Henrietta Ford, Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said that Yemen’s brutal war by coalition continues to take a “horrific toll” on children.
In Yemen, children can no longer safely do the things that all children love to do like go to school or spend time with their friends outside. The war can reach them wherever they are, even in their own homes.
Two days ago, five children playing at home were killed in an attack on the Tahita district, south of Hudaydah.
“Each day, eight children are killed or injured across 31 active conflict zones in the country.
The war’s horrific toll on children continues despite the agreement reached by parties to this war late last year in Stockholm and despite the humanitarian funding commitments made this past week at the pledging conference in Geneva.
Talks and conferences have so far done little to change the reality for children on the ground. Only a comprehensive peace agreement can give Yemeni children the reprieve from violence and war that they need and deserve.
Last Monday, Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said that the “mind-boggling violence” in Yemen “has not spared a single child.” His comments came the day before a high-level pledging event for Yemen, held in Geneva, which raised $26 billion to support Yemenis facing a crisis described by UN chief António Guterres as an “overwhelming humanitarian calamity.”
Mr. Cappelaere also noted that generosity and aid will not, on their own, bring an end to children’s suffering in Yemen, and called on warring parties to “put an end to violence in potshots and across all of Yemen, protect civilians, keep children out of harm’s way and allow humanitarian deliveries to children and their families wherever they are in the country.”
Children in Yemen are living in the worst humanitarian crisis in the world because of the coalition’s war for four years. The only way to end this suffering is to end the war.
