Category: Children and Wellbeing

Source: Save The Children

Kpemeh* and Kuji*, Save the Children campaigners against child marriage in Sierra Leone. Photo by Shona Hamilton/Save the Children. More content available here

FREETOWN, 21 June 2024 – Sierra Leone has passed a historic bill to ban child marriage after girls across the country and Save the Children joined a campaign to criminalise the widespread practice. 

The Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill 2024 seeks to criminalise the act of marrying or entering into a union with a child under the age of 18. It includes provisions for enforcing penalties on offenders, protecting victims’ rights, and ensuring access to education and support services for young girls affected by early child marriage. 

Sierra Leone has one of the highest child marriage, early pregnancy and maternal mortality rates in the world, with about one-third of girls married before the age of 18, and another third giving birth before the age of 19, according to the Ministry of Health.  

Earlier this year, 19-year-old Kuji*, a campaigner with Save the Children, told the child rights organisation how she managed to stop her 15-year-old cousin Kpemeh*’s marriage and support her to return to school. This led to Kpemeh* also training to be a Save the Children champion and joining her cousin in successfully campaigning to all the chiefs in their district in eastern Sierra Leone to ban the practice.  

Kpemeh* said: “Those of us who are under 18 should steer clear of early marriage. Whenever I share this message, people listen and abandon such practices.”  

Patrick Analo, Save the Children Sierra Leone Country Director, said: “This is a historic moment and an extraordinary achievement for children across Sierra Leone who have campaigned for their rights. 

“Girls who are married young are not only robbed of their childhoods – they are robbed of their futures. They experience lifelong harm to their physical and mental health; are barred from opportunities to learn, grow, play and develop; shut out from future educational and economic opportunities that also impact their families and communities.  

“Children have now stood up and said: “Give us our futures back.” And thanks to them, this will be a new reality for nearly four million children across Sierra Leone.” 

As well as training child marriage champions across Sierra Leone, Save the Children has worked with First Lady Fatima Maada Bio, the Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs, and other organisations to end child marriage in the country.   

The Office of the First Lady said the Bill will address enforcement challenges by establishing penalties for violations and calling upon community leaders to support its implementation actively. By strengthening existing laws and enhancing their enforcement, the bill seeks to create a more protective environment for children, particularly girls. 

Save the Children has been working in Sierra Leone since 1999, initially focusing on family reunification during the war. Now the organisation’s primary areas of focus are children’s rights and protection, education, and health.  

ENDS

Content available here

For more information please contact: 

Emily Wight, Emily.Wight@savethechildren.org; 

Kunle Olawoyin, Kunle.Olawoyin@savethechildren.org; 

Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs.

Source: Save The Children

Photo Credit: Delwar Hossain/ Save the Children

COX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh,  20 June 2024: Two Rohingya children have been killed and more than 4,000 affected by landslides and heavy rains in Cox’s Bazar refugee camps in Bangladesh, said Save the Children.

In recent days 10 people – including two children – were killed in the world’s largest refugee settlement when heavy monsoon rains triggered landslides in three different locations. Seven children were also injured, including two boys who nearly drowned in a river [1].

Nearly 8,000 people in all 33 camps have been impacted by the torrential downpour which destroyed or damaged more than 1,000 shelters, according to initial assessments [1]. Heavy rain is forecast to continue which could cause further landslides. The monsoon season in Bangladesh has only just started and will last for the next two months. 

Children make up just over half of the Rohingya refugees living in the camps, the majority of whom fled violence in Myanmar nearly seven years ago. More than half a million children live in the camps which are congested and highly vulnerable to extreme weather. Most refugees live in flimsy shelters made of bamboo with just plastic sheets or tarpaulins for roofs which often leak. The shelters are tightly packed together on steep, bare hills putting them at risk of landslides.

Save the Children teams are repairing damaged water and sanitation facilities and centres used to provide essential services to Rohingya refugees. Some Save the Children learning centres are being used to house people who have lost their homes.

