Category: Children and Wellbeing

Source: Save The Children

BOGOTA, 12 March 2024 – The devastating impact of the climate crisis on children in Colombia’s largest indigenous group, the Wayuu, is illustrated in this powerful series of photographs by Sony award winning photographer Angela Ponce released by Save the Children. 

For centuries, the group have lived off the land, but a series of crippling droughts, soaring temperatures, and the onset of El Nino have devastated the environment which is central to their culture and survival.

The arrival of the weather phenomenon El Nino in Colombia in November 2023[1] has resulted in record high temperatures and low rainfall, further exacerbating drought conditions and putting children’s lives at risk.  One million children in the country are expected to have been impacted by the effects of El Nino[2], of which Wayuu children are the most vulnerable as they are already suffering from chronic malnutrition and a lack of access to water.

Only one in 30 Wayuu children living in rural areas has access to clean water. [3] The water that is available is often taken from a “jaguey”, a natural aquifer which is reliant on rainwater and shared with livestock. This results in regular occurrences of diarrhoea and other waterborne diseases among children who are forced to drink the water.

Communities now struggle to sow crops because of the prolonged drought, resulting in widespread hunger which threatens the lives of Wayuu children. Last year 70 children lost their lives in the La Guajira region[4], which is an average of five young lives per month. The mortality rate for malnutrition amongst Wayuu children is over six times the national average.

The photographer Angela Ponce spent a week with a small community in the very north of the country in La Guajira meeting with children and their families, capturing daily life, traditions of their ancient culture and the impact of the climate crisis.

The children also learnt to develop their own images relying only on the power of the sun, through the process of “Cyanotype” printing, to symbolise the environmental challenges they face. Each artwork has a distinctive blue hue illustrating the desperate need for water in their community, and the indigenous plants that are vital for their survival.

Iveth, 16, who lives in a small Wayuu community in La Guajria said: “Here, the Wayuu, suffers from the lack of water. It can´t be found, as the weather is changing there aren’t seasons anymore.” 

“We used to go to the pond (for water), but it´s dry and muddy, so it is not healthy for us or the animals to drink. The water is far away, and to walk under this heat.

“Before we had orchards, it rained, the plants grew. We didn´t water the plants, the rain did. Now there´s no rain, the weather has changed so we can´t sow.

“What I wish for the future is my community´s well-being. For them to benefit from things like school, water, sowing… and for us to be healthy and the children don’t die. You know children are dying too often.”

Jamer, 12, is worried by the impact of El Nino and the changing climate. He is exhausted by the constant search for fresh water, often walking for miles in the searing heat of the desert just to find water for his family.

“We are very affected by the El Niño phenomenon because it has not rained…..our crops die, we suffer and then we are forced to look for water from far away where the jagüey (watering hole) is and we get tired with the wheelbarrow. It’s hard. What we sow dies, we are exhausted searching for water.

“We need water, what we drink is the polluted water from the pit (jagüey), where the donkeys drink and even urinate.”

Shruti Agarwal, Senior Advisor on Climate Change from Save the Children, said:

“The climate crisis hits the most vulnerable the hardest, and it is children who are paying the highest price for our lack of action. 

“Hundreds of millions of people in Indigenous communities across the world, like the children featured in these powerful photographs, are already experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change on their way of life, means of making a living, and fundamental human rights. Even though they contribute the least to greenhouse gas emissions.”

The children involved in the project are all part of a Save the Children programme to educate the Wayuu community about climate change and promote resilience. Save the Children’s programmes have empowered the children, teaching them valuable skills such as painting, filming, and addressing vital topics like waste management and deforestation.

Save the Children is raising the alarm that extreme weather events are becoming more frequent in lower income countries as a result of the climate crisis. This means the poorest families in these countries are less able to protect themselves when climate shocks occur in comparison to richer countries. The organisation calls for higher-income countries such as the UK to increase climate funding, to support lower-income countries, who are on the sharp end of the crisis.

Notes to Editors

IMAGES HERE:  www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2S3MZNYC

INTERVIEWS & BROLL: www.contenthubsavethechildren.org/Package/2O4C2S39MSB2

For more information and media inquiries, please contact Simon Edmunds at s.edmunds@savethechildren.org.uk or +447515855180.

Source: Save The Children

Photo by Bisan Owda/Save the Children 

RAMALLAH, 12 MARCH 2024 – Five months of violence, displacement, starvation and disease on top of nearly 17 years of a blockade have caused relentless mental harm to children in Gaza, Save the Children said today. Parents and caregivers told the child rights organisation that children’s capacity to even imagine a future without war has virtually disappeared. 

