism and of very serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, and must be treated with dignity in all fields, whether armed conflict or terrorism,” the experts said. “Safe return to their home countries, in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, only the solution and must be priority.
“States must return the children quickly, together with their mothers – a solution we now know is very possible,” they said. “We noticed that it belonged to those the most important that comprehensive rehabilitation programs are in place when we return the children.”
About Special Rapporteurs
Special Rapporteurs are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, which is based in Geneva. These independent experts are mandated to monitor and report on specific subject matters or country situations. They are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work.
