[Juba, South Sudan, TCT] The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have warned that the children of South Sudan remain the most vulnerable in the world. In a recent press release, the two UN agencies called for all parties to uphold their commitments to the Peace Agreement, so as to allow at most 1.5 million South Sudanese children to return home and receive an education, and child soldiers to be released and reintegrated back to society.
Leila Gharagozloo Pakkala, UNICEF's Regional Director in Eastern and Southern Africa said over the past two years, 1.65 million people have become internally displaced, and more than 650,000 South Sudanese have sought international protection as refugees in neighboring Countries. Without global attention and support, an entire generation of children from the world's newest nation could have been lost. "Around two thirds of those who fled their homes and communities in South Sudan are children. Respect for the peace agreement by all parties will enable children to have hopes for a dignified future," she said.
In response to the situation, UNHCR, UNICEF and 14 child protection partners have established effective systems to support children, including training staff in child protection procedures in 85 per cent of registration points. This is to ensure adequate identification of the most vulnerable children. They have established about 105 child-friendly spaces in refugee locations that scaled up health care in refugee camps for malnourished children, providing medical and psycho-social support to child survivors of gender-based violence, vaccinating children against diseases, and ensuring children continue to receive some level of education.
Meanwhile, Ann Encontre, a UNHCR's Regional Refugee Coordinator for the South Sudan Emergency said inside South Sudan more than 459,000 people have been reached with life-saving supplies in remote locations. And over 380,000 children were able to go back to school. "Two years since the crisis erupted, South Sudanese represent the largest refugee population in the region with nearly three quarters of a million people forced into neighboring Countries. “With most of displaced being children, South Sudan cannot afford to have a generation of children lost, as they are future and hope for the young nation," said Encontre.
In South Sudan, children's need for vital resources such as medicines, food and shelter, far outweigh availability, and at least half a million children have had their education disrupted. Neighboring governments have generously opened their borders and provided access to available services, which remain very limited in some settlement areas, said Encotre.
UNICEF and UNHCR are urgently calling on the global community for funds to provide shelter, education, health care, clean water, and other basic necessities for survival, as well as for the reintegration of children formerly in armed groups.
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