The emotional distress of dodging bombs and bullets, losing loved ones, being forced to flee through streets littered with debris and corpses, and waking up every morning not knowing if they will be able to eat has also left parents and caregivers increasingly unable to cope. The support, services and tools they need to care for their children are further and further out of reach.   

In findings published today, Dalia*, a mother in Gaza, said: “Our children have already lived through different wars. They already lacked resilience and now it’s very difficult to cope. The children are scared, angry and can’t stop crying. Even many adults do the same. This is too much for adults to cope with, let alone children.” 

The insights form an addendum to Save the Children research from 2022 charting the profound impacts of the Israeli Government’s then 15-years of blockade on the mental health of childrenⁱ. 

In the report, mental health and child protection experts working with Save the Children in Gaza said that without urgent action, starting with an immediate, definitive ceasefire and safe, unfettered humanitarian access, the war will inflict further lifelong detrimental mental harm, with rapidly shrinking opportunities to recover. 

Parents noted that children have given up on their hopes or ambitions for the future. 

Samer*, a father, said: “One of my sons dreamt of becoming an engineer and the other a policeman. Now one wants to drive a donkey cart – because he sees this reality […] [My other son’s] dream is selling biscuits in front of the house.” 

Amal*, a mother of four children in Gaza aged between 7 and 14, said: “Some of my children can’t concentrate on basic tasks anymore. They forget things that I’ve told them immediately and can’t remember things that have just happened. I wouldn’t even say that their mental health has deteriorated – it’s been obliterated. Complete psychological destruction.” 

The findings come as the Ministry of Health in Gaza reports that more than 30,717 people, including 12,550 children, have been killed since Israel’s military escalation in Gaza that started on 7 October* in retaliation to attacks on Israel killing 1200 people, including 33 children and taking more than 240 hostages, according to the Government of Israel.  

Lack of food and clean water is also creating a catastrophic hunger crisis, with nearly every child in Gaza at risk of famine. At least 15 children have died of malnutrition and dehydration in northern Gaza, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health*. With barely any health facilities functioning and families cut off from medical services, it is likely that the real figure is far higher – and all this is causing anxiety and stress in children and families to skyrocket, Save the Children said.  

Even before 7 October, children in Gaza were living with exceptionally poor mental health due to cyclical escalations of violence, the impacts of the blockade including restrictions on freedom of movement and access to essential services, economic collapse, and separation from family and friends.  

Those surveyed for the new report said they had witnessed a dramatic deterioration in the mental health of children that is much worse than during previous escalations in violence, manifesting in fear, anxiety, disordered eating, bedwetting, hyper-vigilance and sleep problems as well as behavioural changes such as an alternation in attachment style with parents, regression and aggression.  

Waseem*, a father, said: “Children here have seen everything. They’ve seen the bombs, the deaths, the bodies – we can’t pretend to them any more. Now they understand and have seen everything. Now, my son can even tell what types of explosives are falling – he can hear the difference.” 

While needs are soaring, the latest escalation in violence and the siege have caused a total collapse of mental health services in Gaza, with the six public community mental health centres and Gaza’s only inpatient psychiatric hospital no longer functioning, Save the Children said.  

Jason Lee, Save the Children’s Country Director for the occupied Palestinian territory, said:  

“It is unacceptable that any child should contend with the horrors that those in Gaza have lived through. While dodging bombs and bullets, fleeing through streets littered with debris and corpses, being forced to sleep in the open air and going without the basic food and clean water they need to survive, children in Gaza are going through a period of mass-scale shock and grief.  

“Children in Gaza were already living with unimaginable distress following 16 years of blockade and successive escalations in violence. This war and the physical and mental scars it is leaving on children is further eroding their resilience.  

“There is still hope that, with adequate support, this can be reversed. Throughout childhood, there are critical windows of opportunity to address the impact of conflict. But none of this is possible without an immediate, definitive ceasefire and safe, unfettered aid access so that humanitarians can provide the critical support needed.”  

Save the Children is calling for an immediate, definitive ceasefire to save and protect the lives of children in Gaza and effective implementation of the provisional measures from the ICJ, and has called on the Government of Israel to allow the unfettered flow of aid and the resumption of entry of commercial goods into Gaza to prevent children from dying of starvation and disease.   

