Statement by
Mr. Ali Karimi Magham
Political Attaché
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Before the Third Committee, UNGA 76
On Item 70: Right of Children
New York, 7 October 2021
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Mr. Chair,
The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to rigorously work towards building comprehensive child protection systems, improving legislative frameworks, addressing root causes and vulnerabilities that threaten the rights of children, identifying and supporting victims and survivors as well as providing care, recovery, rehabilitation and long-term reintegration services through an interdisciplinary approach with the participation of different governmental and nongovernmental sectors. Some of the most recent efforts are as follows:
Submission of the initial report on the Implementation of the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography to the CRC in October 2020; ratification of the Bill on Protecting Minors and Adolescents which is a comprehensive law addressing all forms of abuse and exploitation; and activation of the “123” hotline and its services, along with 17 Specialized Clinics for Children’s Rights across the country during the COVID–19 pandemic to raise awareness and provide consultation for children.
For more than 40 years, the Islamic Republic of Iran has openly hosted 3 million Afghan refugees. However, following the recent developments in Afghanistan, the number of refugees has drastically increased. The Islamic Republic of Iran has generously accommodated Afghan refugees throughout this period of time and provided services including, but not limited to, free education, free medical services as well as fuel and energy subsidies. Moreover, the Islamic Republic of Iran is also providing free-of-charge treatment to Afghan refugees.
In this regard, Afghan children with or without valid residential permits and credentials have been provided with the opportunity to study and enroll in schools. Rather than choosing silence and inaction in response to the United States’ inhumane and illegal unilateral coercive measures designed to deplete Iran ’s resources and place insurmountable pressure on the Iranian people, in particular women and children, the international community must reject these unilateral measures and support the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Mr. Chair,
The Islamic Republic of Iran has made several websites and hotlines available to girls living in rural area that include those at a risk of or who are victims or survivors of violence during the pandemic. Thousands of expert facilitators, including doctors, nurses, psychologists and legal advisors, provide social and psychological services, legal consultations and interventions. Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the empowerment of rural girls did not stop; instead, it continued diligently through virtual public and non-public networks. In order to implement empowerment projects, some of the MOUs and agreements have been signed with governmental institutions, such as the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
Preventing Violence against Children is also on the agenda of both the legislative and executive branches of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Most important was the May 2020 adoption of Children and Young Adults Protection Law in the legislative branch for the purpose of enhancing children’s psychological health. Preventive in nature, the Law protects children exposed to violence.
The aforementioned Law affords particular vigilance to the situation faced by traumatized children. The highlights of this new law include guaranteeing the security of social workers acting within the purview of this law, laying emphasis on looking after children and young adults at reformatories, making decisions regarding persons of unknown identity, preventing the hiring of children at workshops and introducing hired children to protective bodies, laying emphasis on insurance coverage for working adults aged 15-18, emphasizing the education of children and young adults up to the high school level, delineating punishment for parents that prevent their children from studying, giving priority to the correction of children and young adults as well as reuniting them with their families instead of separating and referring them to the Welfare Organization constitute.
I thank you.