Children in the Iraqi Media:
The Reporting of Iraqi Children's Issues and Rights
November 20 – 26, 2011
UNICEF in the Iraqi Media:
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UNICEF spokesperson: we’re recording high rates of drop-out from school
Ministry of Health announces the arrival of million doses of BCG vaccine
UNICEF and Health Ministry provide one million shots of BCG vaccination
Hakim calls for laws prohibiting the exploitation of child labour
Festival for children at the University of Basra
A special celebration of CRC in Baghdad
Iraq celebrates the 22 anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Media campaign by UNICEF in the occasion of CRC
Violation of child rights in Iraq
KRG Education Minister receives UNHCR delegation
UN in the Iraqi Media:
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WHO organizes health workshops for Kurdistan doctors
Rights of the Child in a festival in Sulaimaniya
Kurdistan prepares to open new offices to follow up on violence against women
Ministry of Migration allocated 100 billion IQD to increase the returnees grant
Children in the Iraqi Media:
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Rusafa - I Education Directorate needs to 200 new school buildings
MoE: Iraq needs to build five thousand schools
Civic organizations demand an investigation in the death of a four-year-old child
The death of two girls in Muthanna suspected of bird flu
Health Ministry of Kurdistan is preparing to vaccinate young people against measles
MP calls to speed up the import of BCG vaccine
Minister of Health: Committee to investigate the vaccine BCG, which caused infection of 27 children with
tuberculosis
Iraq says it is free of swine flu
Kurdistan Health Ministry: 4000 cases of cancer recorded
Breast cancer the most threat to the lives of women in Iraq
Kurdistan to launch multi-million dollar sanitation programme
State houses accept 83 orphans in the past three months
Jubouri calls for the establishment of funds to support orphans
Barzani: It is the duty of everyone to pay attention to children
Investment in childhood is our way to ensure future
Celebrations on the anniversary of the CRC in Babel
Iraqi children are still suffering - NGO organization
Police: abducted child freed, abductor arrested in Karbala
Increase in number of Iraqi widows
Campaign to eliminate violence against women began in Kurdistan
Feminist demonstration in Sulaimaniya to demand an end to violence against women
Two bodies of women stabbed with a sharp tool founded in Baghdad
Conference on violence against women in Duhok
Increase in violence against women
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Two Conferences in Sweden and Switzerland to discuss the issue of Iraqi refugees
Canada granted asylum for 20 thousand Iraqis
Kurdish asylum-seekers sew lips together in Australia protest
Hashimi urges the Canadian government to provide facilitations to the Iraqis living in Canada
Baghdad airport will not admit deported Iraqis
252 immigrated families back home in Ninawa
All media reports are categorized by key children’s issues within the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
MDG 1
Eradicate extreme poverty & hunger
Poverty
Nothing to report
Breastfeeding
Nothing to report
Malnourishment (under nutrition and obesity)
Nothing to report
Iodized Salt Consumption
Nothing to report
MDG 2
Achieve universal primary education
School Enrolment, Attendance and Completion (pre-School, primary, intermediate and secondary)
UNICEF spokesperson: We’re Recoding high rates of drop-out from school
Baghdad – Mada, Mutamar Newspapers & Voice of Iraq News, Nov. 23
UNICEF spokesperson in Iraq, Salam Adnan revealed that the country, according to local and international
reports, is still recording high rates of students drop out of schools, attributing it to the low standard of living
of some of them.
Adnan said in an interview yesterday that in spite of the good rate of enrollment in the first stage, which
reached to 85% of all children, but the drop out is still so great that 19% of this proportion enroll in secondary
schools because of the poor living condition, noting that Iraq now has three million and five hundred
thousand children forced to live on less than 2,500 dinars a day.
Adnan confirmed that there should be acceleration in the drafting and enactment of a law protects and
guarantees the rights of children, and the second matter is the necessity to allocate investments for this
category to provide all their needs.
For its part, the Parliamentary Committee on Culture and Information reassured its efforts with the concerned
parliament committees to speed up passage of the law of the right of children in Iraq.
The member of the Committee, MP Ali Alshlah yesterday said that the Parliament will try with the members
of the Committee to support the idea of accelerating the passage of the law and to convince the Presidency
to include it on the agenda quickly.
Link: http://almadapaper.net/news.php?action=view&id=53725
2
http://www.almutmar.com/index.php?id=201116799
http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=32146#axzz1eWGLlwEV
Education Services (infrastructure, quality of education)
Rusafa - I Education Directorate needs to 200 new school buildings
Baghdad – Assabah Newspaper, Nov. 24
The Director of Rusafa – I Education Directorate, Abdul Mohsen al-Mousawi said the Directorate suffers a
lack of school buildings, and most schools are running with double and triple shifts, causing overcrowding of
students and pupils in the classrooms, as number in each class could reach to 80 students, which requires
the provision of more than 200 new schools to end the shortage in existing schools.
Mousawi added that the restoration work continues in the schools, as well as the ongoing work of Baghdad
Provincial Council and the Directorate of School Buildings to build new schools within the geographical area
of Rusafa - I, but these processes would not be able to fill the actual needs of the directorate for school
buildings.
Regarding the phenomenon of pupils drop out of the school, al-Mousawi said there are plans implemented
by the Directorate to reduce this phenomenon, especially among girls, as their number is more than the male
students, according to statistics available at the Directorate, particularly in rural areas as a result of traditions
in those areas, which impose early marriage of girls, along with social destitution and poverty that force most
families to deprive their children of education and push them into work to provide a living as a result of the
absence of the breadwinner after the terrorist attacks or family disintegration.
He noted that the Directorate has worked in this regard to provide appropriate solutions to this phenomenon
by adopting a system of accelerated learning, adult education and literacy centers which have seen a high
turnout, as well as teaching them some occupations such as sewing, embroidery and other professions that
contribute to raising the economic level.
Link: http://www.alsabaah.com/ArticleShow.aspx?ID=17472
MoE: Iraq needs to build five thousand schools
Kirkuk – Iraq Hurr Radio, Nov. 21
Education Minister Mohammad Timim said that Iraq needs five thousand schools to get rid of the school
system with dual shifts, and pointed out that the ministry was able to build nearly a thousand schools in one
year, a figure higher than what has been built in the past year.
Minister's comments, came during a press conference held in Kirkuk, where he arrived for the opening of a
model school by Kuwaiti grant amounted to $ 20 million for the construction of seven schools across Iraq,
which he confirmed that the ministry is working to translate and printing the curriculum into Kurdish and
Turkmen languages to eliminate the shortages suffered by Turkmen and Kurdish studies.
For his part, the administrative undersecretary of the Ministry, Hassanein Fadhel said the ministry is in
connection with construction of approximately five thousand schools in a deferred payment.
Link: http://www.iraqhurr.org/content/article/24396563.html
MDG 3
Eliminate gender disparity in primary education
Girls School Enrolment, Attendance and Completion (pre-School, primary, intermediate and
secondary)
Nothing to report
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Women’s Literacy
Nothing to report
MDG 4
Reduce child mortality
Child Deaths (diseases, health-related)
Civic organizations demand an investigation in the death of a four-year-old child
Sulaimaniya – Voice of Iraq News & Sumeria News Site, Nov. 25
The Union of civic organizations in Sulaimaniya, on Friday, charged the health system in Kurdistan region the
responsibility for the death of a child in the age of four, calling for the Kurdistan Regional Parliament to
question the Minister of Health about the incident.
