Baghdad: The Ministry of Labor has initiated a national workshop aimed at strengthening the monitoring and reporting capabilities concerning violations against children. Huda Sajjad, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labor for Social Affairs and Head of the National Higher Committee for Monitoring and Reporting, led the workshop’s inauguration. This three-day event, held in collaboration with Save the Children and attended by committee members alongside representatives from relevant national bodies, underscores a commitment to improving child protection.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Undersecretary underscored the necessity for the committee to maintain its activities aligned with a national vision. This vision is centered on preventing violations, assessing potential risks, and ensuring such incidents do not recur. Sajjad emphasized the significance of sustaining Iraq’s achievements in child protection, thereby reinforcing its international commitments and maintaining its global reputation.

The workshop’s objectives included bolstering national capacities to monitor severe violations against children, examining international legal frameworks for their protection, and exploring mechanisms for verification, documentation, and reporting. Discussions also focused on the requirements for the committee’s work in prevention, early warning, referral, and response to be sustainable.

Additionally, the workshop addressed aspects of international criminal law, accountability mechanisms, the United Nations system for children and armed conflict, and the transition to a national monitoring system beyond the current mechanism phase.