IRAQ: CHILDREN'S RIGHTS REFERENCES IN THE UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW

3 November 2014 - 2.30 a.m. - 6.00 p.m.

 

Iraq – Twentieth session - 2014

 

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National Report
Compilation of UN information
Stakeholder Information
Accepted and rejected recommendations

 

National Report

 

The normative framework for human rights

B. International treaties

9. Iraq also acceded to the following treaties: [...] the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction in 2013 [...]

C. Legislation

10. The following human rights laws were enacted during the period from 2010 to 2014: [...]grants for students at Iraqi public-sector universities and institutes (2012); grants for pupils and students at public schools (2014) [...]

 

D. Policies [...] 

13. The National Education and Higher Education Strategy (2011–2020). 

14. The National Reproductive Health and Maternal and Child Health Strategy (2013– 2017).  [...]

20. The Strategy to Facilitate Access to High-quality Education in the Kurdistan Region (2013–2018). 

  1. The Millennium Development Goals 

 

24. The progress made in this regard may be summarized as follows: [...]an increase in the primary school enrolment ratio from 89 per cent in 2009 to 90.4 per cent in 2011 and a narrowing of the gender gap, with the ratio of girls to boys in primary education increasing from 89.0 in 2009 to 94.0 in 2011; [...]a decline in the infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births from 22 in 2012 to 17.4 in 2013; and a decline in the under-five mortality rate per 1,000 live births from 28 in 2012 to 22 in 2013.

 

B.Welfare rights of priority groups

26.  Children: The Child Welfare Authority is the principle institution tasked with promoting children’s welfare. It is developing a general national policy framework to ensure that children’s situation complies with the Iraqi Constitution, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the two Optional Protocols to the Convention.

• The Children’s Culture House: The House was created to promote children’s culture through awareness-raising activities based on a sound and progressive educational and scientific approach; it seeks to direct and develop their creative and inventive potential and skills.

• Many laws and policies concerning children have been adopted since 2010. They include the Act on combating trafficking in persons and Act No. 2 of 2013 prohibiting the import of games based on incitement to violence (see paragraphs 10, 13, 14 and 20 of the report). Iraq is currently drafting a law on children in the centre and regional areas in line with its international obligations and has engaged in wide-ranging consultations on the draft with civil society and experts on the subject. Other draft laws concern the Children’s Parliament, the Child Welfare Authority and the Youth Parliament.

 • The following data reflects the current situation of children in Iraq. The net primary school enrolment ratio was 89 per cent in 2009 and 91.7 per cent in 2013; the target for 2017 is 95 per cent. The percentage of underweight children below five years of age was 8.5 per cent in 2011 and 7 per cent in 2013; the target for 2017 is 3 per cent. The employment rate for children in the 5 to 14 age group dropped from 10.7 per cent in 2006 to 6.4 per cent in 2011.

Drop-out centres were opened in the context of action to prevent school drop-out. A total of 85 independent centres were opened during 2010/11 and 353 classes were added to public schools in 2010/11; 9,183 teenage students were enrolled in the independent centres and 1,491 students were enrolled in the classes added to public schools.

Children with disabilities: 

28. The Iraqi Government has taken the following action: 

  • Development of academic and vocational curricula for children with disabilities (academic and vocational education) and elaboration of the strategic national project for inclusive education, which covers 30 per cent of schools in each governorate; action to support children with cochlear implants through special education classes in primary schools; 

30. The number of Syrian refugees in Iraq stood at 210,612 on 30 December 2013. They are provided with material support, energy sources and food. Schools have been opened in which the Syrian curriculum is taught by refugee teachers. A sum of 65 billion Iraqi dinars (ID) has been allocated for 2012 and 2013.

31. Following the recent events in the Governorate of Anbar and the displacement of families in early 2014, the Ministry of Migration and Displacement has monitored the conditions of the displaced within and outside the Governorate through its periodical publication, which serves as an essential source of information. The number of displaced families within the Governorate of Anbar totalled 50,922 and the number of such families outside the Governorate totalled 13,829. The following are some of the actions taken to address this issue: establishment of an operations centre to provide relief for displaced persons in Anbar; creation of a comprehensive database; distribution of emergency allowances to displaced families in Anbar amounting to ID 300,000 for each family; provision of food aid by the Ministry of Migration and Displacement; and formation of on-site task forces in all governorates with displaced persons to monitor and coordinate action on their behalf. The Ministry has coordinated its provision of material assistance and food to displaced persons with international organizations.