In a statement issued by the Union, which consists of 12 civic organizations, it demanded Kurdistan
Parliament "not to consider the death of the child Salam Abdul-Khaliq as an accident," blaming the health
system in the region for the responsibility of the death.
The father of the deceased child said, on October 23, that the transfer his ailing son to Children's Hospital in
Sulaimaniya, but the guard of the hospital and a receptionist forbidden him from entering until getting report
from the clinic of Dr. Ali Kamal, which lies east of the hospital, adding that he did not find the doctor in his
clinic, which forced him to wait half an hour, that led to the death of his child in the case.
The Department of Health of Sulaimaniya announced on Thursday that the investigation "exonerated" two
health units of the charge of "neglect" and causing the death of a four-year-old child as was claimed by his
family, indicating that it will take a number of actions in the light of the recommendations on the subject.
The Director of Health in Sulaimaniya Recot Hama Rashid said, in an interview earlier, that the Directorate
formed an investigative committee on the background of the child's death, blaming children's hospital and
clinic Ali Kamal of the responsibility.
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=32529#axzz1ecSB3YBi
http://www.alsumarianews.com/ar/iraq-society-news/-5-31913.html
The death of two girls in Muthanna suspected of bird flu
Samawa – Assabah Newspaper, Nov. 23
A source in Samawa Hospital said that "two female children of one family in the area of Albogerad of Swer
Township had died as a result of disease suspected to be bird flu."
He noted that Muthanna Health Department did not confirm infection, but expressed reservations on the
subject, noting that the state of the two girls discovered after the spread of the disease completely in their
bodies.
The source said that "the first child was suffering from high temperatures and severe deficits in the kidneys,
which led to her death two hours after washing her kidney."
The source pointed to a death in the same area in Swer Township ten days ago due to similar symptoms,
and that her sister also suffer these symptoms and lying in the child hospital in Samawa, in addition to
another female child of the same family who also suffers from high temperatures but has stable condition.
He added: "We got information from the region that there is a poultry farm close to the houses of these
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families which witnessed the deaths of more than fifty chickens at once."
For his part, Nawaf al-Mishalawi, Director of Health Information of Muthanna said "operation room has been
established and had taken a sample from the deceased and sent to the Central Health Laboratory in
Baghdad to make sure of the cause of death.
He said the first child died after suffering from acute renal failure according to the initial diagnosis, while the
second case suffered from high temperatures, which led to her death within 24 hours, confirming the
presence of four cases under observation and intensive care and that they are stable.
Link: http://www.alsabaah.com/ArticleShow.aspx?ID=17411
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Immunization
Health Ministry of Kurdistan is preparing to vaccinate young people against measles
Duhok - Voice of Iraq News, Nov. 24
The Ministry of Health of Kurdistan region, Thursday, announced it is ready to start vaccinating young people
against measles in the region, and that the campaign will be launched in November 27 for ten days, and that
it has formed more than 5000 mobile medical teams for the implementation and prepared 391 centers for
vaccinations.
The ministry said that "the campaign will include 612 thousand young people between the ages of (18-24)
years," and it "aims to protect young people from measles because it still pose a threat to their health, which
has not been eradicated in the region at all yet."
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=32408#axzz1ecSB3YBi
MP calls to speed up the import of BCG vaccine
Baghdad - Voice of Iraq News, Nov. 24
MP Susan al-Saad called Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to urge and appeal to the Japanese side to speed up
sending the remainder of the BCG vaccine for the Children of Iraq, for the urgent need.
A statement quoted al-Saad as saying today, "We demand the Prime Minister to appeal to Japan to send the
remaining doses of vaccine after it has been agreed with them to send 3 million doses, because what came
of them so far is only a million doses."
The MP called on to "not to contract only with a single country, but must contract with more than one in order
to avoid shortage of the vaccine."
Saad criticized how the vaccine is stored as a single package containing 20 doses, and this harms the health
of children because the open bottle of these vaccines may lead to damaging them if they are not vaccinating
20 children during the period.
The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health and Environment Liqaa Al Yassin had
announced the existence of financial and administrative corruption in contracts for the purchase of a vaccine
for children, especially after changing the point of buying from Japan to Denmark, which caused physical
damage to a number of children.
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=32478#axzz1ecSB3YBi
Ministry of Health announces the arrival of million doses of BCG vaccine
Baghdad – Assabah Newspaper, Nov. 22
A million doses of BCG vaccine arrived at the warehouses of the Ministry of Health, and were imported from
Japan in cooperation with UNICEF.
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The director of the Expanded Program of Immunization in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Moataz Mohammed
Abbas, said the shipment that arrived Sunday to stores funded by the Ministry and in cooperation with
UNICEF, which has facilitated the import procedures.
He added that the ministry will receive more than two million additional doses of the vaccine during the next
two months in order to ensure good stocks of the vaccine and supply needs of health centers to vaccinate
children, including those who have fallen behind on the vaccination during the last term, when the vaccine
ran out.
Moataz explained that the amount of imported vaccines is enough for a year, noting that the ministry will held
today a meeting for the senior undersecretary of the ministry and Director of the General Company for
Marketing Medicines and Medical Supplies and the Department of Immunization in order to consult on how to
distribute the vaccine to health centers throughout the country.
Link: http://www.alsabaah.com/ArticleShow.aspx?ID=17325
UNICEF and Health Ministry provide one million shots of BCG vaccination
Baghdad – Voice of Iraq News, Aswat al-Iraq News Agency & Mashriq, Alsafeer Newspapers, Nov. 20
UNICEF announced today the provision of one million shots of anti-TB BCG, pointing out that these
vaccination shots were bought according to an agreement reached with the Iraqi ministry of Health to
develop the quality of these shots, according to a UNICEF statement.
Osama Makkawi, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Iraq, said in the statement, that the UNICEF "provides
the technical and logistic support to the health ministry in buying necessary vaccinations.
Iraqi health programmes director Taha al-Mulla said that the agreement was signed following obstacles with
medicine marketing companies to buy the BCG, which led to a critical shortage in this medicine.
Following the receipt of this shipment, other shipments with a quantity of 2.4 million shots will be received at
the beginning of the next year, he added.
UNICEF is working in Iraq since 1983 to support Iraqi government to lay down suitable policies for the
children and building health institutions.
It works in more than 150 countries to assist children and grant support in these fields, which are financed by
voluntary contributions from governments, companies and individuals.
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=31875#axzz1e8wHRVBG
http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=145684&l=1
http://www.almashriqnews.com/inp/view.asp?ID=7562
Minister of Health: Committee to investigate the vaccine BCG, which caused infection of 27 children
with tuberculosis
Baghdad – Mowaten, Mada, Adala, Estiqama Newspapers & Al-Iraq News Network, Nov. 20
Minister of Health announced he would head a committee to investigate the vaccine BCG, which caused
tuberculosis among 27 children.
