Mali: Worsening security crisis - UNICEF
/
2:07
/
MP4
/
156.7 MB

Edited News | UNICEF

Mali security chaos leaves dozens of children dead in last month, warns UN Children’s Fund

Mali security chaos leaves dozens of children dead in last month, warns UN Children’s Fund

Protracted conflict across Mali, along with internal displacement and limited humanitarian access are among the unprecedented risks threatening the country’s most vulnerable youngsters, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.

“Children continue…to pay the highest price of a gravely worsening security crisis in Mali,” said Pierre Ngom, UNICEF Representative in Mali.

Briefing reporters in Geneva via Zoom, he said that “dozens” of youngsters had already been killed this month in the north and centre of the country.

In eastern Mali, Mr. Ngom also noted that non-state armed groups had claimed responsibility for a series of attacks against Malian security forces positioned in Gao – the largest town in the east - as well as repeated shelling of the airport and military encampments in Timbuktu, in the country’s centre.

Against this backdrop of chronic insecurity, almost a quarter of the country’s population is now experiencing moderate or acute food insecurity, according to UNICEF. More than 2,500 individuals are on the brink of famine in the crisis-affected Menaka region, including many children.

“Shrinking humanitarian access and growing internal displacement of populations are fuelling a child malnutrition crisis with one million under five (year-old) children at risk amidst the resurgence of polio and (a) measles epidemic,” said the UNICEF representative.

“Non-state armed groups are imposing a blockade on Timbuktu by cutting off demand supply routes. On 7 September 2023, an attack on a boat in the Gao-Timbuktu axis resulted in the deaths of at least 24 children,” said Mr. Ngom.

The ongoing attacks continue to create chaos and danger for the children and their education.

“More than 1,500 schools are still closed, and 9,000 teachers are affected partly because of insecurity and half a million children will not be in school when the school opens in a few weeks”, Mr. Ngom warned. “This heightened insecurity is somehow amplified by MINUSMA's ongoing departure”, he said, in reference to the UN peacekeeping operation in Mali that is drawing to a close by the end of this year.

MINUSMA was established by the Security Council in 2013, following a coup the previous year. Over the past decade, it has become the UN’s most challenging peacekeeping mission, suffering over 303 fatalities amid continuing extremist violence and rampant insecurity across much of the north and centre.

By December, the mission’s 12 camps and one temporary operating base will be closed and handed over to transitional authorities, while its uniformed personnel numbering about 12,947 will be repatriated.

Civilian staff will also be drawn down, and equipment – a load of approximately 5,500 sea containers and nearly 4,000 vehicles - relocated to other missions or repatriated to the countries that provided them.

According to latest estimates, at least 1.6 million children are in urgent need of protection in Mali. In 2022, UN agencies verified 1,024 grave violations against them, including recruitment and use by armed forces and armed groups, killing and maiming.

-ends-

Story: Mali worsening security crisis – UNICEF

DURATION (TRT): 2’07"

SOURCE: UNTV CH

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS

ASPECT RATIO: 16/9

DATELINE: 26 September 2023, GENEVA SWITZERLAND

FORMAT: HYBRID PRESS BRIEFING

  1. Exterior medium shot: UN flag alley, UN Geneva
  2. Wide shot: speakers and attendees at the press conference, screens with speaker
  3. SOUNDBITE (English) – Pierre Ngom, UNICEF Representative in Mali: “Children continue, indeed, to pay the highest price of a gravely worsening security crisis in Mali. Dozens have been killed this month alone in the north and in the center of the country.”
  4. Medium shot: attendees at the press conference
  5. SOUNDBITE (English) – Pierre Ngom, UNICEF Representative in Mali: “Non-state armed groups are imposing a blockade on Timbuktu by cutting off demand supply routes. On September 7th 2023, an attack on a boat in the Gao-Timbuktu axis resulted in the deaths of at least 24 children.”
  6. Medium shot: attendees at the press conference
  7. SOUNDBITE (English) – Pierre Ngom, UNICEF Representative in Mali: “Shrinking humanitarian access and growing internal displacement of populations are fueling a child malnutrition crisis with 1 million under 5 (years of age) children at risk amidst the resurgence of polio and measles epidemic.”
  8. Wide shot: speakers, attendees, cameramen/women and sound engineers at the press conference, screens with speaker
  9. SOUNDBITE (English) – Pierre Ngom, UNICEF Representative in Mali: “More than 1,500 schools are still closed, and 9,000 teachers are affected partly because of insecurity and half a million children will not be in school when the school opens in a few weeks. This heightened insecurity is somehow amplified by MINUSMA's (UN mission in Mali) ongoing departure.”
  10. Medium shot: speakers at the press conference
  11. Medium shot: sound engineers and cameramen at the press conference
  12. Close shot: attendees at the press conference

Similar Stories

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presents report on Sri Lanka to 60th HRC ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his report on Sri Lanka to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG

HRC 60 HC Volker Türk Global update speech ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Monday delivered his global update to the 60th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

DRC: UN report raises spectre of war crimes and crimes against humanity ENG FRA

A UN report on the Democratic Republic of Congo raises specter of war crimes and crimes against humanity in North and South Kivu, according to UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | WMO

Global air pollution update - WMO 04 September 2025 ENG FRA

As billions of people continue to breathe polluted air that causes more than 4.5 million premature deaths every year, UN climate experts on Friday highlighted how damaging microscopic smoke particles from wildfires play their part, travelling half-way across the world.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Cameroon ENG FRA

UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence made the following comment on the on-going presidential election process in Cameroon at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva. 

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence on Myanmar ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office released a new report on Myanmar, describing death, destruction and desperation which reflect atrocities committed in 2017. 

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , IFRC , UNHCR

Afghanistan earthquake update OCHA - IFRC - UNHCR ENG FRA

Afghanistan: Humanitarians scramble to reach survivors of deadly quake; response at ‘breaking point’

In remote eastern Afghanistan, aid workers are racing to assist survivors of Sunday’s devastating earthquake as the death toll continues to climb, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA

1

1

1

Edited News | UNRWA

Gaza - Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA ENG FRA

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, repeated his urgent call for a ceasefire in Gaza on Friday, amid increased military Israeli activity in the enclave’s largest city.

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025

1

1

1

Edited News | OCHA , WHO

Gaza update - OCHA WHO 29 August 2025 ENG FRA

Amid reports of increased Israeli military operations across Gaza City on Friday, UN aid agencies repeated urgent warnings of ongoing famine and a likely rise in preventable disease, linked to the dire living conditions in the war-shattered enclave.

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

OHCHR-Ravina Shamdasani: increasing executions in Iran ENG FRA

UN calls for Iran to halt executions and move towards ending the death penalty.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al Kheetan on Killing of Journalists in Gaza ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following comment on the killing of journalists in Gaza at the bi-weekly press briefing.

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government

1

1

1

Edited News | OHCHR

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan on “rotation” practice by Egyptian Government ENG FRA

The UN Human Rights Office on Tuesday called on Egyptian authorities to end the practice known as “rotation”, which allows Government critics to be held arbitrarily and for prolonged periods.