United States: A week after launching a multibillion-dollar global fundraising campaign, UNICEF announced on Monday that at least 3,774 children have been killed in Yemen's civil war between March 2015 and September 2022.
According to the latest UNICEF figures, an additional 7,245 children were crippled in the conflict. The organization demanded that the ceasefire agreement, which saw a reduction in frontline fighting from April to early October, be renewed immediately.
According to executive director Catherine Russell, an immediate renewal of the ceasefire would allow vital humanitarian access. According to UNICEF, 3,904 boys were enlisted as child soldiers between March 2015 and September 2022.
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"Parties to the conflict, the international community and all those with influence must ensure they are protected and supported," Russell said. "If the children of Yemen have any chance of a better future."
Before the armistice expired on 2 October, a deal to extend it failed. The United Nations reported that the Houthis frequently used landmines, a weapon that killed at least 74 children across Yemen between July and September this year.
The militia openly enlists youths as soldiers by holding "summer camps" where it teaches young boys about its ideology. Houthi officials admitted earlier this year that some boys as young as 10 were recruited by the militia, claiming that boys of this age are considered men.
Last week, UNICEF announced a $10.3 billion humanitarian action for children appeal for 2023, which will help children around the world who are affected by conflicts and natural disasters.
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It aims to raise approximately $484.5 million for Yemen during the year.
Many children have died, according to Russell, and hundreds of thousands are still at risk of dying from preventable diseases or starvation.
According to UNICEF, more than 17.8 million Yemenis lack access to services for safe water, sanitation and hygiene. As per the report, this leaves around 10 million children deprived of adequate care.
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The UN and partners earlier this month requested an unprecedented $51.5 billion in aid, a 25 percent increase over 2022 and five times the amount requested ten years ago. Additionally, according to the United Nations agency, 2.2 million Yemeni children are "severely malnourished".