The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Friday issued a report about the well-being of children in the central Sahel Region. The report claims that 10 million children in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are in urgent need of humanitarian aid, and an additional 4 million are in danger as a result of the conflict spreading to nearby nations.
According to the report:
In the early years of the crisis, the armed groups focused their attacks on security infrastructure and personnel and largely spared children and civilians; now their tactics suggest many aim to inflict maximum casualties and suffering on communities.
As stated by the report, armed groups attacked numerous villages, killing three times as many children in 2022 as in 2021. Furthermore, UNICEF has received over 480 reports of child recruitment by armed groups in Mali, as well as 200 reports of human rights violations against children in Niger. These armed groups have used these children not only to gather intelligence and cook but have also compelled them to fight. The report asserts that armed groups have also abducted a large number of children, the vast majority of whom are girls.
The report highlights several reasons why children are drawn into conflicts. These include poverty and the desire to avenge their parents’ deaths. It is noted that despite some children escaping and completing UNICEF’s reintegration course, they are hesitant to return to their homeland due to fear of persecution.
In line with the report, armed groups’ attacks have forced the closure of one-fifth of Burkina Faso’s schools. This is part of a series of attacks carried out that specifically target children. Rebel forces also contaminate watering points and siege towns, making it more difficult for civilians to access food and water.
The region is also affected by adverse climate change, the consequences of which have driven over 2.7 million people out of the three countries. This mass movement of people has heightened tensions around watering holes, which has a negative impact on women and children. Additionally, majority of children who arrive at the nutrition center in Burkina Faso are severely malnourished and gravely ill from respiratory illnesses and malaria.
According to the report, the fatal confluence of these problems creates an urgent need for humanitarian assistance. UNICEF calls for long term investment with sustainable development in mind. It also calls for the reinforcing of social services, as well as addressing the fundamental causes of conflict.