The head of the Parliamentary Committee on Health and Environment Liqaa Al Yassin, said that the
committee would investigate the issue of using 750,000 doses of the vaccine imported early in 2011, adding
that "there is another shipment of the BCG vaccine will be imported by the Ministry of Health."
"A shipment of a million dose of the vaccine is coming from Japan of the type that the Ministry of Health was
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previously used." She said.
Al-Yassin explained that "in 2009 a decision was taken by the Inspector General to test the vaccine imported
from Japan as it costs 24 cents and the dose from Denmark costs 43 cents, meaning it is twice the price of
that imported from Japan."
She pointed out that "when the vaccine was imported from Denmark and the children get vaccination with it,
about 27 children had infected with tuberculosis as well as the side effects, so the decision was taken to
import it from Japan."
Link: http://www.almowatennews.com/news_view_30171.html
http://almadapaper.net/news.php?action=view&id=53461
http://www.aladalanews.net/index.php?show=news&action=article&id=87796
http://www.aliraqnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32501:-------27-&catid=13:politics&Itemid=26
MDG 5
Improve maternal health
Mothers Dying at Birth
Nothing to report
Maternal Health Services (infrastructure, medical treatment)
Nothing to report
MDG 6
Combat HIV and AIDS, Malaria and other diseases
Health Services (infrastructure, medical treatment, etc.)
WHO organizes health workshops for Kurdistan doctors
Erbil – Attaakhi Newspaper, Nov. 24
Aiming at developing the health sector in Kurdistan Region, the World Health Organization (WHO) is
planning to conduct several workshops for doctors and health personnel in the region.
This came during a meeting between Dr. Tahir Hawrami, Minister of Health in Kurdistan Region Government,
Dr. Sayed Jafar, WHO Representative in Iraq, and Dr. Hamacha, WHO representative in Kurdistan Region.
The two sides discussed the latest developments in the field of health and the development of this vital
sector in the region and Iraq.
Link: http://www.altaakhipress.com/viewart.php?art=5570#pagebegin
Iraq says it is free of swine flu
Baghdad – Mashriq Newspaper, Nov. 24
The Ministry of Health announced the country free of swine flu.
The Director of the Department of Public Health, Hassan al-Kazaz said "the epidemic of swine flu is under
control in Iraq”.
Iraqi authorities say the epidemic of flu treatments available in large quantities but that the media deals with it
in an exaggerated manner in the normal flu season, and that "Iraq has not recorded any new cases of swine
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flu."
Link: http://www.almashriqnews.com/inp/view.asp?ID=7726
Kurdistan Health Ministry: 4000 cases of cancer recorded
Erbil – PUKmedia, Nov. 21
4000 cases of cancer have been recorded in Kurdistan region, Spokesman of KRG ministry for health Dr.
Khalis Qadir told PUKmedia on Monday.
He also said that his ministry established a council to prevent the spread of cancer among people, adding
that most of the cancers are ductal carcinoma (breast cancer) among women and tracheal carcinoma among
men.
Cancer is a class of diseases characterized by out-of-control cell growth. There are over 200 different types
of cancer, and each is classified by the type of cell that is initially affected.
Link: http://pukmedia.com/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10543:health-ministry4000-cases-of-cancer-recorded-in-kurdistan-&catid=29:kurdistan-region&Itemid=385
Breast cancer the most threat to the lives of women in Iraq
Baghdad – Iraq Hurr Radio, Nov. 20
Statistics and official data issued by centers and specialized clinics in the Ministry of Health show increasing
cases of breast cancer in women.
Dr. Abeer Abdul-Hameed, Director of Early Detection Program for Breast Cancer in the Ministry of Health,
said the number of cases of breast cancer among Iraqi women was 2726 according to information published
by the Iraqi Council of Cancer in 2008.
She explained that most of the infected visited the specialized centers in late stages of the disease, which if
discovered in early stages, the percentage of eliminating it will be up to 90%.
She noted that there are 27 specialized centers to provide prevention, diagnosis and treatment for breast
cancer patients with all equipment, supplies, and medical personnel, 7 of them in Baghdad, 3 in Mosul, 2 in
Basra and one center in the rest of the provinces.
Dr. Ahmed Mubarak, Secretary General of the Iraqi Council of Cancer assured that the number of women
with breast cancer and other cancers in Iraq has increased during the last two decades by the diffusion of
environmental, chemical, radiological pollutants and bad food and living habits, pointing to the existence of
acquired and self causes led to rising rates of breast cancer among women in the world, not only in Iraq.
Dr. Mubarak added that the rates of infection with the disease in Iraq is still comparable to the countries of
the region, pointing out that among the reasons for the increasing number of cases of the disease is the
events witnessed by Iraq during the last decades of environmental pollution and exposure to radiation, and
an increase in rates of human growth, and that many women use drugs to prevent pregnancy, affecting
hormonally on breast cells, in addition to the lack of regulatory compliance to healthy diet and exercise.
Director of the program to strengthen community health in the Ministry of Health Dr. Bushra Jamil rejected
the label of breast cancer as deadly disease, in the presence of the scientific possibility to restrain it, and turn
it from a malignant tumor to a disease under control, the one infected can be cured and live a normal life
after less than six months of treatment.
Link: http://www.iraqhurr.org/content/article/24395991.html
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MDG 7
Ensure environmental sustainability – Safe drinking water & basic sanitation
Access to Safe Water
Nothing to report
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Access to Adequate Sanitation
Kurdistan to launch multi-million dollar sanitation programme
Erbil – AKnews Agency, Nov.23
Kurdistan Regional Government is embarking on a sewage and water supply programme worth 910 million
USD.
Samir Abdullah, Minister of Municipalities and Tourism, told a press conference today that GoptapaChamchamal water project which will supply drinking water for 300,000 people in central Chamchamal will
cost the regional government 111 million USD.
Erbil sewage project will be carried out in several stages at a cost of 800 million USD. The project is part of a
master plan for Erbil set to get fully underway in 2012.
The project is hoped to end the shortcomings of the sewage system in Erbil province.
Link: http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/2/274165/
Garbage Collection and Disposal
Nothing to report
Child Protection
Birth Registration (identity)
Nothing to report
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Early Childhood Marriage
Nothing to report
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Disabled Children (physical and mental)
Nothing to report
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Youth Employment
Nothing to report
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Orphans
State houses accept 83 orphans in the past three months
Baghdad – Mashriq Newspaper, Nov. 24
The Department of Special Needs of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs announced accepting 83 new
orphans during the last three months across Iraq.
The Director of the Department Faris Sami Aziz said the state houses accepted 83 beneficiaries, 39 of them
on the request of one of the parents, 16 on the request of their families, 16 on the judge's decision, and 12 at
the request of other parties.
The Department has 23 houses for orphans in Iraq and accepts the orphans of incompetent family care of
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both sexes and for the ages of one day and up to 18 years old and provides them with various educational,
social and recreational services.
Link: http://www.almashriqnews.com/inp/view.asp?ID=7728
Jubouri calls for the establishment of funds to support orphans
Baghdad – Mashriq Newspaper, Voice of Iraq News & Aswat al-Iraq News Agency, Nov. 22
Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights, Salim al-Jubouri said one of the priorities of the
current phase is the subject of paying the necessary attention to Iraqi children in all areas, whether health or
education.