Heavy rain has also caused widespread flooding in northeast Bangladesh with hundreds of villages under water and at least 1.2 million people cut off after roads were submerged, according to local authorities [2].  About 4,000 people have been moved into emergency shelters as water levels continue to rise and further heavy rain is expected.

Shumon Sengupta, Country Director for Save the Children in Bangladesh, said:

 “This tragedy shows yet again how vulnerable Bangladesh is to extreme weather, and nearly a million Rohingya refugees – more than half of them children – are living in some of the most climate exposed areas in the country. The hills in Cox’s Bazar are crowded with shelters made of bamboo and tarpaulin and many of them cannot survive torrential rain. 

“The rains are forecast to continue this week – heightening the risk of further landslides and turning earth to mud. Life in the camps is precarious for children all year but they are particularly at risk during the monsoon season. They need homes that don’t leak or flood when it rains. Continuing heavy rain also raises the fear of an increase in waterborne diseases, such as cholera and diarrhoea. 

“It is vital that we protect all communities in Bangladesh from the effects of extreme weather events, which are getting more frequent and severe due to the climate crisis.”

Save the Children is one of the leading international NGOs working in the Cox’s Bazar camps in Bangladesh. It has reached about 600,000 Rohingya refugees, including more than 320,000 children, since the response began in 2017.

Notes to Editors:

[1] https://bangladesh.un.org/sites/default/files/2024-06/Flash%20Update%20Landslides_19%20June%202024.pdf

[2] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/6/19/landslides-kill-at-least-15-displace-millions-in-bangladesh-and-india

We have spokespeople available in Bangladesh. 
 
Multimedia content is available here

For interview requests and further information, please contact:  
 
Rachel Thompson, Asia Pacific Regional Media Manager rachel.thompson@savethechildren.org

Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409    
 
Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements, and location Vlogs.   

Source: Save The Children

Photo: Hurricane Otis damage last October – Miguel Vera/ Save the Children

LONDON,  20 June 2024 – About 35 million children are living in areas exposed to Atlantic hurricanes during what could be the most active hurricane season in recorded history, Save the Children said.

According to  new analysis by the child rights organisation, around 126 million people– of whom almost three in 10 are children–live in hurricane-prone areas in parts of the U.S., Latin America, the Caribbean, and eastern Canada. [1] 

Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, is expected to make landfall in northern Mexico on Thursday, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall, and potentially affecting more than 430,000 people, including 100,000 children.

The Atlantic hurricane season officially started this month and runs to the end of November. Researchers at the Colorado State University (CSU) predict 23 named storms this season, with 11 to become hurricanes and five to reach major hurricane strength (Category 3-5). While the National Hurricane Center in the US predicts the North Atlantic could see up to 25 named storms and four to seven major hurricanes by the end of November.   

This level of activity is 170% greater than the average season from 1991–2020, according to CSU researchers, mainly due to record warm sea surface temperatures due to human-induced climate change, the development of La Nina conditions in the Pacific, reduced Atlantic trade winds and less wind shear.  

Storms travelling across warming ocean waters draw in more water vapour and heat, leading to accelerated wind speeds and the potential to cause more damage if the storm makes landfall.

Children and families living in Haiti are particularly vulnerable this hurricane season, with more than 578,000 people displaced so far this year as parts of the country are overrun by armed gangs. The last major hurricane to hit the country – Hurricane Matthew in 2016 – killed nearly 600 people and left over 35,000 homeless. Several regions in the north of Haiti have already been hit by heavy rains this year, which triggered deadly flooding and landslides last month. 

As the climate crisis intensifies the frequency and severity of extreme weather events and coastal areas become more populated, millions of children in storm-prone areas face increased risks like floods, landslides, damage to homes and schools, heightened exposure to disease, and even death.  

Moa Cortobius, Save the Children’s Regional Climate Change Advisor for Latin America and the Caribbean said:  

“The climate crisis is making extreme weather events such as hurricanes and tropical storms more frequent and severe, affecting millions of children around the world – with those already disadvantaged by poverty and inequality, like in Haiti, at the sharp end. 

