The Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA) expresses its profound shock and unequivocal condemnation regarding the recent strikes in Iran that have reportedly resulted in the tragic deaths of at least 165 children at a primary school.
The MPA stands in solidarity with the families of the victims and the people of Iran during this devastating time.
There is no justification for any act of violence that targets children or educational institutions. Schools must forever remain sanctuaries of safety, learning, and growth—not scenes of unspeakable tragedy.
As paediatricians, we witness every day the immense potential within each child. The deliberate targeting of a primary school is not just a violation of a building; it is an assault on the future of an entire generation.
These actions represent a grave violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), to which Malaysia is a State Party, and which guarantees every child the right to life, survival, and development.
The MPA has long been a vocal advocate for the strengthening of international legal frameworks to protect children in conflict zones.
We have consistently supported the development of a robust Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Protection of Children in Armed Conflict.
This current tragedy underscores the urgent necessity of such a protocol. If the massacre of 165 children in a place of learning is not the catalyst for immediate, concrete action to hold perpetrators accountable and prevent future atrocities, we are left to ask: If not now, when?
We call upon all parties involved to:
- Uphold international humanitarian law and immediately cease all attacks on civilian infrastructure, specifically schools and hospitals.
- Ensure the protection of all children, regardless of nationality or circumstance, as per the tenets of the CRC.
- Support international efforts to develop and enforce the Optional Protocol on the Protection of Children in Armed Conflict, ensuring that those who commit crimes against children face justice.
The MPA urges the international community to move beyond words of sympathy and take decisive action to ensure that children everywhere are shielded from the horrors of war and violence.
Our children are not pawns in political conflicts; they are the promise of our shared humanity, and their protection must be non-negotiable.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Ova.
