Violence against children in the central Sahel region increased sharply in the last quarter of 2023, surging by 70 percent compared to the previous three months, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned on Wednesday. The UN agency said that in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, cases of recruitment and use of children by armed groups, as well as killings and maiming, jumped by more than 130 percent between the two reporting periods.
The central Sahel region faces one of the world's fastest growing - and most forgotten - humanitarian crises. Armed conflict, deteriorating security, political instability and widespread poverty are the main drivers of humanitarian need in the region.
“The distressing rise in violent incidents in the central Sahel region of West Africa (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger), including the killing of children, must stop if children are to realize their basic rights to life under the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child,” said Gilles Fagninou, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, in a statement on Wednesday.
Over the last three months of 2023, grave violations against children in the central Sahel region increased by more than 70 percent compared to the previous three months. The region includes Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
Grave violations against children include recruitment and use of child soldiers, killing and maiming, sexual violence, abductions, attacks against schools or hospitals, and denial of humanitarian access.
“The majority of cases were the recruitment and use of children, and killing and maiming–which all together increased by more than 130 percent between October and December compared to the previous three months,” Fagninou said.
Citing data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), he noted that nearly 1,400 people were reported killed in violent incidents in the Central Sahel in the first three months of 2024, a number that has been steadily increasing over the past few years and is 66 percent higher than the same quarter last year.
“Civilians need protection from all forms of violence. Communities caught up in fighting need protection. Far too many children are being affected by grave violations of their rights, including killings, abduction and recruitment by armed groups,“ the UN official said.
UNICEF called on all parties involved in the ongoing crisis in the central Sahel to put an end to all forms of violence, killing and abuse of children, in accordance with their obligations under international law.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), people in the central Sahel continue to be affected by violence, conflict and widespread insecurity. Between February and April 2024, there were 1,180 reported security incidents and 3,393 deaths, compared to 793 incidents and 2,497 deaths in December 2023 and January 2024.
Security incidents, attacks and kidnappings are a daily reality for millions of civilians and humanitarian workers in the field.
2.6 million people are internally displaced in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, and more than 285,000 are refugees. This is an increase from 190,900 reported in January, with 67,754 and 26,013 new refugees in Niger and Mali respectively, according to OCHA.
Displaced and vulnerable people in the central Sahel face severe food insecurity and malnutrition, and have limited access to basic services. Some 8,200 schools are not functioning and more than 470 health centers are not operational.
17.9 million people in the region are in need of humanitarian assistance this year, including 6.3 million in Burkina Faso, 7.1 million in Mali and 4.5 million in Niger. From March to May 2024, 5.85 million people in the Sahel will be acutely food insecure (crisis level or worse), including 1.75 million in Burkina Faso, 3.3 million in Niger and 0.8 million in Mali.
The situation is exacerbated by political instability. Mali experienced another military takeover in May 2021. In Burkina Faso, security deteriorated after two military coups in January and September 2022. In Niger, the presidential guard staged a coup in July 2023 and installed a general as ruler.
Despite ongoing violence, access constraints and limited funding, more than 250 humanitarian organizations are providing relief to vulnerable populations in the central Sahel. However, the humanitarian response in each of the countries is severely underfunded and needs far outstrip available assistance. As of May, only $272 million of the $2.3 billion required has been received.
This worsening humanitarian emergency in the region is compounded by deepening economic inequalities, global food insecurity, and the effects of the climate crisis. Rapid climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of natural disasters such as droughts and floods. The climate emergency has also contributed to the spread of desertification and land degradation.
Further information
Full text: UNICEF Regional Director condemns growing violence in the central Sahel, grave violations against children up by 70 percent, UNICEF press release, published May 29, 2024
https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-regional-director-condemns-growing-violence-central-sahel-grave-violations