Save the Children is also calling for all donor governments and the rest of the international community to resume and scale up funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) on which the aid response in Gaza depends as quickly as possible.    

Save the Children has been providing essential services and support to Palestinian children impacted by the ongoing conflict since 1953. Save the Children’s team in the occupied Palestinian territory has been working around the clock, prepositioning vital supplies to support people in need, and working to find ways to get assistance into Gaza.     

 

ENDS  

NOTES TO EDITORS  

• You can read the Trapped and Scarred addendum here
• In this paper Save the Children consulted with four partners in Gaza, who were providing Child Protection services before the war. Save the Children also spoke to four parents and caregivers in Gaza about the psychosocial wellbeing, behaviour, and coping mechanisms of their children since the escalation.  
• For the same research, in the West Bank, 32 children (17 girls, 15 boys) were consulted about how hearing dehumanising language about Palestinians impacts their mental health. They said that regularly hearing dehumanising language from Israeli government officials about Palestinians is also impacting their mental health, and they reported feeling pain, anger, weakness and that “nobody wants us to exist on the planet.” 
•  Key Informant Interviews were also carried out with Mental Health professionals based in the region, a Child Rights Organisation, and the Palestinian Commission of Detainees based in Ramallah.   
• The insights follow from Save the Children’s reports from 2018 and 2022 looking into the impact of blockade on the mental health of children in Gaza. 
• Due to the current level of hostilities and insecurity, as well as the restrictions on providing meaningful follow-up support to children, Save the Children regrets that it is not practical to meaningfully and responsibly conduct research on a larger scale. 
• Children can be more vulnerable to certain mental health stressors such as traumatic experiences, conflict, or significant changes in their environment, due to their ongoing development and limited coping mechanisms. As such, any mental (and physical) harm inflicted on children must be interpreted in line with their distinctive needs and vulnerabilities.  

 

*as of 7 March 2024 

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

Emily Wight, Emily.Wight@savethechildren.org;

Randa Ghazy, Randa.Ghazy@savethechildren.org;

For out of hours media (GMT) contact media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

Source: Save The Children

The situation of the world right now can be daunting and stressful for anyone, but especially for children.

With conflicts and wars taking over daily news coverage, children in your life have probably approached you with tough questions, and looking for answers and explanations to their worries.

We understand talking about war can be a complex and distressing topic, but taking the time to listen and talk to them about their worries will help them feel more calm and in control.

Our team of child psychologists have created this guide with five tips on how to make these conversations a little easier.

1. Make time and listen

Give children the space to talk then they want to – even if you’re in the middle of something else!

Encourage them to tell you what they know, how they feel and to ask you questions. 

Hamid* (12) has received psychosocial support from a Save the Children clinic in Al Gezira State, Sudan. Mosaab Hassouna / Save the Children

2. Tailor the conversation to the child

Older children will need more details while younger ones may be satisfied just by understanding that countries fight. 

Be informed, stay calm and answer questions honestly. 

Begin with simple information as too much detail may overwhelm them and cause anxiety.

3. Validate their feelings

Speak to the child about how they feel.

It is important that children feel supported in the conversation. They should not feel judged or have their concerns dismissed. 

When children have the chance to have an open and honest conversation about things upsetting them, they can feel relieved.

 Olena*(4) plays in the sports area in the bomb shelter of her kindergarten in Ukraine. Anastasiia Zahoskina/Save the Children

4. Reassure them

Remind them this crisis is not their problem to solve. Adults all over the world are working hard to fix the situation. 

They shouldn’t feel guilty playing, seeing their friends and doing the things that make them feel happy. 

5. Give them a practical way to help

For example they could start fundraisers, write letters to local decision-makers or create drawings calling for peace. 

Children who have the opportunity to help can feel like they are part of the solution instead of feeling hopeless.

Following the February earthquake, a group of children draw during a psychosocial support session in Türkiye. Osman Yıldız / Save the Children Türkiye

We all want our children to have a sense of safety, a feeling of calm, and hope for the future. If you liked this article and found it useful, save it and share it with family and friends as a handy resource for when children need support and hope.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW WE SUPPORT CHILDREN LIVING THROUGH CRISES.

Source: Save The Children

Photo by Bisan/Save the Children

RAMALLAH, 8 MARCH 2024 – Children in Gaza dying from starvation and disease cannot wait for the time it may take to build a temporary port off the Strip, or for the hope that aid dropped out of planes will reach them, Save the Children said.  

