Six days of escalating violence in Sudan between rival military forces, and several failed ceasefires, have taken a devastating toll on the country’s children, the UN Child Agency (UNICEF) said today at a briefing at the United Nations in Geneva.
“We now have reports of at least 9 children killed, at least 50 have been injured,” said UNICEF spokespersonJames Elder. “Those numbers will continue to rise as long as fighting continues. What is really important to remember is that this fighting, as many of you will have seen, also means you have large numbers of people trapped so they haven’t got access to electricity, and they are terrified of running out of food, of water, of medicines.”
Before hostilities started in Sudan, humanitarian needs for children were higher than ever before. Three quarters of children were estimated to live in extreme poverty, 11,5 million children and community members needed emergency water and sanitation services. Sudan has one of the highest malnutrition rates among children in the world.
“We have now got a situation where critical life-saving support for over 50,000 children is at risk, severely, acutely malnourished children,” said UNICEF’s James Elder. “Now these children are in hospitals because they have the most severe cases so they are being fed with tubes because that is essentially the only way they can be fed, and when the bombing or shelling begins outside hospitals, and when medical staff need to flee, then what?”
The fighting has worsened the situation of vulnerable children in the country, so UNICEF. It also puts at risk the cold chain in Sudan, including over USD 40 million worth of vaccines and insulin, due to the breaks in the power supply and the instability to restock generators with fuel.
“Humanitarian assistance is critical now. UNICEF and our partners can’t provide that support when that safety and security of staff is not guaranteed,” said James Elder. “As the UN Secretary-General has been saying for a week, we need forces to immediately cease hostilities- for all parties to respect their international obligations to keep children away from harm.”
UNICEF also calls on all parties to refrain from attacking civilian infrastructure on which children depend such as water and sanitation systems, health facilities and schools.
“In terms of what can be done, that is why for the moment you keep hearing from the Secretary-General that it requires a cease-fire, because the fighting has been so indiscriminate and so many staff members and partners and so many brave non-governmental organizations on the ground on whom UN agencies rely- they are bunkering down, and going to the Nile to try and get water despite the lack of safety in that both in terms of sanitation and being under fire,” said James Elder.
According to a spokesperson from the World Health Organization (WHO) who cited a Sudanese government source, 413 people died and 3,551 were injured since the conflict broke out on Saturday.
WHO informed further that they have verified 11 attacks on health care facilities that took place since 15th April and that an additional 20 have stopped working.
-ends-
STORY: Millions of Children at Risk in Sudan- UNICEF
TRT: 02’17”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
RELEASE DATE: 21 April 2023
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The telecommunications shutdowns in Afghanistan in September had serious and far-reaching impacts on people’s lives, according to a briefing paper published today by the UN Human Rights Office and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence at the UN Geneva press briefing made the following comment on the ASEAN declaration on the right to a healthy environment.
1
1
1
Edited News | IFRC , OCHA , WMO
‘Catastrophic’ Hurricane Melissa hours from landfall in Jamaica as humanitarians rush to save lives
Millions in Jamaica and across the Caribbean are bracing for massive impact from Hurricane Melissa on Tuesday as the UN and partners are warning of a “severe” and “immediate” humanitarian threat.
1
1
Edited News | WHO
‘We need all routes to open’: in Gaza WHO calls for ramp-up of medevacs, easier access for essentials
Two weeks since a ceasefire agreement entered into force in Gaza the World Health Organization (WHO) noted progress on the flow of aid while calling for more evacuations of critical patients and eased entry for essential medicines and supplies.
1
12
1
1
Edited News | WMO , UNITED NATIONS
UN chief urges boost to life-saving weather warning systems, stresses role of climate change science
No country is safe from the devastating impacts of extreme weather — and saving lives means making early-warning systems accessible to all, UN chief António Guterres said on Wednesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP
Gazans’ response to food distributions ‘overwhelming’ as humanitarians scale up under fragile ceasefire
In Gaza, the ceasefire is enabling UN humanitarians to reach more desperate people with life-saving food, but greater access is needed to contain the spread of famine.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP , OCHA
UN urges opening of all Gaza crossings to deliver three-month food supply
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned food aid cannot reach everyone in Gaza unless all border crossings are opened, particularly in the north where famine was declared in August. The agency says it already has enough supplies in place to feed the entire population of the Strip for three months – if full access is granted by Israel.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNDP , UNICEF , OCHA , ICRC
Around $70 billion will be needed to reconstruct Gaza and make it safe after two years of war, UN development experts said on Tuesday, while aid agencies reported that far too little aid continues to reach desperate Palestinians.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday welcomed the Nobel Peace Prize committee’s decision to name Maria Machado as this year’s laureate, in recognition of her work promoting the Venezuelan people’s democratic hopes.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , UNICEF , WHO
As Gazans jammed the main route leading north on Friday after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was announced, UN aid teams repeated their call to open all crossings into the devastated enclave to prevent famine spreading.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF , WHO
Two years of Gaza-Israel war bring ‘indescribable’ pain: UN humanitarians
Two years since the Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel, UN humanitarians on Tuesday reiterated calls for the release of all hostages in Gaza, an immediate ceasefire and an aid surge to alleviate Palestinians’ suffering, as talks on a US-driven peace plan continued in Egypt.
1
1
1
Edited News
Syria prison survivor seeks justice for the missing with UN backing.