“If a major hurricane makes landfall in Haiti this season, the destruction and loss of life could be catastrophic due to the current instability in the country.  It is essential that humanitarian organisations can provide support to protect vulnerable communities before and after a major hurricane makes landfall.  

“Ultimately, it is human-induced climate change and a failure to limit warming temperatures that is driving these events and putting children’s rights and lives on the line. We need to see ambitious and urgent action to limit warming temperatures to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, or the already dramatic consequences for children’s health, safety, and wellbeing will intensify even further.

“We also need to ensure children’s rights, needs, and voices are placed at the heart of the response to climate change.” 

In Haiti, Save the Children is helping children and their families become better prepared for disasters and climate changes through its Allo Lekòl project in two regions of the country, South and Grand-Anse. The project is helping local authorities and community groups become better at handling disasters and climate changes, and supporting families, especially the most vulnerable, to learn new ways to earn money and become more resilient if a disaster strikes. Children are also learning to become leaders and advocates for environmental and climate issues. 

Save the Children’s emergency response experts have compiled ways to stay safe during the 2024 hurricane season. Learn how to help protect your children during and after disasters.   

ENDS 

Notes to Editor: 

[1] To calculate children at risk Save the Children looked at how many children live in areas in Latin America and the Caribean (LAC) and Canada that are at risk of hurricanes based on the history of hurricane trajectories data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Category 1 +). For the USA, we used the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) list of areas that are at moderate to high risk of hurricanes. Child populations for all countries were based on NASA’s Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). 

[2] The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the main governing body to issue watches and warnings for much of the Atlantic Basin, predicted for 17-25 total named storms, eight to 13 hurricanes, and four to seven major hurricanes. 

*******************************************************************************************************************

For further enquiries please contact:

Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements and location Vlogs.

Source: Save The Children

A doctor holds up Beata’s* newborn Beni*, following a successful caesarean section in Mahama Refugee Camp, Rwanda. Credit: Yagazie Emezi/Save the Children

• Award-winning photographer Yagazie Emezi captures how drones are helping refugees on World Refugee Day.

Drones content: www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2SOJS8X6 

Beata*: www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2SOGUTKG 

Anastase: https://www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2SOJS42N

Anne: www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2SOJS5IZ 

KIGALI, 19 June 2024: Drones delivering blood have revolutionised medical care for women giving birth at Rwanda’s largest refugee camp who no longer need to travel for hours to receive specialist care, Save the Children said.

This life-saving initiative came after Save the Children renovated the medical centre at Mahama Refugee Camp in eastern Rwanda near the Tanzania border last year and partnered with US drone company Zipline to enable quick delivery of blood and other medical supplies.

The drones are used to replenish the health centre’s small blood bank, which was established as part of the 2023 revamp. In an emergency, the drones can deliver blood from a medical warehouse to the centre within half an hour. Each drone is fully autonomous and can travel at 70mph, carrying up to two 400ml blood bags in ice to keep the blood at the right temperature.  

Previously, all patients needing blood transfusions, including women suffering from postpartum hemorrhaging, were taken to Kirehe District Hospital about 24 miles (38 km) away, a journey which takes about two hours by road. Now referrals to Kirehe Hospital have halved in the last year, while births at the camp’s medical centre have doubled to 1,256 between April 2023 and March 2024 compared to 672 the previous year.

Anastase previously worked at Kirehe hospital and is now a midwife at Mahama’s medical centre, which is one of two facilities supporting more than 63,000 refugees and asylum seekers in the camp as well as people from local communities. The other facility provides basic treatment and facilities. Anastase said:  

“I worked at the district hospital in Kirehe, receiving mothers in need of the C-sections [from Mahama]. The mothers came with complications – haemorrhages, bleeding, loss of blood, uterine ruptures. Sometimes they fell into a coma. The transfer was very painful for them, very difficult. It was very hard to manage those cases because they had spent many hours on the road.” 