While welcoming efforts to provide more aid into Gaza, these alternative methods of aid delivery are costly, inefficient, and a distraction from the critical solution to save the lives of children and families in Gaza: an immediate, definitive ceasefire and safe, unfettered humanitarian aid access through all border crossings and within the Strip.   

So far, the Ministry of Health in Gaza has recorded 18 child and two adult deaths from malnutrition and dehydration. With healthcare facilities barely functioning and only a minority of families able to access any services, this is the tip of the iceberg, Save the Children said. In February, Save the Children reported that families were forced to forage for scraps of food left by rats and eat leaves out of desperation to survive. 

Jason Lee, Country Director for Save the Children in the occupied Palestinian territory, said: 

“Children in Gaza cannot wait to eat. They are already dying from malnutrition and saving their lives is a matter of hours or days – not weeks.  

“The denial of humanitarian assistance is a Grave Violation against children and is against international humanitarian law. For months, we have been calling for safe, unfettered access throughout all of Gaza.  

“There is already a tried and tested system in place to effectively co-ordinate aid, but trucks of food and medicines that could save lives are waiting at crossings, while children are starving just miles away. Airdrops, with no on-the-ground co-ordination of who it reaches, and maritime corridors like the one announced yesterday are no solutions to keep children alive. Neither are substitutes for unimpeded humanitarian assistance via the established land routes. 

“The Government of Israel and members of the international community must facilitate immediate entry of both humanitarian and commercial goods across all available border crossings, and throughout the Gaza strip. 

“For children in Gaza, every minute counts. We need a definitive ceasefire now, and in the meantime, we need immediate unhindered humanitarian access across all available routes.” 

 

ENDS  

Save the Children is calling for an immediate, definitive ceasefire to save and protect the lives of children in Gaza and effective implementation of the provisional measures from the ICJ, and has called on the Government of Israel to allow the unfettered flow of aid and the resumption of entry of commercial goods into Gaza to prevent children from dying of starvation and disease.     

Save the Children is also calling for all donor governments and the rest of the international community to resume and scale up funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) on which the aid response in Gaza depends as quickly as possible.    

Save the Children has been providing essential services and support to Palestinian children impacted by the ongoing conflict since 1953. Save the Children’s team in the occupied Palestinian territory has been working around the clock, prepositioning vital supplies to support people in need, and working to find ways to get assistance into Gaza.     

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For media enquiries please contact:

Emily Wight, Emily.Wight@savethechildren.org;

Randa Ghazy, Randa.Ghazy@savethechildren.org;

For out of hours media (GMT) contact media@savethechildren.org.uk / +44(0)7831 650409

Source: Save The Children

Cousins Kpemeh*, 18 and Kuji*, 19 walk home hand in hand in Kailahun, Sierra Leone. More content available here. 

FREETOWN, 8 March 2024 – When 19-year-old Kuji* managed to stop her cousin Kpemeh’s* marriage at age 15 and she returned to school, the girls hoped it would set an example for others in their village in rural eastern Sierra Leone. Now it seems their campaigning could help girls nationwide. 

Kpemeh* was only 12 when a man expressed interest in marrying her. Her parents, whose farming just covers the family’s immediate needs, felt financial pressure and agreed to the marriage. But Kpemeh* was adamantly opposed to such a union. She knew she was not ready, and her education was too important to her.  

Kpemeh* resisted the marriage for three years after which her parents stopped paying her school fees and she had to drop out.  

While visiting relatives in a nearby village, Kpemeh*’s cousin Kuji* heard about her situation. Kuji* is an early child marriage champion with Save the Children and encouraged her cousin to stand up for her rights and for her education. Kuji* also reported the case to the village chief, who fined Kpemeh*’s parents and prevented the marriage.  

While Kpemeh* escaped early marriage, many girls in Sierra Leone are not so fortunate. About one third of girls in Sierra Leone are married before the age of 18, and another one third give birth before age 19, according to a report by the Ministry of Health. Sierra Leone has one of the highest child marriage, early pregnancy, and maternal mortality rates in the world, with 443 mothers dying in every 100,000 live births.  Adolescent mothers are at particular risk of birth and pregnancy complications. 

Both now trained as Save the Children champions,  Kpemeh* and Kuji* have jointly campaigned against child marriage, and last year all the chiefs in Kailahun district in eastern Sierra Leone unanimously agreed to criminalise child marriage, making it punishable with fines and other penalties. Save the Children also set up a toll-free phone number to report any suspected cases of child marriage.  