Jubouri called in a press statement to establish funds to support orphans in Iraq and also for social security
for families, confirming the existence of rampant corruption and neglect in the issue of children.
Jubouri added, "We labeled many cases of corruption," and expressed fears that it could result in negative
things, and illiteracy, in addition to that the number of displaced persons and children growing up without a
breadwinner or educator, creating a significant burden on society.
Link: http://www.almashriqnews.com/inp/view.asp?ID=7560
http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=31983#axzz1eQM64gBW
http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=145741&l=1
______________________________________________________________________________________
Child Labour
Nothing to report
______________________________________________________________________________________
Violence Against Children (beating, maiming, killing, abduction, trafficking, sexual, forced genital
mutilation, etc.)
Hakim calls for laws prohibiting the exploitation of child labour
Baghdad – Voice of Iraq News, Nov. 24
The head of the Islamic Supreme Council Ammar al-Hakim, on Thursday, called to enact laws that prevent
the exploitation of child labour, stressing the need to prosecute gangs who trade in children locally, regionally
and internationally.
Hakim said in a speech at the weekly Cultural Forum at the headquarters of the Supreme Council that "the
twentieth of November is the International Day for Children, is an opportunity to find out how much is the
suffering of Iraqi children in the absence of a clear program for the care and rehabilitation of children."
He stressed "the need to prosecute child trafficking gangs locally, regionally and internationally, and control
of brothels and prostitution," and urged to "tightening the law on this sensitive subject."
The latest statistics of UNICEF showed that there are fifteen million Iraqi children need to develop their
educational, health and psychological reality, and some international organizations revealed the presence of
five million Iraqi children orphans, and more than a million others could not complete the study, or did not go
to school at all because of the violence, homelessness and poverty.
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=32465#axzz1ecSB3YBi
Festival for children at the University of Basra
Basra – Attaakhi Newspaper, Nov. 23
A Children Festival, organized by the International Medical Corps in collaboration with UNICEF and the
University of Basra on the occasion of the International Day for the Rights of the Child, has been launched at
the Hall of the Cultural Center at the University of Basra.
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The festival includes a number of events that deal with children's rights such as right to education, right to
health care and decent living, and will present a theatrical performance encourages the child to preserve the
environment.
The Director of the Cultural Center at the University of Basra, Dr. Nasser al-Mansour said the university is
keen on participating in such events pertaining to the child because the child is the first building block to
create a healthy society characterized by the values of tolerance, equality and away from extremism and
violence.
Mansour added that the university hopes of those concerned in the family and children's rights to study the
situation of children in Iraq, and especially in Basra province to find out the problems suffered by the child
and try to find effective solutions to them.
Link: http://www.altaakhipress.com/viewart.php?art=5472#pagebegin
Barzani: It is the duty of everyone to pay attention to children
Erbil - Voice of Iraq News, Nov. 23
Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani said it is the duty of everyone to interest in securing the needs
of children especially those with disabilities, calling all the centers concerned with the child to give greater
consideration to the rights of children in the region.
The official site of the presidency of the region quoted Barzani, during his meeting with a number of
organizations to protect the rights of children in the region yesterday to mark the 22nd anniversary of the
Convention on the Rights of the Child, as saying "It must cooperate with the concerned authorities to pay
greater attention to children's rights in the region and provide them with better life like their counterparts in
developed countries."
Barzani said that "the duty of the Government of the Territory and families of the children in the region is to
obligate to provide a suitable environment for raising these children," stressing on "the supervisory role of the
government and society to protect the rights of children with special insurance for needs of those with
disabilities in Kurdistan."
He also confirmed that "the role of the family is as important as the role of government in protecting the rights
of children in the region", praising "the role of organizations, centers and educational institutions involved in
providing the needs of disabled children in Kurdistan."
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=32149#axzz1eWGLlwEV
A special celebration of CRC in Baghdad
Baghdad – Assabah & Azzaman Newspapers, Nov. 23
The Child Cultural House has set up a special ceremony to mark the 22nd anniversary of adoption of the
Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989 and ratified by Iraq in 1994.
Poet Ali Alshlah, Chairman of the Culture Committee in the Parliament greeted the audience saying, "We all
fall short against childhood by holding up matters thinking it is for the child’s future, but we must not forget to
secure the present too," promising to work through the Culture Committee in the House and with the Ministry
of Culture, for financial and moral guarantees for children.
Then the song of Kadhum Al Sahir “Together for Children” was presented on the screen of the theater,
followed by poems, songs and operetta.
Husam Al-Musawi, UNICEF representative in Iraq said: "The Convention provides that children have the
fundamental right to protection and support which means that the children of Iraq have the right to well-being
11
away from armed conflict, and requires the enactment of a law to match the Convention", promising to
cooperate with the Ministry of Planning to start providing the urgent needs of children in areas most deprived
in Iraq.
Link: http://www.alsabaah.com/ArticleShow.aspx?ID=17390
Rights of the Child in a festival in Sulaimaniya
Sulaimaniya – Mada Newspaper, Nov. 22
Lana Organization has held a festival of songs and dances for the children of Sulaimaniya, on the occasion
of the CRC.
The festival included 10 songs for children, and the artist Mama Bera presented an awareness song for the
children.
The general supervisor of the festival Diar Merdokhi said, "Lana Organization considered setting up this
festival commemorating the 22nd anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on Rights of the Child by the
United Nations, and by organizing a variety of artistic activities."
Link: http://almadapaper.net/news.php?action=view&id=53641
Investment in childhood is our way to ensure future
Baghdad – Mada Newspaper, Nov. 21
On the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child the newspaper
published an analytical vision by Dr. Aamira al-Baldawi who said, that the child in Iraq is not a priority despite
the fact that he is the future, the ambition and hope, and that the neglect of this slide is clear from the figures
available for child mortality, child labour, school dropout, illiteracy, poverty and low health status.
Baldawi proposed issuing legislation for compulsory education to reduce illiteracy and dropping out of school,
and provide safety and care for orphans to convert them to useful people in the community, and the
allocation of funds in the budget to achieve the greatest benefit for the orphans, the disabled, chronically ill,
homeless and displaced children, as well as curriculum development to promote a culture of human rights, in
addition to provide entertainment facilities for the kids, and encourage workshops and training to develop the
capacities of children and release their skills.
She stressed the need to the State's commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals in relation
to children and that these goals are not achieved by aspirations, but by continued to work hard and to identify
priorities and provide the resources and the distribution of tasks and accountability and oversight to ensure
quality achievement for a happy childhood.
Link: http://www.almadapaper.net/news.php?action=view&id=53507
Celebrations on the anniversary of the CRC in Babel
Hilla – Iraq Hurr Radio & Mada Newspaper, Nov. 21
Child Cultural House in Babel celebrated the 22nd anniversary of the CRC with theatrical performances,
songs and poems about involving children in Iraq in the daily violations.
The Director of the House Ahmad Aswad said the Ministry of Culture adopts new plans for spreading a new
culture for children, noting that this event is an opportunity to announce the opening of cultural house for
children in Ramadi and Salahuddin and will open others in a number of provinces.