V. Economic, social and cultural rights

A. The right to health 

 

33. Major progress has been recorded in the health situation. The infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births declined from 22 in 2012 to 17.4 in 2013, and the under-five mortality rate declined from 28 in 2012 to 22 in 2013. There was also a pronounced decline in the maternal mortality ratio. According to Ministry of Health statistics, it dropped from 35 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2012 to 28.2 deaths in 2013. The proportion of deliveries at health-care facilities stood at 70.9 per cent in 2012. No case of malaria was recorded in 2013. The proportion of tuberculosis cases that were detected and successfully treated amounted to 90 per cent in 2013. Twenty cases of AIDS (15 males and 5 females) were recorded in 2013 as well as one death. The rate of child immunization as a result of the vaccination campaign amounted to 98 per cent for the polio vaccine, 96 per cent for the measles vaccine, 91 per cent for the BCG vaccine and 86 per cent for the hepatitis B vaccine, first dose, in 2013.

35. The Kurdistan Region has created institutions tasked with guaranteeing the right to health, including the Health Board and the Professional Council of Physicians. A key development has been the establishment of health-care units and centres for young people and adolescents. A total of 122 health-care facilities for emergency coordination and treatment have been established. There are 79 public and private hospitals in the region, and there are plans to build five women’s and maternity hospitals and four children’s hospitals.

B. The right to education

36. Article 34 of the Iraqi Constitution guarantees the right to education. Numerous laws and policies aimed at guaranteeing the right to education have been adopted (see paragraphs 10, 13, 19 and 20). The share of the education sector in total public expenditure has increased. It accounted for 6.9 per cent of total expenditure in 2012 and 6.4 per cent in 2013.

37. According to educational indicators, the number of schools, including kindergartens in the pre-school education sector, increased by 7.3 per cent between 2010 and 2011. The number of pupils increased by 7.6 per cent during the same period. An increase in teaching staff of 3.2 per cent was recorded between 2010 and 2011. The net enrolment ratio, which indicates the number of pupils enrolled in primary schools, increased by 6.7 per cent between 2010 and 2011.

38. Ten public-sector universities were established during the period 2010–2013. The number of community colleges increased from 26 in 2010 to 29 in 2013. The enrolment ratio in higher education increased from 14.9 per cent in the 2010/11 academic year to 17 per cent in the 2012/13 academic year.

 

  1. The right to work and the right to social security

 

46. The Iraqi Council of Representatives adopted the Social Protection Act, which is consistent with international social protection regimes. The provisions of the Act are applicable to persons with disabilities, invalids, orphans, families of inmates or detainees sentenced to a prison term of one year, persons benefiting from the State’s role as a provider of shelter, juveniles sentenced to a prison term of more than one year, married students until they have completed secondary education, families without incomes or with incomes below the poverty line, widows and divorced women. The minimum monthly allowance is ID 105,000 and the maximum allowance is ID 420,000.

VII. The rights of minorities

57. The Iraqi Constitution guarantees the rights of minorities. The electoral legislation also guarantees appropriate representation for minorities by granting them quotas in the Council of Representatives and in local councils. The 2012 Act regulating endowments expanded their Endowment Council and changed its name to the Endowment Council for the Christian, Yazidi and Mandaean Sabian Religions.

 

• The Iraqi Government has taken a number of steps to guarantee the rights of minorities, for example: [...] in accordance with Act No. 20 of 2009; incorporation of Christian religious instruction as a subject in the curriculum prescribed for various levels of education by the Directorate General of Curricula; provision by the Directorate General of Education for instruction in the Syriac language in schools run by the Governorate of Baghdad, Second Rusafa, and the Governorates of Nineveh and Kirkuk; teaching of the Turkmen language in some Turkmen schools and teaching of most of the curriculum in the Turkmen language in other schools.

IX. Achievements, best practices and challenges 

62. Achievements and practices

(h) Literacy education for minorities: Literacy education centres have been opened in areas where a majority of the inhabitants are members of minorities and curricula have been published in their languages.