Kpemeh* said: “I will say to [people in the community] that there is this project that I am part of, I am here to advise you about early child marriage. Those of us who are under 18 should steer clear of early marriage. Whenever I share this message, people listen and abandon such practices.” 

An historic bill based on the village’s bylaws will soon be introduced to the Sierra Leone parliament which, if passed, would criminalise child marriage, including promoting, attending, or abetting one. The bill would also nullify any existing law that supports child marriage. 

Another trained campaigner, Ibrahim*, 23, recalled attitudes before the Save the Children-led training on child marriage.  

Ibrahim said: “Early marriage was happening, but we saw it as something good because we didn’t know. It’s so frequent. A soon as we see a friend get married, then someone would say I am going to get married. Or if a girl brags about her pregnancy, her friend would also say I will get pregnant too. 

“But after being explained the negative effects, we realised it’s not good… so, we spoke to our friends, so they can stop doing it [early marriage]. It’s child abuse… and they should stop it.” 

Ibrahim started visiting children who were not attending school and were susceptible to child marriage. By listening to children and families without judgment, and by stressing the importance of education, Ibrahim has seen a huge increase in school attendance in his village and the exam pass rate jumped to 95% from 60-70%. 

Paramount Chief Henry H. Baion III said: 

“Paramount Chiefs, including me, in this chiefdom were guilty of supporting child marriage [before]. When the programme came, I was sceptical about the concept and supported reluctantly. As I got to understand what it was about, I realised it is something good for our community and children.” 

Communities, like those in Kailahun, are leading the charge against child marriage. At the national level, 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.  

Save the Children is calling for the government of Sierra Leone to see this bill become law and protect the future of children.  

 Patrick Analo, Save the Children Sierra Leone Country Director said: 

“Child marriage effectively stops a girl’s childhood. It not only violates her rights, but also puts her life at risk. Girls who are married young are less likely to continue with their education, leading to lifelong economic impacts for them, their families, and communities. We are encouraged by the work done in the community level in Kailahun and call for these local bylaws to be made nationwide.” 

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 

For further enquiries please contact:

Anna Rauhanen anna.rauhanen@savethechildren.org

Kunle Olawoyin Kunle.Olawoyin@savethechildren.org

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

Source: Save The Children

COPENHAGEN: 8 March 2024: A new ‘Girls Unstoppable’ programme has its sights on freeing up girls in China, Indonesia, Mexico and Vietnam from chores and care work and getting them into girls clubs to meet, play, and gain confidence to campaign about issues important to them.

Launching on International Women’s Day, the programme by the LEGO Group, the LEGO Foundation and Save the Children will directly support over 10,000 girls aged between 10 and 13 by setting up clubs and workshops where they can learn how to advocate for their rights.

Girls are often discouraged from being outspoken or ambitious, whilst boys are encouraged and rewarded for speaking up, according to Save the Children analysis from China, Indonesia, Mexico and Vietnam, June 2023. The analysis also showed that girls did more unpaid work in the home and were deprived of time to learn, play, and explore their creativity and build friendships.  Siska*, 13 from, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia said:

“My friends and I, especially the girls, have limited access to play. I have two friends from my class who rarely play with me because they must sweep the house and clean dirty dishes at home. As girls, it is expected of them.”

Lili*, 11, from China, said:

“Play makes me have more time to stay with my friends and our relationship will be deeper and deeper. And I also can learn from my friends during play.”

The ‘Girls Unstoppable’ programme will work with schools and girls clubs, creating new girls clubs where they don’t exist.

Mai*, 11, Vietnam, is a proactive leader in her child led group, she said:

“I used to have stage fright when speaking in front of many people but now I no longer shy away from it. I can freely express myself and whenever I do that, I feel like I am shining.”

Girls will have the opportunity to decide on topics for workshops and trainings, such as knowing your rights, staying safe, making informed decisions, and campaign planning.

Activities will be adapted to the local context. Mexico campaign strategies are being developed to support girls that belong to indigenous communities and other vulnerable groups. Children across all four countries will be encouraged to write a journal, where they can document their thoughts and feelings to support their mental wellbeing.

In addition to empowering girls, the programme also breaks down gender barriers and addresses cultural norms, which prevent girls from reaching their full potential.

Olivia*, 11, from Puebla, Mexico, thinks that teachers don’t listen to what girls have to say. She said:

“Above all, many more stereotypes have been imposed on females than on men and much harsher, so women are always oppressed, guarded, taking care of the children and not going out or leading.”