Link: http://www.iraqhurr.org/content/article/24396390.html
http://almadapaper.net/news.php?action=view&id=53627
Iraq celebrates the 22 anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Baghdad – Voice of Iraq News, Aswat al-Iraq News Agency & Peyamner Agency, Nov. 20
12
Celebrating the World Children's Day and the 22 anniversary of the adoption of the CRC in November 20,
the governorates of Iraq start today to celebrate the occasion for a week in which representatives of the
Government of Iraq and leaders of the community and thousands of children to participate.
Osama Makkawi, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Iraq, appealed to all Iraqis, "If we united our efforts - at
the provincial, the country and the international community level - to increase investment in the children of
Iraq, the most disadvantaged, we will see more healthy and happier children and hasten to restore Iraq to its
rightful place in the international community as a stable and prosperous member."
According to what has been achieved during the celebrations last year, when a number of governorates of
Iraq announced the establishment of committees to protect the rights of the child within the provincial
councils, UNICEF is calling this year, all Iraqi provinces to begin the allocation of additional investment,
urgently to the most deprived children. Osama Makkawi added: "By focusing on the most deprived children
we will accelerate the development and prosperity in all parts of the country and all the 15 million children of
Iraq."
Among the events which will take place on this occasion, province of Najaf on November 21 will organize a
march for 400 children to the festival hall in the province, and the Cultural House of the Child in Baghdad will
celebrate with more than 150 children in painting competitions and performances, and a week of events and
workshops on child rights in the province of Duhok, and UNICEF will launch a media campaign to broadcast
the song of the UNICEF ambassador in Iraq, Kadhum Al Sahir "Together for Children" which he dedicated to
the children of Iraq.
And with the CRC entering the 22nd year, the UNICEF indicates the progress made by Iraq during the last
year to ensure children's rights. Steps such as the establishment of the Commission under the supervision of
the Children Care Body to create child protection policy and the preparation of the draft of Children's Act in
the territory of Kurdistan and the resolute steps taken to develop the law of the Federal Child, these are clear
signs that Iraq is on its way to become more suitable for children.
UNICEF is working with the Government of Iraq, as well as many other stakeholders in all parts of the
country and the international community to support Iraq's adherence to its obligations to its children. Also
being finalized on the fourth survey in Iraq Multiple Indicator (MICS), which would be a rich knowledge base
to understand the case of children in Iraq and the formulation of policy recommendations to promote
equitable development and to better protect the rights of children in all parts of Iraq. Survey results will help
the owners of all the concerned authorities to respond better to the needs of the most disadvantaged children
who did not get their rights of development efforts.
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/mobile-news.php?id=31874#axzz1e8wHRVBG
http://ar.aswataliraq.info/(S(f03jnzzmbrzz4sv02to0ppqy))/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=287942&l=1
http://www.peyamner.com/details.aspx?l=4&id=256927
Iraqi children are still suffering - NGO organization
Baghdad – Ittihad, Mowaten Newspapers, Aswat al-Iraq News Agency, Voice of Iraq News &
Baghdadiya TV, Nov. 20
Tammouz for Social Development Organization said that the Iraqi children are still suffering all forms of
agony, though Iraq signed the Child Rights Convention.
In its report issued today on the occasion of the Child Rights Convention, it said that 20 November of each
year was chosen to be an international day for child rights.
"Despite the passage of 22 years for endorsing the convention, Iraqi children are still suffering all forms of
agony which was prohibited by the convention", the report said.
13
It referred to the children escape from school during the last few years for work in unsuitable types of
professions, despite their age, and their exploitation by armed organizations for terrorist actions.
The report added that the children were used by drugs gangs and militias.
"The negative aspects of the arms used by US occupation force in 1991 and 2003 wars have their effects on
children", the report stressed.
It called governmental and parliamentary organs to "take heed of the situation of the children and lay down a
clear-cup strategy in this regard, in cooperation with NGOs.
Link: http://www.alitthad.com/paper.php?name=News&file=article&sid=108111
http://www.almowatennews.com/news_view_30172.html
http://ar.aswataliraq.info/(S(uppvqgux1t2npmfgvozbfp55))/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=287912&l=1
http://www.sotaliraq.com/mobile-news.php?id=31806#axzz1e8wHRVBG
Media campaign by UNICEF in the occasion of CRC
Baghdad – Mada, Assabah Newspapers, Sumaria, Baghdad, Al-Salam TVs & Dijla, Demozi, Mahaba,
Sumer Radios, Nov. 20
UNICEF has launched a media campaign to broadcast the song of the UNICEF ambassador in Iraq, Kadhum
Al Sahir "Together for Children" which he dedicated to the children of Iraq, many times along four days in the
Radio and TV stations, in addition to publishing ads on the occasion on the front pages of the newspapers
above.
Violation of child rights in Iraq
Baghdad - Baghdad TV, Nov. 20
The channel has showed the programme “Studio Baghdad” at 8:00 p.m. this evening, which hosted over the
phone: Salam Adnan - Information Officer at UNICEF, Dr. Shaima Abdul-Aziz al-Samarrai - Professor of
Psychology at the University of Baghdad, Narin Sheikh Shemo - activist and media woman from Kurdistan,
Khulud al-Ziyadi - activist in the field of child and Dr. Salim al-Jubouri - Chairman of the Committee on
Human Rights in the House of Representatives, on the occasion of 22 anniversary of the Convention on the
rights of children.
The guests spoke about neglect and lack of interest of the Iraqi government in the child, and that the Iraqi
children’s rights are always violated within the family, in the educational institutions and in society in general,
and the evidence for that is the large number of children begging in the streets, the increase in child labour,
the high proportion of school dropouts and the high number of orphans, calling for increasing the attention to
children by listening to them and to their problems, provide freedom of expression to them and also provide
care, education and health to them as well as stopping the exploitation and the provision of places of
amusement to them, the need to make the media pay attention to children more than the political events, and
the need for psychiatric treatment of children and young people who have suffered from unusual conditions
as a result of the wars in Iraq and the various life circumstances that have affected them negatively
throughout the past years, placing a social worker in each school for the purpose of identifying the problems
of students and address them.
Dr. Salim al-Jubouri said that the activity of the human rights parliamentary committee will include in the next
phase special attention to children of Iraq in terms of the legislative, social solidarity and social security for
families, because the subject of the child were not a priority in the agenda of the parliament previously due to
many political problems.
Police: abducted child freed, abductor arrested in Karbala
14
Karbala – PUKmedia, Nov. 20
An abducted child, 12, was released on Sunday by police forces in Karbala province, Director General of
Karbala Police, Major General Ahmed Zawini, told PUKmedia.
He also said that their forces managed to arrest the abductor.
Kidnapping for ransom is common in middle and south of Iraq.
Link: http://pukmedia.com/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10526:-police-abductedchild-freed-abductor-arrested-in-karbala-&catid=25:iraq&Itemid=386
______________________________________________________________________________________
Violence Against Women (beating, rape)
Increase in number of Iraqi widows
Baghdad – Voice of Iraq News & Mada Newspaper, Nov. 26
About 9 percent of Iraqi women are widows who lost their husbands in U.S. invasion and violence that
followed and in earlier wars, the government says.