 

X. Implementation of voluntary pledges

(c) Iraq received [...] the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict in 2013. A ministerial committee was created to facilitate the task of United Nations special rapporteurs and independent experts who wish to visit Iraq.

(d) Iraq submitted periodic reports on the implementation of human rights treaties to the bodies that monitor the following treaties: [...]

  • The Convention on the Rights of the Child and its two Optional Protocols (recommendation 33);  [...]

(g) An Action Plan for human rights training and education has been developed and is being implemented by a large number of ministries, public-sector institutions, law enforcement agencies in the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of the Interior, and civil society organizations. In addition, a Human Rights Programme focusing on students and young persons of both sexes has been adopted.

XI. Implementation of the recommendations accepted by Iraq

1. Recommendations 1, 2, 3 and 4: Ratification of and accession to international treaties and optional protocols

• Iraq continued to accede to international human rights treaties.[...] It is currently considering the possibility of acceding to the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

 

4. Recommendations 17, 18 and 19: Action to combat corruption

•Development of guidelines for assessment of the performance of governmental units; support for the requirements of public inspectors’ offices; measures to promote compliance with the United Nations Convention against Corruption, to which Iraq has acceded; launching of a national campaign [...] the National Anti-corruption Strategy and the National Education and Higher Education Strategy (see paragraphs 13 and 17 of the report); development of curricula for all levels of education that include sections dealing with a culture of integrity and transparency and the appropriate use of public funds; launching of national campaigns to generate awareness of the United Nations Convention against Corruption and the National Anti-corruption Strategy.

8. Recommendations 21, 29, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 59, 60, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 79, 107 and 127: Women’s and children’s rights and action to combat all forms of violence

  • The Iraqi Constitution guarantees equality and non-discrimination between the sexes. The Act concerning support for small-scale income-generating enterprises was adopted in 2012. The Act on combating human trafficking was adopted in 2012 in compliance with the obligations of Iraq under the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. The Act prescribes harsher penalties for offenders and provides for the adoption of special measures in cooperation with victims as well as the creation of a central committee and subcommittees to enforce the Act. 

The project to develop a national policy for the protection of children in Iraq: a special secretariat of the Child Welfare Authority was established in 2009 to formulate a five-year national child protection policy. It is the first policy of its kind and it was developed in cooperation with the Danish Embassy and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Creation of a police department for family and child protection. A draft law on protection against domestic violence is still at the preliminary stage of deliberation.

Adoption of the Act concerning protection from violence against women in the Kurdistan Region in 2012, which criminalizes female genital mutilation.

The children of an Iraqi woman may be granted Iraqi citizenship regardless of her husband’s nationality (article 18 of the Iraqi Constitution and Act No. 26 of 2006).

The National Education and Higher Education Strategy of the Ministry of Education provides for an increase in the female enrolment ratio to 50 per cent of the overall enrolment ratio at the various levels of education in order to align it with the population census. An increase has been recorded in the enrolment ratio in public schools at the primary level from 44 per cent in 2006/07 to 46 per cent in 2011/12.

10 . Recommendations 46, 47 and 48: Respect for the right to life and respect for international standards restricting the scope of application of the death penalty 

  • The legislation concerning juveniles (Juvenile Welfare Act No. 76 of 1983 as amended) does not permit the death penalty to be applied to juveniles, regardless of the type of crime they have committed. Article 77, paragraph 2, of the Act stipulates: “If the minor committed an offence punishable by the death penalty, the juvenile court shall replace the legally prescribed penalty with a decision to send the minor to a juvenile rehabilitation centre for a period of not less than five years and not more than 15 years.” 

14. Recommendations 76, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85 and 86: Guarantees of a fair trial and the independence of the judiciary

Iraqi national law devotes special attention to juveniles. Special legal measures are applied to juveniles from the detention stage until confinement and enforcement of the sentence. These procedures are implemented by the Juvenile Police Directorate, the juvenile court and the Juvenile Rehabilitation Department of the Iraqi Ministry of Labour. It should be noted that Iraqi national law prohibits the imposition of the death penalty on convicted minors and that they may only be confined in juvenile detention facilities.

