On May 17, Kazuko Ito, Secretary General of Human Rights Now (HRN), together with 57 academics and scientists, signed an open letter asking the World Health Organization and the Iraqi Ministry of Health to release their long overdue report on congenital birth defects in Iraq.
The letter, asking for the release of their report on congenital birth defects and cancers, has attracted global news coverage. HRN will continue its efforts to draw the world’s attention to this issue in an attempt to prevent further victimization of children in Iraq and elsewhere. We believe that the immediate release of this report will be a welcome first step towards mobilizing global efforts to protect public health from further degradation in Iraq and other countries in the region.