Since the 2023 renovation, Mahama’s medical centre can now perform surgeries, including caesareans. Beata*, 27, has been living at Mahama camp for the past two-and-a-half years, having fled conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  When Beata* gave birth to her first son Kevin*, she had to be taken to the hospital for a caesarean. She said: 

“I had no contractions, but I could feel that my baby was stressed. They transferred me to Kirehe [hospital] on the same day. The road was so rough. I thought that I might deliver on the way.” 

Supported by a team of trained midwives at the medical centre, Beata* gave birth by cesarean to her second child, a healthy boy called Beni* in Mahama. She said: 

“Travelling to Kirehe to deliver is stressful. There is no family to take care of you. You just stay with strangers. You are basically on your own. That’s why we are so happy about this, it’s comfortable to deliver our babies here.” 

San Francisco-based Zipline started delivering blood and medical products in Rwanda in 2016, as well as now working in Ghana, Nigeria, Cote’d’Ivoire, and Kenya. A study by researchers at the US’s Wharton School last year found Zipline’s deliveries had led to a 51% reduction in Rwanda of in-hospital maternal deaths due to postpartum hemorrhage.

Maggie Korde, Save the Children’s Country Director in Rwanda, said:   

“Access to maternal and newborn healthcare is an essential right for all women and mothers, including refugees, many of whom feel particularly vulnerable having already faced unthinkable trauma and displacement. With the renovated medical centre and the introduction of drones, people needing blood transfusions, including women experiencing post-partum hemorrhaging, can now be treated at Mahama Camp. These drones are quite simply lifesaving”.  

Save the Children has been providing midwife support and delivering health and nutrition services to refugees living in Mahama Refugee Camp since 2016, working with the Government of Rwanda, and the support of UNHCR, BPRM, UNFPA, Japan Embassy, and other partners.   

The child right’s organisation has been working in Rwanda since 1994 to promote a bright future for children, with experience working in all 30 districts of the country. The main areas of focus are education, child protection, child rights governance and health and nutrition in humanitarian and development contexts. 

ENDS

*Names changed to protect anonymity

Media spokespeople available. Please contact:

Ruby Wright, Global Media Manager, ruby.wright@savethechildren.org

Our media out of hours (BST) contact is media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409   

Please also check our Twitter account @Save_GlobalNews for news alerts, quotes, statements, and location Vlogs. 

Source: Save The Children

Source: Save The Children

APPEL D’OFFRE- DRC

JUIN 2024

Numero: DAO/CON/DRC/TSH/2024/001 (

CONSTRUCTION D’INFRASTRUCTURES SCOLAIRES DANS LA PROVINCE EDUCATIONNELLE DU KASAI 1

SUBMISSION DEADLINE : Lundi 08 juillet 2024 à 12H00

PRE-SUBMISSION CLARIFICATION MEETING : 24/06/2024

QUESTIONS / CLARIFICATIONS : DRC.Tender@savethechildren.org

FORMAT FOR SUBMISSION : BIDDER RESPONSE DOCUMENT

PARTIE 1 : APPEL D’OFFRES

• Présentation de SCI
• Aperçu et exigences du projet
• Critères d ’attribution
• Consignes et informations clés

PARTIE 2 : CONDITIONS ESSENTIELLES ET SPÉCIFICATIONS

Description détaillée des conditions spécifiques de SCI (par exemple les volumes, les dates et lieux de livraison, les caractéristiques des produits, etc.).

PARTIE 3 : DOCUMENT DE RÉPONSE DU SOUMISSIONNAIRE

Modèle à utiliser pour soumettre une proposition en réponse au présent appel d’offres.

 1.    PRÉSENTATION DE SAVE THE CHILDREN

SCI est la principale organisation indépendante du monde à œuvrer pour les enfants. Nous sauvons des vies d’enfants, nous nous battons pour les droits des enfants, nous aidons les enfants à réaliser tout leur potentiel. Avec nos partenaires, nous nous efforçons de changer profondément la manière dont le monde traite les enfants et d’avoir un impact immédiat et durable sur leur vie.

Notre vision : un monde dans lequel chaque enfant exerce ses droits à la survie, à la protection, au développement et à la participation.

