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War in Ukraine: "The fighting must stop" for children, says UNICEF

More than two million children who have had to flee their homes to be safe in other countries and more than two million children are displaced within Ukraine's borders.

Here in the Polish border town of Medyka, March 7, 2022. REUTERS - FABRIZIO BENSCH

Text by: Nicolas Falez Follow

3 mins

More than 4.24 million Ukrainian refugees have fled their country since the invasion ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24.

The figures are those of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Among them, many children.

The latter are " 

 ", explains Joe English, spokesperson for Unicef, the United Nations Fund for childhood. 

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RFI: What figures do you have concerning the situation of Ukrainian children in the war?

Joe English:

The numbers are pretty staggering.

Now there are more than two million children who have had to flee their homes to safety in other countries and more than two million children are displaced within the borders of Ukraine.

►Also read: War in Ukraine: more than half of the children have been displaced, according to Unicef

And you know when we talk about kids being kicked out of their homes, the reality is that a lot of those kids don't even have a home anymore.

We have all seen those images of absolute devastation in Mariupol, Kherson or Kharkiv.

The scale of the destruction is beyond comprehension.

But what we must not forget is that beyond the figures, it is each time a family, a child whose life has been turned upside down during these six weeks of conflict extremely devastating.

What risks do these children face when forced to flee?

And at what risk if they remain in a conflict zone?

There is the direct impact of the violence.

We know that more than 150 children have already lost their lives.

Nearly 250 children were injured.

And these are only figures that the United Nations has been able to verify.

So the reality is probably much worse.

And children are attacked in places where they should be safe: in schools, in hospitals, in homes, in shelters.

There are these direct consequences of the violence, but it also affects those who have fled their homes.

Many of them left behind their fathers, their older brothers.

Their families are torn apart.

So there are long-term consequences: the psychological impact, and the trauma that these children face.

They will need appropriate support and care to enable them to rebuild their lives.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on Tuesday April 12 of “

We have come across this information and it is impossible not to be completely horrified by it.

Child sexual abuse, child rape or sexual exploitation are serious violations of children's rights in times of conflict.

Independent investigations are needed and those who committed these acts must be held to account.

What is the message that UNICEF sends to belligerents?

We appeal to all parties to the conflict, to all those who wield power or influence: the fighting must stop.

Children's lives have been turned upside down.

They have lost family members.

They saw their homes and towns devastated.

Children need peace, they need it ASAP.

They really need it now.

►Also listen: Ukraine: children and war

© RFI

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