Children Women Worst Affected In Syria Civil War: UN Report

Stories of human atrocities are rampant in the recently released UN report that highlights the worst kind of living conditions of women and children

More than 2 million children have been severely affected mentally and psychologically due to the ongoing Syrian Civil War

According to the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, there has been complete disregard to laws of war and the Convention On The Rights of the Child by all parties involved in Syria. This was said by the Commission chair Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro.

The physiological damage is much more. While speaking to UN representatives, most victimized women agreed that their children have lost the ability to dream and think straight.  According to the findings, crime continues to be deeply gendered.  The study has collated data based on approximately 5,000 interviews conducted between September 2011 and October 2019 with Syrian children.

These also include data collected through eyewitnesses, survivors, relatives of survivors, medical professionals, defectors, and members of armed groups, healthcare professionals, lawyers as well as other affected communities. 

Children have been inflicted with deep military arsenal related wounds and mental trauma. This includes use of cluster munitions, so-called thermo-baric bombs and chemical weapons by pro-Government forces. Crime against women and girls has been used to create a sense of control. Medical facilities have been kept away from them, at most instances. Boys older than 12 years of age have been kidnapped. They are then kept in detention facilities and targeted for recruitment by armed groups and militia. The story reminds us of slave trade that damaged the psyche of the black population for years later, even after apartheid could be abolished.

It is therefore no surprise that millions of such children have been deeply affected with the ongoing civil war. It is estimated that the war has impacted access to education. There are currently, 2.1 million children and more who do not regularly attend classes of any form.   

Those surviving have been left disabled and with deep emotional disturbances to deal with. Post the discussion of the report, the UN Commission members have called on all sides to “commit in writing” to granting children special protection during wartime, in line with international law. 

According to the UN official statements, ‘other recommendations include ending child recruitment and taking child rights into consideration during military planning.  They stressed that displaced children also require protection, which includes the obligation to repatriate children with family ties to ISIL extremist fighters.’

Further, “states have well defined obligations to protect children, including from statelessness. Failing to abide by such fundamental principles would be a clear derogation of duty,” Commissioner Hanny Megally has affirmed.