Damascus, March 5 (SANA) Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Hind Kabawat, met on Thursday with a high-level delegation from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria. The delegation was led by Commissioner Monia Ammar and Commissioner Fionnuala D. Ní Aoláin.
The discussions, held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Damascus, focused on expanding cooperation to support investigations into the fate of children belonging to detainees and the forcibly disappeared by the ousted regime. The goal is to facilitate access to information that contributes to more effective outcomes in this critical humanitarian file.
The meeting addressed enhanced coordination; improving the exchange of information between the International Commission and relevant Syrian state entities, tracking efforts; doubling efforts to uncover the fate of the missing and children of detainees, progress reporting; briefing the UN on results achieved, current progress, and the logistical challenges faced on the ground, and camp welfare; discussing the status and future of Syrian children currently residing in various camps.
In a statement to SANA, Minister Kabawat revealed that the Commission was briefed on the specific procedures for handling these files, including the mechanisms for gathering documents, fact-finding missions, and field inspections. She confirmed that, to date, 160 children have been successfully reunited with their families.
For her part, Commissioner Monia Ammar acknowledged the scale of the challenges. “We are here to understand the significant efforts made by the Ministry for these children and their families. Communicating with all parties is essential,” she said. Adding that the Commission would spare no effort to help Syria build trust and stability in a democratic environment where human rights are protected without discrimination.
This cooperation follows a February report by the specialized committee, which identified 314 children placed in care homes by security branches during the ruling of the ousted regime. Of these, 140 were in SOS Children’s Villages. While 160 have been verified as returned to their kin, work continues to resolve the remaining cases.
