Kiev, 26 April. (Adnkronos) – The confirmed number of children killed in attacks in Ukraine has increased by almost 40% this year compared to last year due to the persistence of the war. According to data verified by the United Nations, the attacks that occurred between January 1 and March 31, 2024 caused the deaths of 25 children, the youngest of whom was just two months old. Nine children were killed in attacks in the first three weeks of April.
“As deadly attacks continue, children and their families are forced to endure further loss and destruction,” said Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF regional director for Europe and Central Asia, at the end of a mission in Ukraine this week. “Each attack delays recovery and reconstruction efforts, prolonging the deterioration of children’s quality of life. I am concerned to see attacks continue across the country, destroying schools, health facilities and residential buildings. No place is safe for children.”
According to official United Nations data, at least 600 children have been killed in attacks since the war escalated in 2022. More than 1,350 children have been injured. The real number of children killed and injured is probably much higher. The infrastructure that children rely on also continues to come under attack. Thousands of homes, 36 health facilities and 140 educational facilities were damaged or destroyed in the first three months of the year. Attacks affecting electricity supplies and water sources have further disrupted critical services, further putting the lives and well-being of children at risk.
Two years of war preceded by two years of Covid-19 have meant that children’s access to school has been disrupted for more than four years – years equivalent to a primary education. Nearly half of children enrolled in school in Ukraine are unable to attend in-person school, while nearly one million children across the country cannot access any type of in-person learning due to insecurity.
Despite the ongoing attacks, UNICEF is working across Ukraine to preserve learning opportunities for children through the rehabilitation of schools and shelters, providing home learning kits and supporting online learning. In 2023, Unicef reached 1.3 million children with formal and non-formal learning. The Children’s Fund is also providing psychosocial and mental health support, including through safe spaces, protection and support centres, reaching 2.5 million children and their carers last year alone.
Together with partners, UNICEF is rebuilding critical water and sanitation infrastructure destroyed or damaged by the attacks. Currently, the UN organization needs an additional $250 million to ensure critical support for children and families in Ukraine, including in frontline areas, for humanitarian and recovery programs in 2024.
