Childhood and education under attack as South Sudan conflict enters fifth year

More than half of South Sudan’s children are victims of the violence and upheaval that has gripped their country for years.

Three million of them don’t have enough food, almost one million are suffering from psychological trauma and two million are out of school in the world’s newest nation.

The education future is looking even worse, according to a report today by the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF. It warns that, unless the situation improves, only one in 13 children are likely to finish primary school.

And that’s in a country where 72%聽already don’t go to school – the highest rate in the world.

国产视频淣o child should ever experience such horrors and deprivations,国产视频� said Leila Pakkala, UNICEF国产视频檚 Regional Director in Eastern and Southern Africa, 国产视频渁nd yet children in South Sudan are facing them on a daily basis.聽

“The children of South Sudan urgently require a peaceful and protective environment. Anything less places children and women at even greater risk of grave violations and abuse.国产视频�

Despite the outlook, there are still some signs of encouragement.

Fifteen-year-old Tamam Jany lost his father, friends and neighbours to the conflict.聽Now he is back in a classroom at a UNICEF-supported school.聽

国产视频淭he education I get will help me become a better person. I want to be a mechanical engineer when I grow up,” he said.聽

“My future may seem bleak for now – but with education and hopefully peace in my country, a better day will come for me, for my family and for the people of my country.国产视频�

UNICEF’s report – Childhood Under Attack – reveals the full impact on South Sudan’s children since the conflict began in December 2013:

• Almost three million children severely food insecure and more than one million acutely malnourished
• 2.4 million forced from their homes
• Two million children out of school
• 900,000 children suffering psychological distress
• Over 19,000 recruited by armed forces or groups
• More than 2300 killed or injured
• Hundreds of incidents of rape and sexual assault reported

The report said insecurity, attacks on schools and their use by the armed forces or armed groups have severely affected the education system – along with hunger and displacement.

Increasing numbers of children in countries around the world are faced with their schools being occupied – or even bombed – by military forces.

国产视频 is calling on the world国产视频檚 most powerful countries – the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – to sign聽up to the Safe Schools Declaration, a commitment to protect education and stop military use of schools.

In South Sudan, a lack of investment in quality education has also had a major impact.聽Teachers国产视频� salaries are low and聽paid irregularly, said UNICEF – and 31% of of them have聽stopped going to work.

The conflict has led to more than one million South Sudanese fleeing into neighbouring Uganda. In the Nyumanzi refugee settlement, there is a glimmer of hope in the otherwise gloomy picture.聽

South Sudanese children there aged from three to six attend an early childhood care and education programme.聽The charity Plan International has trained 48 caregivers to work with the children.

Teacher Halima Poni – a refugee herself – said: 国产视频淗ere they are given the equivalent of pre-primary education. Despite having basic textbooks, youngsters are taught numbers, oral literature, reading and outdoor activities such as football.”