Iraqi Child Refugees in Syria - (Alive in Baghdad Report)

Watching a video from American and Iraqi correspondent at "Alive in Baghdad" last month, I got a glimpse of children's lives in a refugee camp in Syria. I was struck most of all, not by the sad conditions they face. Not by the uniqueness of their experiences, as terribly inhumane the conditions that gave rise to their seeking refuge so far from home may be. Instead, what was most remarkable about these children was how much their aims in life are similar to those of my own children. These children have the same day to day concerns, though the obstacles along their paths are so different. Sara, one of the children interviewed by Hayder Fahad, said she wants to be a nurse in the future, while one of the young boy's had this to say about his own dreams:

"I wish to be a soldier and never let anyone touch my country"
Abdulla Karim

Quoting Forbes, Alive in Baghdad Blog posted the following:

"Amnesty International released a statement suggesting that, some Iraqi refugee families have even resorted to forcing their daughters into prostitution to help the family survive. Child prostitution and trafficking of Iraqi children is said to be growing, Amnesty said."