20 million children need immediate aid in Middle East, UNICEF says
More than 20 million children in the Middle East need immediate help, the U.N. children's agency said. Yesterday was Universal Children's Day and UNICEF has called for the rights of every child to be protected. "More than 20 million children, who have been affected by wars and clashes in the Middle East, particularly Syria, Iraq and Yemen, need immediate humanitarian aid," Juliette Touma, UNICEF's Middle East and North Africa communications chief, told Anadolu Agency.
"We are worried about the fate of more than 100,000 children in southern Aleppo. They remain in-between heavy bombardment, siege and violence," she added.
According to UNICEF, 4.7 million children are waiting for aid in Iraq while 10 million children were in a "terrible" situation in Yemen and in need of humanitarian aid.
"Unrestricted access should be allowed for charitable organizations to reach children who are in need," Touma said in comments aimed at the international community.
Meanwhile, UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake marked Children's Day by condemning the violation of children's rights.
"They're being violated in eastern Aleppo and other besieged areas across Syria, where children are cut off from food, water and medical care," he said in a statement.
"They're being violated in Yemen, where children are dying because we cannot reach thousands of them with therapeutic foods to treat acute malnutrition - and where cholera now threatens more young lives… They're being violated around the world, in every country, wherever children are the victims of violence, abuse and exploitation."
"We are worried about the fate of more than 100,000 children in southern Aleppo. They remain in-between heavy bombardment, siege and violence," she added.
According to UNICEF, 4.7 million children are waiting for aid in Iraq while 10 million children were in a "terrible" situation in Yemen and in need of humanitarian aid.
"Unrestricted access should be allowed for charitable organizations to reach children who are in need," Touma said in comments aimed at the international community.
Meanwhile, UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake marked Children's Day by condemning the violation of children's rights.
"They're being violated in eastern Aleppo and other besieged areas across Syria, where children are cut off from food, water and medical care," he said in a statement.
"They're being violated in Yemen, where children are dying because we cannot reach thousands of them with therapeutic foods to treat acute malnutrition - and where cholera now threatens more young lives… They're being violated around the world, in every country, wherever children are the victims of violence, abuse and exploitation."