The number of displaced children around the world reached 43.3 million in 2022, a new record estimated by Unicef, which estimates that the war in Ukraine has caused more than two million children to flee.
According to a report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the number of children displaced from their homes has doubled in the last decade, exceeding the capacity for inclusion and protection of refugee and displaced children.
Regarding World Refugee Day, which is celebrated today, Unicef reports that of the 43.3 million children who were in a situation of forced displacement at the end of last year, almost 60% (25.8 million ) were internally displaced by conflict and violence.
In addition, extreme weather events, such as the floods in Pakistan and the drought in the Horn of Africa, have displaced an additional 12 million children through 2022.
“The number of children forced to flee their homes has risen at an alarming rate for more than a decade and our global response capacity is under severe pressure,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell was quoted as saying in a statement.
“This increase reflects the impact of conflicts, crises and climate disasters around the world, but also shows the insufficient response of many governments to ensure that all refugee and internally displaced children can continue to learn, stay healthy and develop their full potential. potential,” he said. aggregate.
In addition to the more than two million Ukrainian children who had to leave the country, the Russian invasion even forced more than one million children to be internally displaced.
UNICEF calls on governments to leave no child behind, urging them to recognize refugee, migrant and displaced children as “children first” and provide them with safe and legal ways to move, seek asylum and reunite with their families .
Among the calls, the United Nations Fund also asks executives to strengthen national education, health, child protection and social protection systems so that they are included without discrimination; and invest in national child protection systems to better protect children on the move who are at risk of exploitation and violence, especially unaccompanied children.
Source: TSF