19. Recommendations 108, 109, 110, 111, 112 and 113: The right to education

• The Ministry of Education has taken steps to promote the right to education. Such measures include: adoption of curricula based on the principle of respect for both sexes; raising awareness of human rights by integrating human rights principles into textbooks and tailoring the content to the subject concerned and the concept to be transmitted; continuous cooperation with UNICEF and UNESCO with a view to supporting the implementation of educational and training projects, including projects relating to modern curricula; and adoption of the National Education and Higher Education Strategy (2011–2020).

 

  • There has been an increase in enrolment ratios at the various levels of education. The primary education enrolment ratio increased from 92 per cent in 2011/12 to 94 per cent in 2012/13, in line with the Millennium Development Goals. Drop-out rates from public primary and secondary education and parallel schooling declined, in the case of primary education, from 3.6 per cent in 2004/05 to 1.8 per cent in 2012/13 and, in the case of secondary education, from 3.1 per cent in 2004/05 to 2.4 per cent in 2012/13. Action has been taken by the General Directorate for Protection of Institutions and Eminent Persons to promote security in schools.

• Adoption of the Eradication of Illiteracy Act in 2011 (see paragraphs 13, 19 and 20).

 

21. Recommendation 104: Health-care services 

• With a view to improving health-care services, the Iraqi Government created a health insurance system and adopted the National Poverty Reduction Strategy to support primary health-care services and the National Reproductive Health and Maternal and Child Health Strategy (2013–2017). Vigorous action to improve access to health-care services for the general public is being taken under the Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Health for the period 2009–2013. This action has proved highly successful. For instance, three hospitals were established in 2010; five hospitals were established in the Kurdistan Region; 32 hospitals were renovated and expanded in 2012; the number of primary health-care centres throughout Iraq totalled 2,538 in 2012; 99 of these centres implement family medical programmes; there are also 102 HIV testing centres.

 

Compilation of UN information

I. Background and framework

B. Constitutional and legislative framework

7. CEDAW, the United Nations country team (UNCT) and UNHCR noted with concern contradictions in the constitutional framework and discriminatory provisions therein against women. CEDAW observed that article 41 of the Constitution (2005) allowed the adoption of different personal status laws according to religious doctrines, to the detriment of women. CEDAW and UNCT were concerned at discriminatory provisions against women in the new draft Personal Status Law (Jaafari Personal Status Law), including by setting the minimum age of marriage for girls at 9 years. CEDAW recommended repealing that article and all discriminatory provisions in the Criminal Code, Criminal Procedure Code, and other legislation, regulations and directives [...]

III. Implementation of international human rights obligations, taking into account applicable international humanitarian law

A. Equality and non-discrimination

15. UNAMI highlighted the domestic and gender-based violence, discrimination against women and girls, and barriers to the full enjoyment of their rights. CEDAW was concerned at the high risk of violence and exploitation facing widows and recommended providing them with social security and other benefits.

  1. Right to life, liberty and security of the person

30. CEDAW was deeply concerned at the high prevalence of harmful practices, such as child marriage, temporary marriage, and crimes committed in the name of “honour”. It recommended the adoption of a comprehensive strategy to eliminate all harmful practices, and the repeal of articles of the Penal Code. UNAMI recommended taking appropriate legal and other support measures to address forced marriages of minors.

31. CEDAW expressed concern that women and girls often became victims of trafficking after being kidnapped or offered false promises of marriage and employment. It recommended the establishment of effective mechanisms to investigate, prosecute and punish trafficking offenders.

C. Administration of justice, including impunity, and the rule of law

 

36. UNAMI noted the overcrowding and lengthy periods of pretrial detention without formal charge in the criminal justice system. UNAMI observed that ISF often failed to treat juvenile offenders as children. It recommended reforming the juvenile criminal justice system.

D. Right to privacy, marriage and family life

39. CEDAW was concerned that women could transmit their nationality to their children born outside the country’s territory only if the father was unknown or stateless, and that foreign spouses of Iraqi women faced a more stringent process when applying for nationality. It recommended amending the discriminatory provisions of Act No. 26 on that matter.

H. Right to social security and to an adequate standard of living

48. UNAMI reported that 30 per cent of children lived in poverty and noted that the impacts of poverty continued to be of concern in relation to children. UNAMI and OHCHR reported that, in areas under the control or influence of ISIL and associated armed groups, there were reports of shortages in basic life-sustaining items, including food, water, shelter, fuel and electricity, and of limited access to medical care.