The activities in the four countries will also be used to raise global awareness about the barriers that girls face in accessing their rights and how to overcome them, so girls’ and women’s rights are respected at all levels in societies.

Johanne Schmidt­-Nielsen, CEO at Save the Children Denmark, said:

“We believe in the power of play to unlock a child’s potential. Through Girls Unstoppable, we aim to inspire and support girls in developing critical skills that will contribute to their personal and societal development.

“Girls Unstoppable will not only empower girls but also break down gender barriers and cultural norms inhibiting their growth individually and as a group. Save the Children is proud to partner with the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation in this transformative programme.”

In addition to the 10,000 girls reached directly, the programme will directly support around 5,000 boys, around 2,000 teachers, and around 1,000 community members through initiatives such as workshops and trainings, to create long-lasting change. ‘Girls Unstoppable’ will indirectly reach over 330,000 girls, boys, caregivers, teachers and community members through advocacy and awareness campaigns. Around 2.2 million people will be reached via online activities, such as social media campaigns.  

ENDS

*Name changed to protect anonymity

About the partnership

The LEGO Group and LEGO Foundation are crucial partners to achieve Save the Children’s ambition – that all children survive are protected and learn. In the past decade, we have been collaboratively implementing more than 45 impactful programmes helping hundreds of thousands of children in 29 countries across the globe. Together we are committed to helping children thrive and reach their full potential through quality learning and wellbeing interventions incorporating play, playful approaches, and holistic development.

With learning through play at its core, the programmes born from this collaboration strengthened children’s holistic development by working in hundreds of pre-schools, schools, and child friendly spaces; supporting emergency responses to conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters; and advocated with governments, education institutions and caregivers on the transformative power of playful learning and play-based psychological support.

About the LEGO Group

The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine.

The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt, which mean “Play Well”. Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. However, its products are now sold in more than 130 countries worldwide. For more information: www.LEGO.com

About the LEGO Foundation

The LEGO Foundation aims to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow; a mission that it shares with the LEGO Group. The LEGO Foundation is dedicated to building a future where learning through play empowers children to become creative, engaged, lifelong learners. Its work is about re-defining play and re-imagining learning. In collaboration with thought leaders, influencers, educators and parents the LEGO Foundation aims to equip, inspire and activate champions for play. www.learningthroughplay.com

For media interviews please contact:

Jonas Fruensgaard, Communications Officer (Denmark) jofn@redbarnet.dk

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

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Source: Save The Children

OUAGADOUGOU, 7 March 2024 – Over 2,000 children in Burkina Faso are suspected to have contracted measles in the past four months as a deadly outbreak spreads across the country, Save the Children said, calling for greater support for affected communities.  

Since the outbreak started last November, the country has recorded more than 2,000 suspected measles cases – nearly the same amount as for all of 2023 – including seven deaths. Children aged between one and 15 account for 96% of cases, according to the country’s public health institute. 

The outbreak shows no signs of abating, with about 1,700 cases recorded in February alone, and cases continuing to rise every week. The capital Centre region has been the most affected, with about 37% of reported cases.  

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases, which, if untreated, can cause blindness, pneumonia, and death. In typical cases, symptoms include a high fever, cough, and a rash. In pregnant women, contracting measles raises the risk of miscarriage and premature birth. 

While measles is preventable with two doses of a vaccine, Save the Children data shows that unvaccinated individuals accounted for nearly 90% of the confirmed measles cases.  

Globally, measles cases surged 79% in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to WHO, mainly due missed vaccinations and overwhelmed health systems during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Burkina Faso is prone to measles outbreaks, with the country reporting 2,190 measles cases in 2023, 252 cases in 2022, 3,866 cases in 2021, and 2,480 cases in 2020. 

Save the Children is calling for the continued mobilisation of healthcare professionals, including doctors and nurses, to provide crucial support in districts affected by the outbreak, as well as awareness in other regions on the prevention of the epidemic.  

Benoit Delsarte, Save the Children Country Director in Burkina Faso, said:  

“It is urgent to stop this disease for the well-being of children, their parents and communities. Save the Children commends the prevention and care measures taken by the government and its partners, while calling for greater mobilisation to provide crucial support to the districts affected by the epidemic and to strengthen the vaccination programme already underway”. 

