Children left injured and homeless after violence in Malakal, South Sudan | WPN World People News

UNICEF is responding to the needs of children in the aftermath of the violence that occurred inside the Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Malakal this week. At least 18 people were killed, with children injured, distressed and separated from their parents.

Internally displaced people from Malakal UN Protection of Civilians (PoC) site gather on the outskirts of the UN base with their only belongings after their shelters were burned down in an outburst of violence on Wednesday 17 February.

UNICEF and partners have provided tents and health supplies for mobile medical clinics, established emergency latrines, and created a child helpdesk to reunite unaccompanied children and mothers.

Since Thursday, the help desk has registered 58 unaccompanied children, with 55 of them now reunified with their family. UNICEF and partner are providing temporary overnight care to those unaccompanied children whose parents cannot be found on the same day.

UNICEF is also providing therapeutic food for the treatment of malnourished children.

“The vast majority of people sheltering in the site are women and children who have already borne the brunt of this conflict and are now once again experiencing horrific violence, trauma and displacement,” said Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF Representative, South Sudan. “These children are going to continue to need critical child protection services in the coming weeks and months - including psychosocial support, and help with family tracing and reunification.”

UNICEF says there is now an urgent need for additional emergency supplies, including plastic sheeting and blankets, for women and children who have lost everything and are sleeping in the open.

UNICEF continues to remind all parties to the conflict of their obligations to protect children from harm.

Source: United Nations Children's Fund