Dindar Zebari, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Coordinator of International Advocacy, presented the KRG’s latest progress on child protection and human rights to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child at the Wilson Palace in Geneva.
Zebari detailed key developments in the region, including a landmark policy passed in April 2023 by the KRG Council of Ministers to protect children from all forms of violence, abuse, and neglect.
Highlighting reforms in the juvenile justice system, Zebari noted that the age of criminal responsibility has been raised to eleven, and the execution of minors has been explicitly banned.
Addressing the issue of minors previously associated with armed groups, Zebari emphasized a victim-centered approach: “They are treated as victims,” he said. He also mentioned that the Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs has recorded over 100 missing children from Halabja since 1988, in an effort to determine their fate.
Regarding support for orphaned and vulnerable youth, Zebari announced that 20,000 housing units have been allocated for disadvantaged groups, including orphans. Those who turn 18 are allowed to stay in the housing units until the age of 24.
In the education sector, the “Return to Education” initiative has enabled the reintegration of 33,271 children into schools. On the issue of underage marriage, Zebari reported that 313 cases—mostly from refugee camps—have been reviewed by courts, with field teams deployed to support investigations and legal procedures.
Zebari also highlighted the government’s efforts to combat human trafficking, which include a national campaign that has inspected 223 companies. These efforts led to 15 cases being brought to court, 79 arrests, and 12 convictions.
The Kurdistan Region, Zebari added, currently hosts over 856,000 refugees and internally displaced persons, with the government providing 80% of their essential needs.