Notre mission : changer profondément la manière dont le monde traite les enfants et avoir un impact immédiat et durable sur leur vie.

Pour ce faire, nous mettons en œuvre un ensemble d’actions et de programmes avec les objectifs suivants :

• Fournir des articles de première nécessité et un soutien psychologique aux enfants victimes de catastrophes (ex : inondations, famine, guerres) ;
• Militer pour des changements à long terme afin d’améliorer la vie des enfants ;
• Améliorer l’accès des enfants à la nourriture et aux soins dont ils ont besoin pour survivre ;
• Garantir une éducation de bonne qualité aux enfants qui en ont le plus besoin ;
• Protéger les enfants les plus vulnérables du monde, notamment ceux séparés de leur famille en raison de la guerre, de catastrophes naturelles, de l’extrême pauvreté ou de l’exploitation ;
• Aider les familles à sortir du cercle vicieux de la pauvreté afin qu’elles puissent subvenir aux besoins de leurs enfants et les accompagner dans leur développement.

Pour plus d’informations sur notre travail et nos réalisations récentes, rendez-vous sur notre site web.

2. APERÇU DU PROJET

De plus amples informations sur les conditions spécifiques du projet (ex. : volumes, dates, spécifications, etc.) figurent à la Part 2 (Core Requirements & Specifications) du présent dossier d’appel d’offres.

3. CRITÈRES D’ATTRIBUTION

SCI s’engage à mener une procédure d’appel d’offres équitable et transparente et à veiller à ce que tous les fournisseurs soient traités et évalués de la même manière au cours de cette procédure. Les réponses des soumissionnaires seront évaluées en fonction de trois catégories pondérées de critères : critères essentiels, critères de développement durable, critères de capacité et critères commerciaux.

3.1.        CRITÈRES ESSENTIELS

Critères que les soumissionnaires doivent remplir pour accéder à l’étape d’évaluation suivante. Si un soumissionnaire ne remplit pas l’un des critères essentiels, il sera immédiatement exclu de la procédure d’appel d’offres. Le résultat de l’évaluation de ces critères est soit « Oui » soit « Non ».

3.2.        CRITÈRES DE CAPACITÉ (50%)

Critères utilisés pour évaluer la capacité, les compétences et l’expérience des fournisseurs par rapport aux conditions. Toutes les offres remplissant les critères essentiels seront évaluées au regard des mêmes critères de capacité convenus au préalable.

3.3.        CRITÈRES DE DEVELOPPEMENT DURABLE (10%)

Critères utilisés pour évaluer l’impact d’un fournisseur sur l’environnement, l’économie locale et la communauté. Les offres seront évaluées en fonction des mêmes critères préalablement convenus.

3.4.        CRITÈRES COMMERCIAUX (40%)

Critères utilisés pour évaluer la compétitivité commerciale d’une offre. Toutes les offres remplissant les critères essentiels et de capacités seront évaluées au regard des mêmes critères commerciaux convenus au préalable.

4. VETTING

Les soumissionnaires retenus doivent faire l’objet d’une enquête visant notamment à vérifier si leur organisation et les membres clés de leur personnel figurent sur des listes internationales de surveillance, de diligence renforcée ou de personnes politiquement exposées.

Cette vérification sera effectuée après la décision d’attribution et avant la signature de tout contrat ou la passation de toute commande. Si, au cours de cette procédure (ou à tout autre moment), il s’avère que le soumissionnaire a fourni des informations incorrectes, SCI peut revenir sur sa décision d’attribution.

5. CONSIGNES POUR LES SOUMISSIONNAIRES

5.1.     CALENDRIER

Les dates ci-dessus sont données à titre indicatif et sont susceptibles d’être modifiées. Toutefois, SCI s’engage à veiller à ce que tous les soumissionnaires soient informés de manière équitable et transparente de toute modification du calendrier.

5.2.     FORMAT DE LA SOUMISSION ET DOCUMENT DE RÉPONSE DU SOUMISSIONNAIRE

Les fournisseurs qui souhaitent soumettre une offre doivent utiliser le modèle de réponse du soumissionnaire figurant à la Partie 3 du présent dossier d’appel d’offres. Les offres incomplètes ou soumises dans un format différent seront rejetées.

