Children expect a better future, survey says

Ali Rawi is one of the thousands of children in Iraq cut off from the technology and information commonly available in other countries. "I want to learn like other children my age all over the world. I hope that very soon I can talk with a foreign child in the same way he or she does, with future reflections and experience of living in a place without war," 14-year-old Ali told IRIN. His words reflect some of the expectations of Iraq's youth in hoping for a better future. They share a longing for prosperity and have an optimistic of the future for their country, according to a survey carried out in 16 governorates last year, by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF). The study shows that children are expecting a change in future life, despite the difficult situation in Iraq and widespread insecurity. The survey carried out with the Iraqi Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation, interviewed 19,610 youths about their views of tomorrow's Iraq. The results showed that 3.7 percent of the respondents said life in Iraq was getting worse, but that 62 percent were optimistic, hoping to achieve success in their social life, education and work. Children also expressed concern over the economic situation of their families with some 17 percent raising this issue. Nearly 43.3 percent said they were worried about security throughout Iraq. Many youngsters said they now felt they were connected with the outside world and have access to more information. One way was through increased availability of satellite television after the war ended in April 2003. "I was surprised when my father brought the satellite television home. I really found myself to be sheltered as what I was watching during all my adolescence was not as informative," Manhel al-Aladin, 16, told IRIN. "Some people may say it is not good for us, but I believe that at least it makes your mind think and see what is happening in the world," he added. With regard to health issues, there were a high number of early pregnancies and marriage as well as numerous teenage smokers among respondents. Additional information in relation to HIV/AIDS was clearly required, according to the study. Nearly two thirds of those questioned did not know how the virus was contracted and a similar percentage held the view that "people who look fit can not carry HIV". Others said they were not even willing to talk to HIV positive individuals. Bay Dhayi, from the UNICEF communications office in the Jordanian capital, Aman, told IRIN that they were still doing a comparison with another survey carried out in 2002. She added that child labour seemed to have increased since the last war. Some six percent of males between 10 and 14 were found to be working now, the study said. "We have observed that the number of youth in the streets of the country working at a very early stage has increased and that education has been put aside. But the main factor for that is the poor economic condition acquired especially after the last war," Dhayi explained. Some 35 percent of child workers were unpaid by their employers. Forty-four percent of respondents attributed illiteracy to a decision made by their parents. However, 22 percent said it was due to poverty, with 18.3 percent citing long distances to school as the main reason for them not attending. Mahmoud Yassin, spokesman for the Ministry of Education (MoE), told IRIN that the sanctions years, together with deficits in education during Saddam Hussein's rule, generated a huge number of illiterate people in the country, because of the poor economic conditions. "We will have an uphill struggle to overcome this but with democracy we can complete this important duty," Yassin added. Thirteen-year-old Youssef Farouk works on the street selling sweets. "Every day I watch children going to school but I have to sell these sweets to help my family. With the blessing of God, the new government can help me and other children and we will soon have a bright future for all Iraqis," he told IRIN.