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Children living in major Afghan cities are probably safer than if they were growing up in London, New York City or Glasgow, according to NATO's civilian envoy to Afghanistan. Mark Sedwill made these comments during an interview that aired Monday on Children's BBC Newsround, a popular British daily current affairs program aimed at children. The show's presenter had revealed that children living in the Afghan capital Kabul had spoken of their fear living under the daily threat of bombs. Seeking to dismiss these fears, Sedwill said, "Here in Kabul and the other big cities, actually, there are very few of those bombs." "The children are probably safer here than they would be in London, New York or Glasgow or many other cities," the NATO's envoy said, according to comments released by CBBC before the show was aired. "It's a very family-orientated society, so it is a little bit like a city of villages." His remarks, which feature in a two-part series exploring the lives of children in Afghanistan, were rejected as misleading by experts. "One in five children die before they get to the age of 5. So to say it's safer than to live in London, New York or Glasgow is daft," said a representative from Save the Children, who requested anonymity so he could speak freely. "Sedwill's overall message that life is village-like provides a sense of comfort or of a safe environment. It is not like that in Afghanistan. It is dangerous for children; it's an insecure place." UN figures show Afghan children are often the victims of a worsening conflict, with 1,795 children killed or injured as a result of the war from September 2008 through August 2010. Reuters |
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