Many of these women have difficult lives, including those living in two crowded trailer camps in Baghdad, The
New York Times reported. Women now outnumber men in the country, and widows, especially those with a
lot of children, have little chance of marrying again.
"We expected we would get a lot of help from all sides -- the Americans, the Iraqi government," said Noria
Khalaf, whose husband was killed in 2007. "But the fact is nobody really cares about us."
Khalaf lives in a trailer in one of the Baghdad camps with her six children.
"Maybe a young woman with only one or two kids can marry again," she told the Times.
The eight-year war with Iran that began in 1980 left thousands of women without husbands. That was
followed by the 1990 invasion of Kuwait, the First Gulf War and the 1991 uprising in the south.
The Ministry of Planning estimates that 900,000 women are widows, 9 percent of the female population. In
2006, when the insurgency was at its height, about 100 women a day were losing their husbands.
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=32585#axzz1ecSB3YBi
http://www.almadapaper.net/news.php?action=view&id=53939
Campaign to eliminate violence against women began in Kurdistan
Erbil – AKnews Agency, Nov.25
The Iraqi Kurdistan region women organizations announced a 16-day campaign to defend women against
the violations they may encounter in the community.
The campaign was announced in a ceremony in Erbil today, which coincides with International Day for the
Elimination of Violence against Women.
In the ceremony, held under the slogan "Let's make the rights come true," Kurdistan Prime Minister Barham
Saleh delivered a statement to the participants, including the ministers, consuls, representatives of women,
human rights and civil society organizations.
"Declaring such a campaign on the same day that the world renews its pledge to elimination of violence
against women, confirms our commitment to the same cause for women in Kurdistan," Saleh said.
15
PM referred to the approval of a bill by Kurdistan Women's High Council (KWHC, a government sponsored
council) as a "clear hint that we would like to give more attention to women and take all the steps to avoid
commitment of violation against them."
At the same time, the PM called on women to unify their forces and fight for their rights.
Pakhshan Zangana, KWHC's general secretary, told the audience that tens of civil society and women
organizations will participate in the camping which covers hundreds of intellectual and cultural activities as
well as seminars and conferences.
The activities will focus on raising public awareness about the rights of women and measures to respond to
the violations.
Link: http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/3/274577/
Feminist demonstration in Sulaimaniya to demand an end to violence against women
Sulaimaniya – Voice of Iraq News & Sumeria News Site, Nov. 25
Dozens of female activists demonstrated defending the rights of women in the province of Sulaimaniya, on
Friday, demanding an end to violence against women and to implement the law against domestic violence in
the courts, while women's organizations in the region announced the registration of more than a thousand
suicides of women during the past three years.
Activist Sabria Bahmani said in a speech to participants in the demonstration, which came out on the
occasion of World Day to stop violence against women, that "dozens of women's organizations in
Sulaimaniya boycotted the rally today," indicating that "the reason for that is the patriarchy control even on
those organizations."
For her part, activist Roseanne Tatani said that "women and girls in Kurdistan region and all over the world,
are subjected to types of violence, which threatens communities," indicating that "the past three years
women's organizations in the region registered 1012 cases of suicide for women because of persecution and
the lack of equality."
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which coincides with the 25 of
November, is the day which aims to increase public awareness of communities to deepen the values of
equality, where women's organizations and organizations defending human rights in nearly 20 years are
holding variety of events to demand more political and economic rights for women.
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=32538#axzz1ecSB3YBi
http://www.alsumarianews.com/ar/2/31928/news-details-.html
Two bodies of women stabbed with a sharp tool founded in Baghdad
Baghdad – Voice of Iraq News Site & Sumeria News Site, Nov. 24
A police source said yesterday that a security force found the bodies of two women stabbed with a sharp tool
in south of Baghdad.
The source said that "security force found the bodies of two women inside their house in Saydiya area south
of Baghdad, after been murdering by unknown persons, who escaped to an unknown destination."
The source, who asked not to be named, added that the force "cordoned off the scene and transported the
bodies to the mortuary, and will open an investigation into the incident."
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=32350#axzz1ecSB3YBi
http://www.alsumarianews.com/ar/2/31831/news-details-.html
16
Kurdistan prepares to open new offices to follow up on violence against women
Duhok - Voice of Iraq News, Sumeria News Site & PUKmedia, Nov. 22
Interior minister of the Kurdistan Region, Karim Sinjari said, "The Ministry of Interior is preparing to open
additional offices to follow up on violence against women in the cities of the region," noting that "the aim of
further offices comes as part of attempts by the ministry to reduce the phenomenon of violence against
women."
Sinjari added that "the ministry has more than 13 offices to follow up the issues of violence against women in
the districts, as well as the presence of three directorates in the provinces of the region," indicating that "his
ministry is working with the United Nations to raise the capabilities of personnel working in these offices."
Sinjari said that "after opening the offices we have seen positive results, especially as women began to dare
to defend their rights and follow-up problems," noting that "in the last year the offices of follow-up of violence
against women in Erbil received 866 complaints filed by women who have experienced violence."
The Ministry of Interior in Kurdistan decided in 2007 to open directorates to follow up the issues of violence
against women after witnessing a remarkable upsurge in cases of murder and suicide among women in the
cities of the region.
According to statistics of the directorates of the follow-up of violence against women, the incidence of suicide
and violence saw a decline in recent years at a time when some civil organizations confirm that the practice
of violence and suicides still threaten women.
It is worth mentioning that Kurdistan has no official statistics on the number of cases of violence and suicide
among women, which is a phenomenon in society, but unofficial sources in the Ministry of Health of
Kurdistan pointed to the existence of more than 740 cases of suicide for women burnt themselves during the
first six months of the current year.
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=32007#axzz1eQM64gBW
http://www.alsumarianews.com/ar/5/31658/news-details-.html
http://www.pukmedia.com/kurdistanregion/23032-2011-11-22-06-38-20
Conference on violence against women in Duhok
Duhok - Voice of Iraq News & Mada Newspaper, Nov. 21
The Directorate of Combating Violence against Women in the province of Duhok has set up an expanded
conference on how to reduce the phenomenon of violence against women and domestic violence in the
presence of Karim Sinjari, the Interior Minister in Kurdistan Regional Government, who said in a speech that
strenuous efforts are ongoing in order to reduce the phenomenon of violence against women.
Capt. Dr. Sami Jalal, Head of the Directorate of Combating Violence against Women in Duhok and the
member of the Higher Organizing Committee of the Conference noted that specialists from all parts of Iraq
have been invited to deliver lectures and special studies on domestic violence and violence against women,
saying, "The conference will address the issue of domestic violence and violence against women and will
receive 30 papers and value studies dealing with violence from Kosovo, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Algeria, in
order to benefit from other experiences in this matter."
Jalal said the conference will run for two consecutive days, adding, "We have focused in this conference on
several themes, including ways to reduce domestic violence and discuss the laws against violence in
society."
Sheikh Mousa Ahmad, director of the Human Development Organization in Duhok said that organizing of
such conferences is something positive and necessary for increasing the citizens' awareness and making
17
steps towards democracy and freedom from worn restrictions and practices."
