The scarred children of Iraq.

This image is famous within Iraqi communities. It shows a boy
who draws his mother in chalk and sleeps.

Surveys conducted by UNICEF have found 800,000 to a million Iraqi children have lost either one or both of their parents. This figure however is a fraction of those growing up in the shadow of violence around 4 million. The sheer number of Iraqi orphans has created a social crisis. The country has no child protection laws and only 200 social workers and psychiatrists put together throughout the whole country. Many live in dark unconsolidated dwellings with no light, water or satisfactory sanitary. However, most are left to fend for themselves on the streets and end up being sold into prostitution, slave trade and wealthily foreigners on the black-market.

What can you do?........Not much is the answer. Despite on going conflict, adoption of children is not allowed by foreign nationalities. Under Iraqi and Sharia Law of Kafala there is no adoption permitted, only guardianship. The Iraqi Ministry of Labour and social Affairs will only grant guardianship to family members or friends who can provide for the child within Iraq of similar faith.

The reason for this post is to purely bring attention and awareness to a situation which is largely neglected and over looked upon. Perhaps the next time you consider giving to charity I hope you have these children in mind.

http://www.iraqiorphanfoundation.org/