News

Children’s lives ‘turned upside down’ by wars across Middle East, North Africa, warns the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

todayJuly 2, 2025 2

Background
share close

Children’s lives ‘turned upside down’ by wars across Middle East, North Africa, warns the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)Children’s lives ‘turned upside down’ by wars across Middle East, North Africa, warns the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

 

UN News

Alarmingly, 110 million children in the region live in countries affected by war, with homes, schools and health facilities damaged or destroyed in fighting.

“A child’s life is being turned upside down the equivalent of every five seconds due to the conflicts in the region,” said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, on Tuesday.

UNICEF estimates indicate that 45 million children across the region will require humanitarian assistance in 2025, a 41 per cent increase since 2020.  

Funding shortfalls  

However, funding gaps are affecting vital programmes across the region.

For instance, as of May, Syria faced a 78 per cent funding gap and the State of Palestine a 68 per cent gap for their 2025 appeals. UNICEF’s regional programmes are also under increasing financial strain.

The outlook for 2026 also remains bleak, UNICEF said, noting that its funding for Middle East and North Africa is projected to decline by 20 to 25 per cent, potentially resulting in shortfalls of up to $370 million.

Conflicts must stop  

This would jeopardize lifesaving programmes across the region, including treatment for severe malnutrition, safe water production in conflict zones and vaccinations against deadly diseases.

“As the plight of children in the region worsens, the resources to respond are becoming sparser,” said Mr. Beigbeder.

“Conflicts must stop. International advocacy to resolve these crises must intensify. And support for vulnerable children must increase, not decline.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.

    

The post Children’s lives ‘turned upside down’ by wars across Middle East, North Africa, warns the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) first appeared on Future Media News.

The post Children’s lives ‘turned upside down’ by wars across Middle East, North Africa, warns the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) appeared first on Future Media News.

Related Images:

Written by: Madeline

Rate it

Contact Us

Fresh-FM-phone-icon
Office: 083 000 1000
Fresh-FM-phone-icon
Studio: 083 000 1009
SMS: 1009 (N$2 / sms)
Telegram: 083 000 1009
WhatsApp: 083 000 1009
Fresh-FM-marker-icon
Location: 3rd Floor Old Power Station Armstrong Street, Windhoek

Related Images: