AMMAN, 12 January 2026 – Save the Children is calling on the Iranian authorities and all those involved in the unrest to immediately end the unlawful violence against children and uphold their obligations under international law, following UN and media reports that children have been killed, injured and detained in Iran.
Ahmad Alhendawi, Save the Children's Regional Director for Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, said:
“Children must be protected from all forms of violence and harm. They should never be targeted, injured or detained for exercising their right to speak out or to protest peacefully. No child should be made to live in fear, face violence or lose their life simply for using their voice.
“This violence must stop immediately, and all children must be released from detention.
“Iran ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child that states that the arrest, detention or imprisonment of children shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time. It also requires that children are treated with dignity and allowed to remain in contact with their families. These are fundamental obligations under international law and must be upheld.”
Under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, children have the right to express their views, to be heard on issues that affect their lives, and to peacefully assemble and associate with others. These are fundamental freedoms. Iran is therefore obligated to allow children to participate safely in civic life and community discussions, and to ensure their views are respected and given due weight in line with their age and maturity.
Save the Children is the world’s largest independent child rights organisation, reaching tens of millions of children annually in about 110 countries through its work to save and improve children’s lives. Securing children's rights is the foundation of our work. The organisation is not active in Iran.
Save the Children has made a 2030 commitment to ensure that violence against children is no longer tolerated and that the most vulnerable children around the world are protected. This includes working with governments to develop and implement protective policies for children as well as listening to and involving them in decision-making.
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