Finding Iraq's missing children

The increase in the number of missing children in Iraq is an issue that should be taken seriously and addressed with immediate measures to end it. This is being said given that Iraqi officials have raised concern about the possibility that these children are being used by trafficking networks inside and outside the country.

According to the Iraqi Human Rights Justice Centre in Baghdad, 16 cases of missing children have been filed with the authorities. Yet what is more disturbing is the fact that many families, according to officials, have opted not to lodge reports about their missing children.

There is no doubt that child trafficking brings about many serious issues, the most obvious being the human rights aspect involved here.

But more important is the question of how these children are becoming part of a network that is involved in illegal activities. Iraq's future could not be built without ensuring the children's safety.