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=31951#axzz1e8wHRVBG
http://www.almadapaper.net/news.php?action=view&id=53558
Increase in violence against women
Kirkuk – Voice of Iraq News & AKnews, Nov. 20
Domestic violence is on the rise in Iraq. Activists and jurists are calling on authorities to provide legal and
psychological support to victims of domestic violence, especially in Kirkuk.
The head of the Iraqi Organization for Human Rights Khalid Al-Izzi said: "The cultural and academic level of
husband and wife plays an important part in increasing this phenomenon."
According to campaigner Nisreen al-Zendi domestic violence exists in all of Iraq and especially in Kirkuk
"where it is found not only in homes but also in work places."
"The development that happened after 2003 had a negative impact on the growing violence against women,
and the media must play an important role in educating people to reduce this phenomenon," she added.
The lawyer and feminist Bushra Mohammed said: "Women often refuse to disclose and publicize cases of
violence against them and resort to hiding evidence of their beatings, humiliation and sexual abuse for fear of
scandal. There are many reasons behind the increase of domestic violence; the most important is the lack of
strict law and legal safeguards that protect women from such cases."
While activist Basem al-Shammari said that "eastern societies, especially Iraq, prevent women subjected to
violence making a complaint and demanding their rights."
Lawyer Ghanem Hussein said: "There are non-governmental organizations concerned in this issue because
our government institutions have not cared to this issue in the past."
The sociologist Saif al-Din Aziz points to the serious negative consequences of domestic violence on the
psyche of the child in particular, explaining that when the boys see their fathers beat their mothers they tend
act violently in the future and may abuse their future wives.
"Sometimes we see the child using violence with his friends and using the same words of the father. This
shows the influence of his father on him."
In the past year the Ministry of Interior opened a special department to address domestic violence. It
confirmed it will deal with any complaint seriously. It has set up a special phone line to receive complaints
from women who are subjected to violence. This step was met with great satisfaction by organizations that
deal with family and women's issues.
Statistics in Iraq show hundreds of girls suffer genital mutilation, while women in the south and west are
forced into marriages where they might be killed just because their masters don't like the clothes they wear.
Women in most parts of Iraq are prevented from active participation in society.
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=31818#axzz1e8wHRVBG
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/3/273478/
______________________________________________________________________________________
Displacement (internal and refugee)
Two Conferences in Sweden and Switzerland to discuss the issue of Iraqi refugees
Baghdad – Voice of Iraq News, AKnews Agency & Ittihad Newspaper, Nov. 25
18
Minister of Displacement and Migration, today, announced the convening of two conferences in Sweden and
Switzerland next month to discuss issue of forced returns of Iraqi refugees in countries of the world in
addition to the problems experienced by these refugees.
Dindar Dosky said that "He will lead a delegation from the Ministry to participate in the conferences," noting
that "the first conference in Sweden is due to be held in the seventh to the eighth of next month while the
second will take place in Switzerland in the ninth and the tenth of next month."
Dosky added that "the delegation of the ministry will meet on the sidelines of Sweden conference about 140
Iraqi refugees to discuss the problems they suffer in order to find solutions."
The past five years have seen the return of some five thousand and 500 Kurdish refugees from European
countries to Iraq.
Link: http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=32560#axzz1ecSB3YBi
http://www.aknews.com/ar/aknews/3/274542/
http://www.alitthad.com/paper.php?name=News&file=article&sid=108460
Canada granted asylum for 20 thousand Iraqis
Baghdad – Mashriq, Attaakhi & Addustour Newspapers, Nov. 24
The Canadian ambassador in Baghdad revealed that his country granted asylum to 20 thousand Iraqi
refugees who were in the Arab and European countries, bringing the number of Iraqis in Canada to 100
thousand refugees.
The Canadian ambassador stressed during a meeting with the Iraqi Minister of Migration Dindar Najman that
"this decision is not to encourage displaced Iraqis to migrate, but their government should to do everything
possible to urge them to return to their country."
Canada opened its first representation in Iraq on a level of ambassador in mid of the current year.
Link: http://www.almashriqnews.com/inp/view.asp?ID=7731
http://www.altaakhipress.com/viewart.php?art=5553#pagebegin
http://www.daraddustour.com/
Kurdish asylum-seekers sew lips together in Australia protest
Erbil – Peyamner Agency, Nov. 23
Three asylum-seekers sewed their lips together and two more overdosed on drugs to protest against their
lengthy detention in Australia, a refugee campaigner said Wednesday.
The five Kurdish men held at Darwin's Northern Immigration Detention Center belong to the minority Faili
group and are stateless, Refugees Action Coalition spokesman Ian Rintoul said.
"They sewed their lips together," he said. "It's a protest, they are pretty determined."
But he said it was not a hunger strike and the men were taking fluids.
The pair who took the drug overdose believed to be out of danger after having their stomachs pumped, he
added.
The immigration department confirmed that three men at the Darwin center "are engaging in protest actions"
involving minor self-harm and that two others had been hospitalized for self-harming.
"It has been explained to the detainees that their actions will not alter the outcome of their asylum claims," a
19
spokesman said.
Rintoul said all five men, who had spent up to 21 months in detention, had been rejected as refugees.
"The problem for them is that they are just in limbo because they are stateless and they cannot be sent
back," Rintoul said.
Australian immigration detention centers have been hit by unrest, including riots, in the past year as
boatpeople arriving on rickety vessels from Asia land to bid for asylum.
Link: http://www.peyamner.com/details.aspx?l=4&id=257000
Hashimi urges the Canadian government to provide facilitations to the Iraqis living in Canada
Baghdad – NINA, Nov. 23
Vice President, Tariq Al Hashimi, urged the Canadian government to provide aids and facilitations to improve
the status of Iraqis living in Canada.
A statement issued by Hashimi's office today mentioned that Hashimi met with the Canadian ambassador in
Iraq, Mark Kosdiki, and discussed with him ways to develop relations between Iraq and Canada.
Hashimi pointed out that Canada is one of the countries holding large number of Iraqis, stressing that Iraq
considers these citizens as national wealth that should not be compromised and that he would work on
bringing them back when the country's situation improves.
For his part, the Canadian ambassador announced that he would do the best to provide the appropriate
atmosphere for the Iraqi residents, noting that the Canadian government is working to re-open its embassy in
Baghdad in order to maintain communications and develop relations between the two countries on the official
and popular levels.
Link: http://www.ninanews.com/English/News_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=FJDFFM
Baghdad airport will not admit deported Iraqis
Erbil – AKnews Agency, Voice of Iraq News Site & Mada, Mowaten Newspapers, Nov. 23
Baghdad airport will no longer admit Iraqis who are deported from Europe by force, the Minister of Migration
said.
Dindar Najman said today the decision was made by a committee, headed by him.
The Council of Ministers formed the committee after the issue of forced deportation was highlighted as a
problem. There are also representatives of the Iraqi human rights and foreign ministry in the committee.
"This was the first step by the committee to end forced deportations," Najman said.
The committee will in the following days discuss measures to end the phenomenon completely.