49. UNAMI recommended setting up programmes to guarantee access by children to basic services, including health care, housing and education. UNAMI noted that women whose husbands had died, disappeared or been arrested could not apply for social welfare or other means of financial support. Moreover, many of the children had no ID and were therefore unable to access health or educational services.

50. UNAMI was concerned about the economic situation, which continued to affect large numbers of Iraqis, who faced difficulties in accessing basic services including electricity, clean drinking water, education, health care and housing, particularly in rural areas.

I. Right to health

51. UNCT observed that maternal mortality rates were declining and nearly on target to meet the relevant Millennium Development Goal, but the fertility rate remained high and the illiteracy rate among girls aged 15 to 24 was increasing, with potential negative ramifications for future generations.

52. UNAMI noted the absence of mental health institutions and observed that fighters’ children who had no identity cards were unable to access health or educational services available to other children.

J. Right to education

54. UNESCO encouraged Iraq to pursue its efforts for all children to have access to education and health, especially in rural areas, and continue its efforts aimed at combating the gender gap by ensuring that girls had equal access to school, especially in rural areas.

55. UNCT noted that the low access to education at all levels was a major priority to be addressed between 2011 and 2020 in the National Strategy for Education and Higher Education.98 CEDAW welcomed the adoption of Act No. 23 (2011) on the eradication of illiteracy.

56. UNESCO, UNCT and CEDAW recommended to Iraq to strengthen its efforts to increase the literacy rate, prevent girls from dropping out, and address the obstacles preventing their access to education.

57. UNAMI noted that juveniles in prisons and facilities, particularly girls, were frequently detained along with adults, without access to education.

K. Persons with disabilities

59. UNAMI noted that the lack of specialized education and skill development programmes and the limited employment opportunities were among the barriers facing persons with disabilities.

N. Internally displaced persons

69. The Representative of the Secretary-General on IDPs recommended immediate measures to improve conditions in the irregular settlements by providing essential services including water, sanitation and improved access to health and education, and strengthening property restitution and compensation measures. UNCT called on Iraq to develop a strategy and framework for durable solutions for IDPs.

Q. Situation in, or in relation to, specific regions or territories

76. UNAMI noted, in Kurdistan, cases of arbitrary detention and lack of respect for due process, where a number of detainees had been held for up to nine years on suspicion of involvement in terrorist acts. UNAMI noted that juvenile wards in Kurdistan police pretrial detention facilities were frequently overcrowded and lacked educational or recreational activities.

79. Six special rapporteurs sent a communication with regard to the alleged abduction of a minor girl (aged 11) by a man for the purpose of marriage and converting her to Islam. According to the information received, the girl was from the Yazidi community of northern Iraq. The father had opened a case in the Kurdistan region, but no investigation or prosecution had taken place.

80. UNAMI noted a number of cases in the Kurdistan region of juvenile girls convicted on charges of prostitution despite evidence demonstrating they were victims of trafficking.

81. CEDAW and UNCT noted that the incidence of female genital mutilation, especially in the Kurdistan region, remained high in rural areas, and called for elimination of this practice. CEDAW was deeply concerned at the low level of criminal charges brought to court in the Kurdistan region in cases involving killings of women, and recommended measures to overcome impunity for so-called honour crimes.

 
 

Stakeholder Information

A. Background and framework

1. Scope of international obligations

2. JS4 recommended ratifying ILO Convention No. 87.8 UNPO recommended acceding to ICRMW and to remove the reservation to CRC. JS12 and JS6 recommended withdrawing the reservation to Article 14 of CRC.

2. Constitutional and legislative framework

13. JS7 noted human trafficking increased as a result of the deteriorating security and recommended passing anti-trafficking law and that prevent the exploitation of children and women in sex trade, and review laws and regulations, programmes and practices that address exploitation and adopt effective measures to reduce this phenomenon.

14. JS12 recommended harmonizing national laws with OP-CRC-SC and OP-CRC-AC and enforces its application on the ground. It recommended amending Article 41/I of the Iraqi Penal Code No. 111.

3. Institutional and human rights infrastructure and policy measures

20. IHCHR noted the failure in forming the Supreme Council for Child Welfare, and the lack of strategy to protect children.

