UNICEF calls for protection of children in the Middle East and North Africa

In the Middle East and North Africa, hundreds of children are killed, injured, and their basic needs are destroyed by violence from conflicts.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned on April 20 that violence in the Middle East and North Africa, from Libya, Yemen to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, has seriously affected the lives of children and asked all parties to apply more measures to protect children in the region.

An injured child in Yemen. Source: Internet

According to UNICEF, although many children in the Middle East and North Africa region faced many problems affecting their health and lives before the violence broke out, they are now facing greater danger as protests in some countries have turned into fierce conflicts between the government and opposition organizations.

UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said the current conflict in Libya has killed many children and destroyed many of their basic needs.

In the Misrata region alone, at least 20 children were killed and many more injured by the use of cluster bombs by the conflicting parties.

In Yemen, since the beginning of February 2011, at least 26 children have been killed and more than 800 others have been injured by tear gas.

Similarly, in Syria and Bahrain, dozens of children have been killed and many others injured in recent weeks.

In the occupied Palestinian territories, clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinian armed groups have killed nearly a dozen children and injured at least 48 since the beginning of the year.

"UNICEF urges all parties to conflict to fulfill their obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and International Humanitarian Law and take all necessary measures to protect children from the direct and indirect effects of violence," UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said in a statement on April 20. "UNICEF continues to condemn armed groups targeting civilians and calls on all parties to allow humanitarian workers into the area and provide relief to children where needed."

According to VNA