Developing Violence in South Sudan Leaves Children Worst-Hit: UNICEF

By Okech Francis

Violence developing in the north-eastern region of South Sudan is leaving a staggering threat on the lives of children, the country representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund, Hamida Lasseko, said.

“Provisional reports confirm that since violence started on 7 May in Pibor county more than 2,000 cartons of Ready-to-Use-Therapeutic-Food have been looted, enough to treat 2,000 children with severe acute malnutrition,” Lasseko said in an emailed statement on Friday.

“Almost half of nutrition centers treating children with malnutrition have temporarily stopped operating. This has a direct and immediate effect on the survival of children.”

 The only safe water system in Gumuruk area in the volatile region has also been destroyed leaving over 15,000 people without clean water and at risk of disease, according to Lasseko.

The only facility supporting prevention and response to Gender Based Violence for women and adolescent girls has been destroyed and closed and as well “two schools with education material were burnt down, and due to the violence, schools in all the four payams in Pibor county were temporarily closed,” she said.

“Violence and destruction and looting of humanitarian supplies and services have a huge impact on the rights of children to survival, thriving and development,” Lasseko said. “This must stop immediately.”