“The violence in Central African Republic is gut-wrenching in its brutality and viciousness and children have not been spared,” said UNICEF Representative in Central African Republic, Souleymane Diabaté. “On average, at least one child has been maimed or killed in clashes every day in the past six months. The cycle of brutality and retaliation must stop.”

UNICEF has verified that 277 children have been maimed and 74 killed over the past six months. The actual numbers are much higher, including deaths and sickness caused by the total collapse of basic services. Because of the relentless violence and insecurity in some parts of the country, UNICEF is unable to verify all cases of violations against children.

A worsening situation across the country, including the capital, is again forcing increasing numbers of people from their homes. There are now more than half a million internally displaced persons, at least half of whom are children.

Another 347,000 people – two thirds of them children – have fled the country and now live as refugees mostly in Cameroon, but also Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo.

UNICEF is working closely with partners to protect children from violence, providing safe spaces for learning and psychological support for those most affected. Children separated from their families are being registered for reunification as quickly as possible. Negotiations are ongoing with armed groups who have recruited children to secure their immediate release and reintegrate them within their communities when possible.

UNICEF is also helping provide humanitarian assistance to displaced children and families in need, providing safe water, proper sanitation and other essentials like tarpaulins for shelter, plastic mats and jerry cans.

Lack of funding remains a critical concern. The crisis in the Central African Republic and neighbouring countries is UNICEF’s least funded large-scale regional emergency. Overall needs recently increased to $120 million for 2014, are, half-way through the year, less than 25 per cent met.

“We are committed to staying the course and to doing all we can for the children of the Central African Republic,” said Diabaté. “The international community has to do its share as well.”

# # #

About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org

See this Article at its original location >

The post UNICEF: Six months after fighting reaches capital, no end to horror for children in Central African Republic violence: UNICEF first appeared on MissionNewswire.

At least half the country’s schools are still closed, one month after the Seleka rebel coalition marched to the capital Bangui and seized power, the agency said.

The schools are not reopening because teachers who fled conflict-hit areas have yet to return home, and many schools have been looted of even the most basic supplies. Continued insecurity is stopping children and teachers from going back to class, and preventing emergency distributions to schools for fear of further pillaging, UNICEF said.

“The new government must prioritize protection of, and investment in, the country’s education system, to respect and fulfill children’s basic right to education and to provide this generation of children with hope for a healthy future,” Souleymane Diabate, UNICEF representative in Central African Republic (CAR), said in a statement.

Aid agencies say that the entire population – more than 4.6 million people, around half of them children – is affected, directed or indirectly, by the political violence. In the northeast, they estimate that 1.2 million people have had no basic essential services for four months.

The Seleka group seized power after the collapse of a January peace deal signed after a previous rebel advance to the gates of the capital in December. The security situation in Bangui has been volatile since the March 24 coup, as rebel fighters have repeatedly clashed with youths loyal to the ex-president. Looting continues, and aid work is hampered by the risk of violence.

The European Union has said it will not restore its more than $200 million aid programme until the country re-establishes the rule of law.

BABIES KILLED IN CHURCH

Last week, UNICEF said more and more children were being killed and injured, noting rocket and grenade attacks on a football field and a church that killed three babies and led to leg amputations for three children and emergency surgery for others.

“We are seeing a country quickly sliding down into a spiral of chaos with more children’s lives endangered,” Diabate warned, calling on the authorities to investigate incidents involving innocent civilians.

Many children have been hit by stray bullets, others have been recruited into armed groups, UNICEF said. There has also been a documented increase in cases of sexual violence, it said.

CAR’s education system was weak even before the latest bout of violence, UNICEF said. The literacy rate is only 27 percent for young women and 51 percent for young men. Nearly two thirds of teachers are unqualified parents who have volunteered to do the job.

There are 746,000 children of primary school age in CAR, 67 percent of whom were attending school before the crisis. At least 250,000 primary pupils and 30,000 secondary-school students now risk losing the entire school year if schools do not reopen in the coming weeks, UNICEF warned. There is still a small chance state exams can take place in June but catch-up classes will be required, it added.

UNICEF said it hoped to provide safe spaces for children to learn and play as areas became accessible and was identifying places that can be prioritized for resuming education activities.

“During conflict, schools can not only protect children, but they also provide children with a sense of normalcy which helps them recover from the trauma of violence and loss,” the agency said.

###

See this article in its original location >

Article by Megan Rowling

Photo: Fighters for the Seleka rebel alliance guard the presidential palace in Bangui, Central African Republic, March 25, 2013. REUTERS/Alain Amontchi

The post ALERTNET: Central African Republic Crisis leaves 1 Million Children Out of School first appeared on MissionNewswire.