BIG demands accountability for child abuse in French colonies

During the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Abbas Abbasov, the Executive Director of the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), raised concerns about child abuse and violations of children's rights in territories under French colonial rule.

The regions highlighted included Reunion, New Caledonia, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Polynesia, Corsica, Mayotte, and French Guiana, Caliber. Az reports citing local media.

Addressing the session, Abbasov presented alarming statistics from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) reports for the years 2020 and 2023. These reports detailed various forms of violence against children and other human rights violations occurring in the aforementioned territories.

The BIG Executive Director stressed the importance of adherence to international human rights frameworks, specifically the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Palermo Protocol, which seeks to prevent human trafficking and child exploitation.

The Human Rights Council is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe.

It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. It meets at the United Nations Office at Geneva.

By Vafa Guliyeva