International Federation of Iraqi Refugees (IFIR) has repeatedly accused the Iraqi government of signing a
deal with European countries which deport Iraqis in return for dropping Iraqi debts. Among the countries that
started forced deportations via Baghdad since 2005 are Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
According to the IFIR 5,000 to 6,000 Iraqi refugees, most of them Kurds have been deported from Europe
since then.
Kurdistan-based chief of IFIR, Amanj Abdullah, said no European country has tried to send any refugee back
20
to Iraq since the decision was made so the authority's resolve to enforce this ban remains untested.
Nevertheless, he valued the decision as "a positive step in favor of Iraqi refugees".
Link: http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/3/274169/
http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=32303#axzz1ecSB3YBi
http://almadapaper.net/news.php?action=view&id=53801
252 immigrated families back home in Ninawa
Baghdad - Aswat al-Iraq News Agency & Voice of Iraq News Site, Nov. 23
At least 252 families, who were forced to desert their home places in Mosul and move to 6 other Iraqi
provinces have returned home over the past few weeks, according to a statement by Iraq's Ministry of
Displacement and Migration on Wednesday.
"The number of deserted families from Ninawa Province who have returned to their Province has reached to
252 families, 30 families from Basra, 70 from Baghdad, 9 from Diyala, 3 from Kirkuk, 4 from Salahuddin, 8
from Babel and 1 from Anbar Provinces, along with 127 families who returned to their home places that they
had deserted inside the Province of Ninawa itself," the Ministry's Ninawa Province Branch Official,
Mohammed Abdullah said.
He stressed that the "said large number of families who returned to Ninawa had been done by the Ministry's
activation of its policy, encouraging deserted and immigrated families to return to their original home places,
granting each family 4 million IQD, along with restoring sons of those families back to their schools and
colleges, along with facilitating the return of employees back to service."
Link: http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1.aspx?page=article_page&id=145731&l=1
http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraq-news.php?id=32344#axzz1ecSB3YBi
KRG Education Minister receives UNHCR delegation
Erbil – Peyamner Agency & Attaakhi Newspaper, Nov. 22
KRG Education Minister Safeen Dizayi, Yesterday, received a UNHCR delegation headed by its new head in
Kurdistan Region, Bushra Hali.
Referring to KRG Education Ministry’s continuous coordination with her agency, Ms. Hali lauded progress in
the education sector and expressed her pleasure to the success of education system in Kurdistan Region.
She also referred to a joint plan with UNICEF for the education of displaced students through dedicating a
place for them so that they can practise their education and can also have roles in reconstructing their
country.
On his part, Minister Dizayi thanked the agency and expressed his ministry’s full support for UNHCR’s
projects for displaced children.
“The Ministry works to provide education to everyone and the KRG magnanimously receives the people
displaced in other parts of Iraq, attaches importance to their education and makes efforts for meeting their
demands” Dizayi concluded.
Link: http://www.peyamner.com/details.aspx?l=2&id=257019
http://www.altaakhipress.com/viewart.php?art=5572#pagebegin
Ministry of Migration allocated 100 billion IQD to increase the returnees grant
Baghdad – Mashriq, Alsafeer & Azzaman Newspapers, Nov. 22
The Ministry of Displacement and Migration has got the approval of the Prime Ministry to increase the
emergency grant for displaced people returning to their home areas, who had previously received the
21
previous return’s grant of one million IQD for internal returnees and 1.5 million IQD to returnees from abroad.
The Undersecretary of the ministry, Salam al-Khafaji said the increase came after the Cabinet has approved
the increase in grant of emergency for the ministry of 100 billion IQD to be added to the allocations of 2011
which is 200 billion IQD, adding that his ministry has struggled to increase the allocations of emergency for
several months, but the decision to approve came now.
He stressed that lifting of the grant from one million to four million came after extensive studies to find the
best ways to help families to bear the burden of return and reintegrate into their regions they migrated from.
On the other hand, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Displacement and Migration revealed that the Greek
authorities detained a number of Iraqi families entered Greek territory on an informal basis in order to obtain
asylum, and confiscated their identity papers.
He said his ministry had contacted the UNHCR in order to obtain information on their numbers, situation and
needs to provide them with support and help.
Link: http://www.almashriqnews.com/inp/view.asp?ID=7563
Media Coverage Summary
Media
Newspapers
MDGs
Issue
1
1
7
2-Primary Education
4-Reduce child mortality
Child protection
2-School Enrolment
4-Immunization
Violence Against Children, Violence Against
Women & Displacement
1
Mutamar
1
2-Primary Education
2-School Enrolment
1
Assabah
1
2
2
2-Primary Education
4-Reduce child mortality
Child protection
2-Education Services
4-Child deaths & Immunization
Violence Against Children
1
2
Mashriq
1
1
4
4-Reduce child mortality
6-Combat diseases
Child protection
4-Immunization
6-Health Services
Orphans & Displacement
1
Alsafeer
1
1
4-Reduce child mortality
Child protection
4-Immunization
Displacement
1
Mowaten
1
2
4-Reduce child mortality
Child protection
4-Immunization
Violence Against Children & Displacement
Adala
1
4-Reduce child mortality
4-Immunization
Estiqama
1
4-Reduce child mortality
4-Immunization
Attaakhi
1
3
6-Combat diseases
Child protection
6-Health Services
Violence Against Children & Displacement
2
1
1
Azzaman
2
Child protection
Violence Against Children & Displacement
1
1
Ittihad
2
Child protection
Violence Against Children & Displacement
Addustour
1
Child protection
Displacement
1
1
2-Primary Education
6-Combat diseases
2-Education Services
6-Health Services
Mada
No. of articles
UNICEF
1
UN
1
1
1
Radio
Iraq Hurr
22
1
Child protection
Violence Against Children
Dijla
1
Child protection
Violence Against Children
1
Demozi
1
Child protection
Violence Against Children
1
Mahaba
1
Child protection
Violence Against Children
1
Sumer
1
Child protection
Violence Against Children
1
Baghdadiya
1
Child protection
Violence Against Children
Sumeria
1
Child protection
Violence Against Children
1
Baghdad
2
Child protection
Violence Against Children
2
Al-Salam
1
Child protection
Violence Against Children
1
1
4
14
2-Primary Education
4-Reduce child mortality
Child protection
2-School Enrolment
4-Child deaths & Immunization
Orphans, Violence Against Children,
Violence Against Women & Displacement
1
1
2
Sumaria News
Site
1
3
4-Reduce child mortality
Child protection
4-Child deaths
Violence Against Women
Aswat al-Iraq
News Agency
1
4
4-Reduce child mortality
Child protection
4-Immunization
Orphans, Violence Against Children &
Displacement
Al-Iraq News
Network
1
4-Reduce child mortality
4-Immunization
PUKmedia
1
2
6-Combat diseases
Child protection
6-Health Services
Violence Against Children Violence Against
Women
AKnews Agency
1
4
7-Environmental sustainability
Child protection
7-Adequate Sanitation
Violence Against Women & Displacement
Peyamner Agency
3
Child protection
Violence Against Children & Displacement
NINA
1
Child protection
Displacement
TV
Web-Based
Voice of Iraq
News
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
23