Trick or Treating for UNICEF

A current ad campaign is asking children to “be scary good” and “trick or treat for UNICEF.”  The promotion claims it will “help kids affected by recent emergencies.” Before taking part, however, it’s worth asking about protections of the rights of children in the countries that run UNICEF.

UNICEF is the children's relief agency of the United Nations. Sitting on UNICEF’s Executive Board are two countries that permit some of the worst abuses of children to go unchecked: Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has failed to enact meaningful reform measures to prevent what has been called the “well-entrenched” practice of child marriage. In one reported case from 2008, a court refused to annul the marriage of a girl of eight – that’s younger than many of the trick-or-treaters that UNICEF is asking to help them raise money.
 
Iranian children of the Baha’i faith, along with their parents and all other Baha’i, have been branded “deviants,” and “enemies of God.” Iran also continues to permit marriage of girls as young as 13. 

In addition, both Iran and Saudi Arabia have been charged with responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of children in Yemen. 

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