Le document de réponse du soumissionnaire permet à ce dernier de présenter toutes les informations requises et d’être évalué de manière juste et équitable au regard des critères essentiels, des critères de capacité et des critères commerciaux. Il peut être demandé aux fournisseurs de présenter des pièces justificatives. Vous trouverez des consignes supplémentaires document de réponse du soumissionnaire figurant à la partie 3 de ce dossier.

Les offres peuvent être soumises par l’un ou l’autre des moyens suivants :

 Soumission électronique via ProSave

• Soumettez votre réponse conformément aux instructions fournies dans le document ci-dessous :

  Soumission par courrier électronique

• Le courrier électronique doit être envoyé à SCI RDC à l’adresse Quotations@savethechildren.org .
• Veuillez noter que cette adresse n’est utilisée que pour recevoir les soumissions et ne sera pas consultée avant la clôture de l’appel d’offres. Aussi, ne l’utilisez pas pour poser des questions sur l’appel d’offres, vous n’obtiendrez aucune réponse.
• Le courrier électronique doit avoir pour objet « Appel d’offres/ DAO/CON/DRC/TSH/2024/001 /Soumission – “ Nom du soumissionnaire ”, “ Date ” ».
• Le nom de chaque document joint doit clairement indiquer de quoi traite le document.
• Les courriers électroniques ne doivent pas dépasser 15 Mo – si les fichiers sont volumineux, merci de diviser la soumission en deux courriers.
• Ne mettez pas d’autres adresses électroniques de SCI en copie dans le courrier électronique de soumission, car cela rendrait l’offre invalide.

Soumission papier

• La soumission se fait en deux copies papier à en-tête et doit être envoyée à Tshikapa, sur l’Av TABACONGO Q. Centre-ville de Tshikapa, Province du Kasai, référence ETAT MAJOR.
• Les offres doivent être soumises dans une seule enveloppe scellée adressée à <>.
• L’enveloppe doit clairement indiquer le numéro de référence de l’appel d’offres (DAO/CON/DRC/TSH/2024/001), mais ne doit contenir aucun autre détail relatif à l’offre ou à l’identité du soumissionnaire.

Toutes les pièces justificatives doivent être clairement identifiées et regroupées (enveloppes individuelles, agrafes, etc.), puis incluses dans une même enveloppe scellée comme indiqué précédemment.

 5.3.     DATE LIMITE DE SOUMISSION DES OFFRES

 Votre offre doit être reçue au plus tard le 08 juillet 2024.

Les offres doivent rester valides et pouvoir être examinées pendant une période d’au moins 90 jours.

Source: Save The Children

About the people in the photos

Ghinwa*, 13, fled the war in Syria and now lives in a refugee settlement in Lebanon with her family. Photo: Jonathan Hyams / Save the Children.

Refugees and returnees cross the Joda border from Sudan into South Sudan. Photo: Marie-Sophie Schwarzer / Save the Children.

Beata*, 27, and her newborn Beni* outside a medical facility run by Save the Children in Mahama Refugee Camp, Rwanda, after fleeing the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Photo: Yagazie Emezi / Save the Children.

Jouman*, 16, fled the war in Sudan when violence erupted. Now she studies at a refugee school in Cairo, Egypt. Photo: Amira Hosny/ Save the Children.

Sofiia*, 14, holding her guitar in the family’s home in Wroclaw, Poland, as they were forced to flee Ukraine after the full-scale war started in February 2022. Photo: Save the Children.

Kasereka*, 15, plays football at a Child-Friendly Space in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement, Uganda. Kasereka and his family fled violence in DRC. Photo: Esther Ruth Mbabazi / Save The Children.

Views of the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Photo: Daphnee Cook / Save the Children.

Smiling Hassan*, 6, at a displacement camp in South Sudan. Hassan lives here with his family after fleeing the war in Sudan. Photo: Joel Bebe/ Save the Children.

