UNICEF: Sudanese children bear the brunt of vicious war

October 10, 2024 | 03:45 PM ET |

In an interview from Sudan, UNICEF Representative in the country Sheldon Yett said,

Kids, didn’t start this war. They are not the ones who are really fighting this war, and they’re not responsible for this war. But they are the victims.”

As schools and health facilities are being targeted, Yett discussed the impact of armed violence on children. Along with the challenges humanitarians confront in reaching those in need, he also talked about UNICEF’s efforts to curb the spread of contagious diseases.

According to Yett,

It’s one thing for somebody to say something at a very senior level, and it’s something else to see that those are pledges enacted on the ground, on the battlefield. What really matters is the guy with a gun on the road allowing the truck to go forward. And that’s what we need.”

Yett also expressed concern about the long-term impact of the war on students, claiming that Sudan is currently the “largest educational emergency” that he is aware of.