UN urges Iraq to take better care of IS sex abuse victims

Baghdad: The UN has urged better care for thousands of women and girls who survived sexual violence by the Islamic State militant group, the media reported on Tuesday.

According to a report, the UN Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) and the UN rights office have warned that children born as a result of the sexual violence risked facing a lifetime of discrimination and abuse, Xinhua news agency reported.

“The physical, mental and emotional injuries inflicted by (IS) are almost beyond comprehension,” UN rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said.

Tuesday’s report pointed to the horrific abuse suffered by women and girls in IS-controlled areas, including rape, abduction, slavery and cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment.

The women were sold and traded across the jihadists’ self-proclaimed “caliphate” in Syria and Iraq. Around 3,000 are believed to remain in captivity.

The UN report said Baghdad was responsible under domestic and international law to prosecute the perpetrators and help ensure reparations for the victims.