Boko Haram Violence in Lake Chad Region Leaves Children Displaced and Trapped
NEW YORK (August 25, 2016) – Years of violence by Boko Haram in Africa’s Lake Chad basin have led to a worsening humanitarian crisis that has displaced 1.4 million children and left at least one million still trapped in hard-to-reach areas, UNICEF said in a report released today.
“The Lake Chad crisis is a children’s crisis that should rank high on the global migration and displacement agenda,” said Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa. “Humanitarian needs are outpacing the response, especially now that new areas previously unreachable in north-east Nigeria become accessible.”
Released ahead of the United Nations Summit on Refugees and Migrants (September 19), Children on the Move, Children left Behind looks at the impact of the Boko Haram insurgency on children in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger and its devastating toll on children.
The report notes that:
- In addition to the 2.6 million people currently displaced, an additional 2.2 million people – over half of them children – are feared to be trapped in areas under the control of Boko Haram and need humanitarian assistance.
- An estimated 38 children have been used to carry out suicide attacks in Lake Chad basin so far this year, bringing to 86 the total number of children used as suicide bombers since 2014.
- An estimated 475,000 children across Lake Chad will suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year, up from 175,000 at the beginning of the year.
- In north-east Nigeria alone, an estimated 20,000 children have been separated from their families.
The report also notes that most of the displaced population – more than 8 in 10 people – are staying with families and neighbors, putting additional strain on some of the world’s poorest communities.
“Local communities are sharing the little they have to help those in need in an act of humanity that is replicated in thousands of homes across the conflict-affected areas,” said Fontaine.
UNICEF is working with partners to meet the basic needs of children and their families in the conflict-affected areas. So far this year, nearly 170,000 children received psychosocial support, almost 100,000 were treated for severe acute malnutrition and over 100,000 took part in learning programs.
UNICEF has received only 13 percent of the $308 million it needs to provide assistance to the families affected by Boko Haram violence across Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon. The children’s agency is appealing to the donor community to step up its support for the affected communities. Additional resources will help UNICEF and its partners scale up the response – particularly as access to areas previously under Boko Haram control is revealing growing humanitarian needs.
The report and multimedia assets (photos and videos) available here: http://uni.cf/2bVEGu6.
About UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, by providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.
For more information, contact:
Sophie Aziakou, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 917.720.1397, saziakou@unicefusa.org