Urgent need to protect children amid escalating conflict in Myanmar

NEW YORK, 21 November 2024 - "The humanitarian crisis in Myanmar is reaching a critical inflexion point, with escalating conflict and climate shocks putting children and families at unprecedented risk. Over 3.4 million people have been displaced across the country, nearly 40 per cent of whom are children.

"During my visit to conflict-affected areas, I witnessed firsthand the devastating impact on children, exacerbated by ongoing violence and severe climate events such as Typhoon Yagi causing flooding that affected over a million people recently. The stories I heard from families were heartbreaking—children cut off from vital services, including healthcare and education, and suffering from the effects of violence and displacement.

"I was devastated to hear that on 15 November, a strike hit a Kachin church compound where children were playing football, killing seven children and two other civilians. I visited Kachin and saw firsthand how vulnerable children and other civilians are in conflict-affected areas  and the urgent need to uphold international humanitarian law to protect them from such brutal attacks.

"This year alone, at least 650 children have been killed or maimed in violence. Children also represent 32 per cent of the over 1,000 civilian casualties from landmines and explosive remnants of war. The increasing use of deadly weapons in civilian areas, including airstrikes and landmines hitting homes, hospitals, and schools, has severely restricted the already limited safe spaces for children, robbing them of their right to safety and security. The situation is dire. 

"I met with parties to the conflict - stressing the need for all to guarantee safe and unhindered aid, especially for vulnerable children and families in conflict zones, to remove administrative barriers and ensure minimum operating standards and to protect children from grave violations: International humanitarian law must be upheld, with a focus on protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure - including schools and hospitals - and ensuring safe passage for those fleeing from violence.

"Access remains constrained by ongoing armed conflict, insecurity, bureaucratic impediments and lack of telecommunications and personal protective equipment. Despite these immense challenges, UNICEF and its humanitarian partners are working tirelessly to deliver life-saving services, including health, nutrition, and education, especially in frontline and hard-to-reach areas. However, our efforts are severely hampered by critically low funding—less than 25 per cent of our 2024 humanitarian appeal has been met, while the needs of children and families continue to grow.

"UNICEF’s commitment to uphold the rights of children remains firm. We urge all parties to the conflict to prioritize the protection of children and ensure safe, timely, and unhindered humanitarian access .   UNICEF will continue to  highlight the increasing needs of children, and call for stronger international engagement to support them  and their families . We urgently call on the international community to step up its support—through funding, advocacy, and solidarity—to prevent further suffering. The cost of inaction is far too high—Myanmar’s children cannot afford to wait."

#####