Over 550,000 Libyan children need humanitarian assistance

CAIRO – 10 August 2017: The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Regional Director, Geert Cappelaere, said in a statement Wednesday that over 550,000 Libyan children are in need for humanitarian assistance amid 6 years of conflict. He urged the authorities, civil society, and international community to prioritize the wellbeing of girls and boys in Libya, especially the most vulnerable, to reach their full potential. He also called for an immediate political solution to the crisis and an end to the violence.

Cappelaere’s statement came during his first visit to the country, where he described the political situation in Libya as instable and dangerous for children. He said that 67 percent of schools don’t have enough water to cater for the pupils, and 48 percent do not have proper health facilities.

He also added that the on-going conflict, displacement, economic collapse, and heavy violence forced families to flee their homes. More than 80,000 children are internally displaced and vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, including detention in centers.
The UNICEF General Director concluded his statement by highlighting the international organization’s efforts to support and respond to children’s needs in Libya. “Since 2011, UNICEF has been expanding its assistance to respond to children’s needs on the ground. More than 1.3 million children were vaccinated against polio last year. UNICEF and partners, including national institutions, were able to maintain nearly universal immunization coverage even when violence was at its peak. UNICEF has partnered with 28 municipalities across Libya under the “Together for Children Campaign” to support children’s basic rights”.

He also explained UNICEF’s multi-sectoral approach to help children return to a normal routine and to overcome the negative effects of living in a conflict affected country. UNICEF establishes child friendly spaces to provide Libyan children with the opportunity to learn and receive psychosocial support, in addition to allowing boys and girls to speak about their dreams of living in peace and prosperity.

Cappelaere announced that “In October, UNICEF plans to have its entire international staff operating full-time from Libya and to further scale up the assistance to reach 1.5 million girls and boys and support strengthening of national institutions and civil society”.

On July 27th, UNICEF issued a Mid-Year Humanitarian Situation Report on Libya; the organization stated that the humanitarian situation in Libya remained precarious with unsafe living conditions and damaged critical infrastructure. This situation increases the vulnerability of children to injury and limits their access to already disrupted public services.

Furthermore, the July report revealed that Tripoli, has experienced severe power shortages, and fuel and water outages, leading to unrest and street protests in the affected areas. The World Bank also reported a cash shortage in the banking system, as the Libyan dinar has lost 70 per cent of its value in the parallel market, due to weak microeconomic fundamentals and foreign exchange restrictions.

UNICEF is the United Nations organization mandated to advocate the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential, especially the most vulnerable. The organization is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and operates in more than 190 countries around the world to translate its commitment into practical action to benefit all children, everywhere.