Children | “It’s hard to live without a leg” – Yemen is the most dangerous place in the world for a child

At worst Last year, the number of children living in conflict areas rose to approximately 230 million, the Save the Children organization said in a recent in his report.

According to the report, the number increased last year by almost 10 percent compared to 2020, and the war in Ukraine has probably increased the number even more.

Last year, more than 8,000 children died or were injured in world conflicts, or an average of 22 children per day. Deaths and injuries of children in conflicts often go unreported or cannot be verified, the report states.

The number of children killed and maimed in conflicts is expected to rise this year as a result of the war in Ukraine.

In the worst conflict areas, more than a thousand people die as a result of the fighting. In total, there are about 449 million children in conflict areas of varying degrees around the world.

According to the report of all conflict countries, the most dangerous place for children last year was Yemen. The information in the report is from the period before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February this year.

Yemen was highlighted based on the number of serious violations against children, the intensity of the conflict and the number of children living in conflict areas.

In addition to being at risk of death or injury in conflicts, children are also at risk of lifelong physical and mental damage, the report says.

“It’s hard to be without a leg. I just stay inside and play with my toys,” said in the report To Zaid named son. His real name has not been used to protect the child’s identity.

“I’m afraid of bombings because people get hit. I dreamed that I would become a doctor and take care of children and everyone else — and that I would have money to buy lunch, sugar, tea and flour,” he said.

According to the report Based on the data of the Meltwater media monitoring agency, the war in Ukraine has been reported the most in the media this year. Based on the monitoring, the conflict in Ukraine received five times more visibility in the media than all the ten most dangerous conflicts for children combined.

In addition to little media attention, the funding of aid activities is also insufficient, the report states. For example, almost half of the funds needed to implement the UN humanitarian aid plan for Yemen are currently missing. Due to the low funding of emergency aid implemented in conflict countries, access to aid is insufficient for millions of children, and they are left without food, healthcare, protection and education.

“Armed conflicts demand more child victims every day. While the world’s attention is currently focused on the war in Ukraine, we must not forget about other ongoing conflicts. Violence deprives countless children of the right to life, safe growth and development, and this must be put to an end,” said an expert in the advocacy work of Save the Children Emmi Pakkala in the organization’s bulletin.

“We need to find the political will to protect children, secure their rights and ensure sufficient funding for humanitarian aid,” said Pakkala.