UNICEF Urges Protection of Children Amid Ongoing Public Unrest in Iran.
AMMAN:
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has expressed deep concern over reports of children and adolescents being killed and injured during the continuing public unrest in Iran, calling on all parties to take urgent measures to safeguard young lives.
In a statement, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, said the organization is alarmed by the situation and extended condolences to affected families.
“We are extremely concerned by continuing reports of children and adolescents being killed and injured amid the ongoing public unrest in Iran,” Beigbeder said. “Our thoughts are with the families of those who have been killed and injured, and we share their grief.”
UNICEF reiterated its call for the protection of all children from violence and harm, stressing that children must be shielded from actions that threaten their lives, freedom, and mental and physical well-being.
The agency urged Iranian authorities, security forces, protest participants, communities, and families to take every possible measure to ensure children’s safety. It emphasized that security forces must avoid the use of unnecessary or disproportionate force and that children should not be exposed to dangerous situations or deprived of their liberty.
“Children should not be in settings that put them in danger,” the statement said, underscoring the responsibility of all actors to prioritize child protection during periods of unrest.
UNICEF also reminded all parties of Iran’s obligations under international law, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which guarantees every child’s right to life, safety, and protection.
“In accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, every child’s right to life must be respected and safeguarded,” Beigbeder said.
The organization called for restraint, dialogue, and immediate action to prevent further harm to children and adolescents as tensions continue in the country.
