By Prensa Latina,
United Nations : The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) alerted Saturday of increasing violence against children in several countries, including Haiti, the Central African Republic, Democratic Congo and Iraq.
UN spokespersons expressed concern over growing cases of abducted children in Haiti, about 50 so far this year and related impunity.
The reported cases, most of them girls, include rapes, tortures, and even assassinations, with the Port au Prince authorities believing those responsible are criminal bands looking for easy money.
Similar cases occur in the Central African Republic, where armed gangs take advantage of the prevailing unstable situation to intimidate rural communities.
Meanwhile, UNICEF revealed in a report that thousands of children are being recruited by armed groups in Democratic Congo to be used as soldiers or held them captive as sexual slaves for long periods of time.
As to Iraq, the UN agency referred to increasing abuses against minors,
while girls are killed, kidnapped, raped, or used for sexual trafficking.
UNICEF calls to carry out joint actions worldwide, stressing it is everybody’s duty to ensure children’s protection.