After a 10-day mission, a UNICEF official witnesses harsh conditions for children in Darfur

Speaking to UN News from the Chadian capital, N’Djamena, UNICEF spokeswoman Eva Hinds said that the UNICEF delegation’s visit to Darfur enabled the team to determine the situation of children, especially the most vulnerable, what their needs are, and what support is required and provided on the ground.

Hinds said: “Darfur has witnessed violent fighting for a long time, and there are a large number of children who have been displaced not only once, but twice.”

A major vaccination campaign in Darfur

The UNICEF delegation’s visit coincided with the final days of a major measles vaccination campaign launched by UNICEF in early January, in cooperation with health authorities and partners, targeting 6 million children across Darfur states.

Eva Hinds stressed that overcrowding in displacement sites significantly increases public health risks and disease outbreaks.

She noted that the mothers who attended the vaccination sites showed a clear understanding of the importance of preventive health care. Hinds said: “I spoke to the mother of a young girl at the vaccination site, and the mother said that she fully understands the importance of vaccinating her child to ensure her protection.”

Half a million displaced people in Tawila

The UN spokeswoman said that the Tawila area in North Darfur has become one of the largest concentrations of internally displaced people in Darfur. It is estimated that there are about 500,000 people there, and people continue to arrive in the area in dire conditions.

She went on to say: “When you see it for yourself, you see these little straw dwellings that people are staying in, and when you look in any direction, they extend as far as the eye can see, whether you look right or left. They are so huge. It looks more like a city than a camp. It is definitely one of the largest displacement sites I have seen.”

Despite the enormous needs, Hinds stressed that UNICEF teams and partners are providing vital services wherever possible. She said: “We are on the ground, providing support, and it is great to see colleagues working in these different areas of work.”

Support protection, education and recovery

The protection of children remains a central priority for UNICEF, especially children who have fled violent fighting. Eva Hinds said: “These are children who have fled places like El Fasher and Zamzam camp, and protection services are essential for them.”

The UNICEF spokeswoman said the organization is creating safe spaces where children can begin to heal from the traumas they have experienced. She continued: “This psychosocial support is an opportunity to play, an opportunity to spend time with friends, and slowly begin the healing process.”

UNICEF is also supporting the expansion of education support through safe learning spaces, although demand far exceeds capacity, according to Ms. Eva Hinds.

She said: “We provide learning support. So these are safe learning spaces where children start learning, and many of these spaces are overcrowded because there is so much need for education. Many of these children have missed the opportunity to learn for a very long time.”

UNICEF provides water to displaced people

Eva Hinds emphasized that access to clean water, sanitation, health care and nutrition remains essential to prevent disease outbreaks in densely populated displacement sites.

added: “We also provide safe and clean water through water tanks. We provide support in the field of health and nutrition, i.e. integrated primary health care centres.”

“All you need are textbooks and a backpack.”

The UNICEF spokeswoman said she spoke directly with children and parents, and their requests were often simple. Hinds recalled saying: “There was a little girl who grabbed my sleeve and said hello, and all she asked for were textbooks and a backpack.”

At a center for women and girls, Eva said she heard similar pleas: “These women’s requests were very simple. As the temperatures dropped, they asked for blankets because the children were suffering from the extreme cold.”Pointing out that many women were caring not only for their children, but also for other children who were separated from their families.