There is hardly any human right more uncontroversial or universally agreed-upon than the rights of a child, at least in principle. Out of the nine binding international treaties on human rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most subscribed, ratified by every UN member state except the US. The success of that treaty is not only a landmark event in the advancement of an international framework for human rights, but also a pointer to the universality of the spirit underlying it; in nearly every culture, religion and legal system, special protections are given to children – particularly to shield them from the actions of adults.
Many have made the case that human rights have been on the decline this century, pulled back by a long thread of global events ranging from the US-led “War on Terror” that began in 2001 to the rise of far-right populism in the decade after to the climate of fear sparked by the pandemic in the past two years. It will take the benefit of hindsight decades from now to judge whether that was really the case, but the rights of children are probably a good canary in the coal mine that tells us which way the winds are blowing.
The state of affairs is particularly clear in instances where it is not conflict or chaos that threatens children’s wellbeing, but sheer political will. The perfect illustration lies in the situation of thousands of children stranded in north-eastern Syria, who are citizens of a large cross-section of countries from Europe and Central Asia. Their home governments’ inaction in protecting them is indicative of a tragic and growing consensus among too many countries that there are instances where the rights of children do not matter much.
A month ago, Save the Children, a charity, warned that it will take 30 years to repatriate the 7,300 children of non-Syrian and non-Iraqi ISIS fighters stranded in unsafe camps in north-eastern Syria, if such repatriations continue at their present pace. This is the tip of the iceberg; the camps also house more than 18,000 Iraqi children in need of their own repatriation.
The obstacles to the repatriation of these children are clear, a result of the ambivalence of the countries who are meant to take them, demonstrating a disregard for their obligations – legal and moral – to protect their own citizens. In many cases, the surviving mothers of such children are former members of ISIS themselves. Governments do not – or do not want to be seen to – want to spend resources rescuing those mothers from a quagmire of their own making, and so the children suffer. That supposed unseemliness aside, solving the problem would, from a purely logistical point of view, be relatively straightforward. Kurdish authorities who administer the regions in which the camps are situated have all but begged foreign governments to come and collect the children.
Kurdish authorities have all but begged foreign governments to come and collect the children
For children who are actually from the region, the challenges are more complicated, but equally egregious. This is particularly true in the case of children born to Yazidi women who were kidnapped and raped by ISIS fighters. Elders from the Yazidi community, a highly insular minority religious group in Syria and Iraq, have decreed since the fall of ISIS’s so-called caliphate in 2019 that any Yazidis kidnapped by the group would be welcomed back into the communities. Their children, however, would not, because they were born to non-Yazidi men and the community’s religious beliefs preclude such individuals from living among them. It does not help, in this instance, that Iraqi law identifies one’s religion based on that of their father, forfeiting any legal claim these children might have to a Yazidi identity.
The religious beliefs and legal peculiarities are not the only obstacle – mothers have been warned that their children would be discriminated against for the rest of their lives, tainted by association with their militant fathers.
Consequently, for the past three years Yazidi women unwilling to abandon their children have been forced to live in the Syrian camps with other widows of ISIS members, reportedly disguising themselves as Muslim Arabs to avoid any harassment or forced repatriation to their home community. For those who wish to return to Yazidi villages, the situation is even worse. Their children have mostly ended up in orphanages in Syria and Iraq, left to the care of charity workers.
The common thread for all these children – foreign or Iraqi, born to radicalised mothers or Yazidi victims – is stigma. In countries outside the region, particularly in the West, the stigma comes from the politicisation of these child welfare cases. In Iraq, it is a deeper, older stigma drawn from tribalism. Neither presents a valid excuse; both are exactly the kinds of harmful mentalities that human rights laws are designed to protect victims against.
More from Sulaiman Hakemy
As with the foreign children of ISIS fighters, it will take years for the Yazidi children and their mothers to see their rights restored. In recognition of the Yazidis’ plight, some western countries have offered to take Yazidi women and their children in. While the outcome would be a noble service to these families, the hypocrisy would, of course, be more than apparent; the only thing differentiating the children who are already citizens of these countries from their Yazidi counterparts is the alleged sins of their mothers.
If the goal is to do the greatest humanitarian good and create a sustainable way out of the horrors ISIS created, then there is a better way. Instead of trading their own responsibilities away to cover for Iraqi human rights failings, foreign powers can bite the bullet, accept responsibility for their own citizens and look after their children. They can also help Iraq, for its part, take steps to reinforce the rights of Yazidi women and children to thrive at home, with or without support from their community.
From the day ISIS fell, a little over three years ago, the scars its brutality left on the Middle East were clear. It will take at least a generation, billions of dollars and huge, national efforts to heal them. Most of the steps involved will be gruelling and complicated. But doing right by these children and their mothers would be one of the easier ones. And getting the job done would send a strong signal that the world hasn’t forgotten something that once seemed so obvious to nearly everyone, the rights of the child.
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
'Downton Abbey: A New Era'
Director: Simon Curtis
Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan
Rating: 4/5
Western Clubs Champions League:
- Friday, Sep 8 - Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Bahrain
- Friday, Sep 15 – Kandy v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
- Friday, Sep 22 – Kandy v Bahrain
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women & the Food That Tells Their Stories
Laura Shapiro
Fourth Estate
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
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The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