*Names changed to protect identity.Preview of What makes a refugee? (COPY) (shorthand.com)

Source: Save The Children

NEW YORK/GENEVA/LONDON/NAIROBI/PARIS/ROME/, 13 June 2024 – “We, the Principals of the affected United Nations (UN) entities and International Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), call for the immediate and unconditional release of all personnel held in Yemen by the Houthi de facto authorities.

“We are extremely concerned about the Houthi de facto authorities’ recent detention of 17 members of our organizations [UN entities and INGOs] and many others associated with civil society organizations, national and international NGOs, and other organizations supporting humanitarian activities.

“These detentions are unprecedented – not only in Yemen but globally – and directly impede our ability to reach the most vulnerable people in Yemen, including the 18.2 million people who need humanitarian aid and protection.

“We ask the de facto authorities to confirm the exact whereabouts of those detained and the conditions in which they are being held, as well as for immediate access to them.

“International law prohibits the arbitrary deprivation of liberty. International Humanitarian Law requires all parties to armed conflict to respect and protect humanitarian personnel, including against harassment, mistreatment, and unlawful arrest or detention.

“The targeting of humanitarian, human rights, and development workers in Yemen must stop. All those detained must be immediately released.”

##### 

Signed by:

Achim Steiner, Administrator, UNDP

Amitabh Behar, Executive Director (interim), Oxfam International

Audrey Azoulay, Director-General, UNESCO

Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF

Cindy McCain, Executive Director, WFP

Inger Ashing, Chief Executive Officer, Save the Children International

Michelle Nunn, President and CEO, CARE

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO

Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, OHCHR

Source: Save The Children

NEW YORK, 12 JUNE 2024 – The reported decision by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to include the Israeli security forces, Qassam Brigades (Hamas) and Al-Quds Brigades (Islamic Jihad) in this year’s UN report on Children and Armed Conflict is a vital step towards holding these actors to account for devastating children’s lives, said Save the Children.

By listing these groups, Guterres sends the message that politics should not be prioritized ahead of children’s lives.

While it is the responsibility of the UN to verify all reported grave violations, the ongoing violence and lack of access for monitors in Gaza mean that any verified grave violations are likely to be a fraction of the true number. A formal mechanism for monitoring and reporting violations against children must now be established, said the child rights agency.

Inger Ashing, CEO for Save the Children, said in response to the annual report:

“We are relieved by the decision of the Secretary General to add these actors to this milestone report. Even in 2022 alone, 3,133 verified grave violations were committed against children in the occupied Palestinian territory and Israel, the second highest verified rate of any country that year.

Every time perpetrators are shielded from accountability, it fuels a climate of impunity. While we commend the Secretary General’s decision, it should not have taken a child rights catastrophe of the scale we have seen in Gaza to make it happen.

A formal mechanism for monitoring and reporting violations against children must now be established. To enable this, there must be assurance that aid workers, journalists and civil rights organizations will be protected and their work facilitated. All states must do everything in their power to protect children from further grave violations, including by halting transfer of weapons, parts, and ammunition to Israel and Palestinian armed groups.  

In war zones across the world, children are living through unspeakable horrors. About 468 million children globally are currently living in conflict zones. Many are experiencing the worst crimes that can be committed against children in conflict, from killing, maiming and abduction to sexual violence, recruitment into armed groups, and strikes on schools and hospitals. 

Children are not small adults – they have a special status in conflict, specific vulnerabilities, an additional set of rights afforded to them, and distinct obligations owed to them.

“The establishment of the Children and Armed Conflict mandate in 1997 was an inspiring example of what the international community is able to do when politics is set aside. It is one of the most powerful tools to hold accountable parties to conflict who destroy children’s lives, and ultimately protect children in conflict. By maintaining the credibility of this mandate, the UN is defending the rights of children everywhere”.

Notes:

Source for 2022 figures: https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n23/144/96/pdf/n2314496.pdf?token=4MM3hfTsiSeVDCqgLW&fe=true

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For further enquiries please contact:

Daphnee.cook@savethechildren.org .