Khartoum: Europe and the Arabs

UNICEF stressed the need to end the ongoing violence against children in Sudan and to put an end to the disregard for their safety and rights. It referred to reports that at least 13 children, aged between 6 and 17, were killed and 4 others injured in airstrikes on the Kuma area in North Darfur State on Friday.

Sheldon Yate, UNICEF Representative in Sudan, said: "These attacks on children are unacceptable. Children play no role in wars or civil conflicts, but they are the ones who suffer the most as the conflict continues in Sudan." He stressed the need for children to be safe everywhere, in their homes, neighborhoods and on the streets.

Since Friday's attack, UNICEF has received more reports of civilians killed and injured in attacks earlier today in Mellit, North Darfur State. The organization stated in a press release that more than 150 schools and hospitals have been attacked since the beginning of the conflict. Health centers, water points and markets have also been damaged and destroyed. Last year saw the highest number of grave violations against children in Sudan in more than a decade.

“As the conflict continues unabated, we fear this horrific pattern will continue. Thousands of children and families are trapped in areas affected by violence, insecurity and lack of protection,” Yat said. He stressed the need to stop the ongoing violence and disregard for children’s safety and rights.

The UN agency renewed its call once again for all parties to the conflict to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of children.

A UNICEF-chartered plane carrying 1.4 million doses of oral cholera vaccine arrived in Port Sudan on Saturday morning to boost efforts to protect children from the current cholera outbreak.

Since the start of the cholera outbreak in Sudan in July, more than 18,000 cases of the disease and some 550 deaths have been reported in ten states. The new vaccine doses are in addition to 404,000 vaccines provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to Sudan last month, and will be used in ongoing vaccination campaigns.
The campaigns aim to vaccinate 1.81 million people against cholera in the worst-affected states of Gedaref, Kassala and River Nile.

In addition to cholera, concurrent epidemics of other diseases – such as dengue, malaria and measles – are occurring in at least 12 of Sudan’s 18 states. Earlier this week, UNICEF delivered nearly 190,000 doses of malaria vaccines to the country to help protect children from malaria.

“Amid war, displacement and famine, the impact of these epidemics can be catastrophic for children,” said Sheldon Yate, UNICEF Representative in Sudan. “Getting vaccines to Sudan’s health authorities and into the hands of the most vulnerable communities is essential to stop the spread of these deadly diseases.”

The ongoing disease outbreaks are pushing Sudan’s already fragile health system to the breaking point and exacerbating weaknesses in its sanitation and hygiene infrastructure. To step up its efforts to prevent famine and disease outbreaks over the next six months, UNICEF is appealing for $40 million to provide assistance in affected areas.