Save the Children has been working in Burkina Faso since 1982, with programs in child health, education, and protection. These programmes focus on improving maternal and child health, addressing malnutrition and food insecurity, promoting school enrolment particularly for girls, ending child marriage, and keeping children safe, as well as raising awareness of children’s rights. 

ENDS 

For further enquiries please contact:

Anna Rauhanen anna.rauhanen@savethechildren.org

Kunle Olawoyin Kunle.Olawoyin@savethechildren.org

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

Source: Save The Children

Ria* and her cricket team in Madhesh Province, Nepal. Credit: Suzanne Lee / Save the Children

KATHMANDU: 7 March 2024 – Teams of girl cricketers who joined forces on and off the pitch to campaign against child marriage are taking part in their first provincial ‘all-girls’ tournament after their successful campaign to end child marriage in two municipalities.

The tournament covers Madhesh and Koshi Provinces and is taking place from 5 to 8 March with the final coinciding with International Women’s Day. 

Ria*, 16, from Khadak Municipality, is the chairperson of her cricket club and a player in the regional tournament. Ria* is also a passionate advocate for ending child marriage. She said:

“When we’re playing cricket, we hit [the] ball away with our bat. Similarly…we can hit away the child marriage.”

Save the Children and local partner Sabal Nepal have supported girls’ cricket clubs to campaign against child marriage.

Local authorities declared Surunga municipality the first ‘child marriage-free’ municipality in Madhesh Province in November 2022, with the number girls and boys who are married under the age of 18, decreasing from a baseline of around 36% to 4% of the child population. They were followed by Khadak municipality in December 2023 where the rate of child marriage fell from around 20% to 7%. Success was measured using indicators such as a notable decline in cases of child marriage, improved reporting and a commitment to ending the practice from local authorities, parents and children.

Save the Children and Sabal Nepal have been working with local governments, the police, schools, teachers, community health workers, and community leaders to raise awareness, as well as advocating for stronger frameworks to end child marriage in Surunga and Khadak municipalities. Seven other districts in Madhesh Province are preparing to declare themselves child marriage-free by 2030.

Child marriage is a serious human rights violation that disproportionately affects adolescent girls, although boys can also be impacted.

Ria*’s older sister was married as a child. She said:

“Girls get married in our community at a very early age. Despite knowing it’s wrong, girls my age are forced to get married.”

South Asia has the world’s highest number of child brides, with around one in four young women first married or in union before their 18th birthday, according to UNICEF. There are around 5.3 million child brides in Nepal, despite it being illegal to marry under the age of 20.

The girls cricket team was established in 2018 by Save the Children and Sabal Nepal. There are now six girls’ cricket teams, across two provinces. One player from each of the six cricket teams is taking part in the regional tournament. 

Members of the cricket team use street performances, rallies and public debates to raise awareness of the devastating impact child marriage has on girl’s education, health and wellbeing, in addition to putting them at high risk of sexual abuse and violence. The teams also provide information on how to report cases to the authorities. Ria* said:

“We staged dramas on child marriage, conducted door-to-door campaigns, played cricket, and now our ward has been declared as child marriage free!”

Members of the cricket clubs also overcome gender stereotypes in their families and communities, as cricket is traditionally viewed as a male sport. Ria* said:

“Girls and cricket! People used to be amused at first. Boys used to tell us, go do the household chores, cricket is for boys. But once we started our own girls cricket team, and started bringing home trophies and prizes, their negative perception changed entirely.”

Tara Chettry, Country Director, Save the Children Nepal, said:

“Child marriage robs children of their childhoods. It is deeply rooted in patriarchal beliefs, and harms children and their futures.  It’s critical that we put an end to this practice which is so damaging to children and the best way to do this is through empowering children and communities to demand change.”

The cricket teams are provided with equipment, such as cricket bats, balls, pads, stumps and gloves, in addition to access to a sports ground.

Notes

*Name changed to protect anonymity

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Save the Children Nepal

Save the Children has been working in Nepal since 1976, through its programmes on child protection, child rights governance, child education, climate change, gender equality, health and nutrition, livelihood and social protection, and humanitarian responses.

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future, in Nepal and around the world. The organisation works for children so that their rights to a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn, and receive protection from harm are met. Together with children, families, and communities, as well as supporters the world over, the organisation achieves lasting results for millions of children.  With over 100 years of expertise and present in Nepal since 1976, the organisation is the world’s first and leading independent children’s organisation.

