Experts Decry Global Failures to Protect Children in Wars, Terrorist Incidents
An international panel convened on World Children’s Day warned that children in war zones face mounting trauma, mass casualties and unequal global attention, with speakers sharply criticizing the Israeli enemy’s criminal actions in Gaza and broader international double standards.
The Habilian Association convened the session, drawing experts from Pakistan, France, Iran, the United States and Uruguay.
Dr. Seyed Qandil Abbas of Pakistan opened the event, presenting data showing more than 9,000 Pakistani children killed or injured since 2003.
He cited the 2014 Army Public School attack, which left 132 children dead.
He detailed the profound indirect effects, including a 22-34% drop in school enrollment, a 70% rate of PTSD among conflict-affected children, and a 20-30% rise in child labor, concluding that effective counter-terrorism must incorporate psychological support and educational continuity.
Dr. Violette Dagher, a French-Lebanese psychologist, examined conditions in Gaza.
She described trauma among Gaza’s children as historical and transgenerational and said they live under constant threat due to bombardment, family loss, displacement and the destruction of basic infrastructure.
She said children suffer anxiety, depression and behavioral disorders and voiced concern about reports of missing children being exploited for organ trafficking and sexual slavery.
Iranian researcher Seyed Reza Ghazvini detailed the deaths of roughly two thousand Iranian children in four decades of attacks.
He cited incidents from the 1980s through the Kerman attack and referenced the Israeli regime’s 12-day war against Iran.
He pointed to the role of terrorist groups, including the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), in separating children from their parents and inflicting deep trauma upon them. He also criticized the negligence of international institutions towards Iranian children who are victims of terrorism.
US author Robert Fantina cited Save the Children and UNICEF reports estimating more than 20,000 children killed in Gaza, with many more injured or disabled.
He said the gap between the international response to Ukrainian refugees and Palestinian refugees illustrates political bias, pointing to Canadian asylum policy as an example.
Uruguayan psychologist Heba Smith focused on the dehumanization of Palestinians and its psychological toll.
She said Gaza’s children face depression, cognitive decline linked to malnutrition and suicidal thoughts, worsened by the collapse of the healthcare system. She concluded by highlighting Palestinian “Sumud,” or steadfastness.
The organizers said the session aimed to strengthen international solidarity among researchers and build a coordinated intellectual effort addressing violence against children.