B.Cooperation with human rights mechanisms 

1. Cooperation with treaty bodies

23. JS12 recommended submitting CRC periodic reports in a timely manner.

 

C. Implementation of international human rights obligations, taking into account applicable international humanitarian law

29. JS5 and Alerada were concerned that Article 287 of the Penal Code contains many crimes which are not serious that are punishable by death penalty, in addition to imposing the implementation of this penalty for the pregnant woman, four months after giving her birth and recommended replacing it with life imprisonment. 

38. GIEACPC recommended that introducing legislation to prohibit all corporal punishment of children in the home, alternative care settings, schools and penal institutions.

40. JS10 recommended the activation and legislation of laws that protect widows from sexual harassment and coercive marriage, and the increase of financial allocations for widows and disabled women; and halt forcing minors to convert to the religion of the parent that has converted to Islam.

41. HRW stated that despite the adoption of the counter-trafficking law, women remain vulnerable to exploitation due to governmental disregard and financial hardship. JS12 recommended continued use of anti-trafficking law to prosecute human trafficking offenses, including complicit government employees and refer victims to protection services. JS12 recommended taking steps ending forced and temporary marriages that entrap girls in sexual and domestic servitude.

7. Right to social security and to an adequate standard of living

57. JS4 called for the setup of a social security fund in proportion with the huge financial revenue of the state and endorses the social security law in order to secure a decent life for all citizens and to ensure social justice. Alerada called for increasing the support for social protection network for the unemployed, widows, orphans and divorced women and people with low-income and special needs. MRG reported that the parts of the disputed regions where minorities are concentrated are severely neglected in terms of public services. [...].

8. Right to health

58. Alerada stated that Iraqi children suffered over two decades from lack of nutrition and increased rates of stunting (height relative to age), as 21.4% children under five years have suffered from stunting.111

9. Right to education

61. IHCHR, JS4 and Alerada observed the low expenditure on education and noted the challenges of insufficient number of school buildings and the need for maintenance. They noticed the absence of reliable statistics on illiteracy rates and recommended giving priority to the education sector by increasing the financial allocation and activate the Law on Compulsory Schooling in the elementary stages. GFIW reported that throughout the past four years, the number of girls receiving primary education has declined. JS10 observed the lack of enforcement of the Education Law and in the reduction of the gender gap for illiteracy.

62. JS12 urged providing appropriate and sufficient school buildings and to introduce advanced educational methods and provide school meals, cash allowance, and recreational facilities especially in rural areas.

10. Cultural rights

64. JS6 observed that the curriculum lacks the education to the community of the culture and information about Iraqi minorities. MRG noted that where educational facilities exist, children from minority groups are often denied the right to be taught in their own languages.

11. Persons with disabilities

65. IHCHR noted the accession to the CRPD, as well as the adoption of the Welfare Act of persons with disabilities and special needs. IHCHR remained concerned of continued suffering of people with disabilities particularly with regard to the lack of institutional infrastructure as well as the lack of schools and rehabilitation programmes and means of education, access to health, employment opportunities. They observed the increase in the number of people with disabilities as a result of the terrorist attacks and the failure to allocate a special budget to help cover those needs.

12. Minorities

66. MRG stated that Iraq has so far failed to enact a law implementing Article 125 of the Constitution that guarantees “the administrative, political, cultural, and educational rights of the various nationalities, such as Turkmen, Chaldeans, Assyrians, and all other constituents”. Alerada and JS11 reported that despite the recognition of equal rights in the Constitution, many minorities continue to suffer and recommended revising the curriculum to enhance knowledge of Iraq minorities.

15. Right to development, and environmental issues

76. GFIW noted that Iraq is suffering from a high toxic level of lead, mercury contamination and depleted uranium pollution in many regions. GFIW and JS12 observed that as a result of the use of internationally prohibited weapons in Iraq, they suffer from many health issues, such as cancer with a high infant mortality rate, with the government not taking sufficient actions in this regard.

17. Situation in, or in relation to, specific regions or territories

 

82. JS10 recommended eliminating harmful traditional practices and stereotypes such as early marriage, temporary marriage, and honour crimes, and amending the related penal codes. JS10 noted wide spread of FGM among Kurdish women in the city of Erbil.

 

Accepted and rejected recommendations

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Countries

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