Sabal Nepal

SABAL Nepal is a leading humanitarian and development organisation working in the field of disaster risk reduction, water and sanitation, governance, community development, livelihoods, clean energy and climate change in Madhesh province, with its headquarter in Rajbiraj, Saptari, a branch office at Mirchaiya, Siraha, and field office in Khadak Municipality, Kalyanpur, Saptari. SABAL has over a decade of experience delivering emergency response, crisis management, sanitation and governance. The organisation focuses on the needs of the most vulnerable populations, particularly, youth, adolescent, girls, women and people with special needs. Water and sanitation is at the heart of SABAL Nepal efforts because experience shows that its gain can translate into benefits for the households, society, local government and SDG 2030. Essentially, SABAL Nepal’s humanitarian and development work is our commitment to help rebuild safer, stronger, effective, environment friendly places that people call home. Our programmes to improve health and education, promote social justice, water, sanitation and hygiene, open up economic opportunities make communities more resilient and less vulnerable to the factors that causes poverty.

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Source: Save The Children

The Lebanon Humanitarian INGO Forum, made up of 66 international non-governmental organizations, expresses profound concern over the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon, particularly in the South, that has now entered its sixth month.¹

So far, a shocking 91,288 civilians have been displaced – 37 % of whom are children and 33 % of whom are women – and 42 civilian lives, including 7 children, have been tragically lost. ^{2 3} 50 schools have also already closed, depriving 60,000 children’s access to education in the region. Further, 9 primary healthcare centers have closed due to the security situation. ^{4 5}

The financial impact of the ongoing hostilities on Southern Lebanon has amounted to 1.2 billion USD in direct losses including affected agricultural lands, with an additional 300 million USD in indirect losses, including businesses affected. ⁶ Independent researchers have also noted that 520 residences have been damaged, while 3,300 others have incurred partial damages.

Worryingly, the unlawful use of white phosphorus munitions is a threat to civilian lives and agricultural lands, particularly in a region heavily reliant on agriculture for livelihood, with 47,000 olive trees and other crops already destroyed. ^{7 8}

These figures are extremely distressing in a country reeling from its worst economic crisis in decades, where the ongoing escalation of violence will continue to have a dramatic impact on civilian populations in the country, many of whom are already dependent on humanitarian assistance for basic needs.

Wafaa, a 48-year-old single mother of three recently widowed, hails from Kfar Kela, an area in Southern Lebanon heavily bombarded during conflict. She shares the immense challenges she faces following the destruction of her home and loss of her husband due to hostilities: ⁹

“I got a phone call saying that our home is fully damaged. Imagine! What shall I do? Where will I go? We lost everything … When we fled our home, we did not carry any clothes with us. Today, my children and I only have the clothes on us, and when we need to wash them, we lock ourselves in a room until that outfit is dry”.

Roula, a 21 year old also displaced from Kfar Kela, stated: ¹⁰

“I am sad. I stay in my room most of the time. I want my life back. I want to work again. I need the money, but I also need to feel that I have a purpose.”

While people in Southern Lebanon need assistance more than ever, the escalation of violence has restrained the delivery of humanitarian assistance and restricted the work of humanitarian organizations trying to support all affected communities, particularly communities in hard-to-reach border towns. Despite these challenges, humanitarian organizations remain committed to delivering assistance. We urge all stakeholders to guarantee unimpeded access for humanitarian actors, allowing us to continue our work safely to provide aid to those in need. We remind all parties to the conflict that civilians, humanitarian workers, and civilian infrastructure are not a target. We strongly appeal to the international community and relevant authorities to prioritize the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon, bringing an end to the suffering and hardships of civilians who are only striving to live safe and dignified lives. We call upon stakeholders to uphold international law and work towards a permanent ceasefire in the region.

Notes to Editors

1 The Lebanon Humanitarian INGO Forum (LHIF) is an informal and independent coordinating body comprised of 6 international NGOs (INGOs) who are working to address the needs of vulnerable individuals, families and communities throughout Lebanon.

2 UNOCHA, January snapshot

3 IOM Mobility Snapshot Round 26, 29 February 2024

4 Lebanon at a Glance – UNOCHA – February 21, 2024

5 Lebanon situation update # 12 – Relief Web. February 2024

6 Asharq Al-Awsat Newspaper, February 2024

7 Save the Children Press Release, February 2024

8 The Ministry of Agriculture estimated in November 2023 that 460 hectares of forests and orchards had been affected by white phosphorus, with figures currently expected to be higher

9 Wafaa’s real name has been changed to protect her identity

10 Roula’s real name has been changed to protect her identity