IUnprecedented access to the internet and digital technologies has dramatically increased risks to children worldwide. In Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, where legal frameworks have struggled to keep pace with evolving forms of harm, children subjected to online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA) may face inadequate protections and inconsistent justice outcomes.

This brief introduces the protected status of childhood – a concept enshrined in international conventions and national law – and examines its implications for judicial practice within the current legal framework. By consolidating key principles of child-friendly justice, it aims to promote reflection, dialogue, and action among judicial practitioners, strengthening the interpretation and application of law to better protect all children involved in OCSEA cases.