870,000 children killed in war in 5 years

CONFLICT

WORLD - A total of 870,000 children under the age of five died as a result of conflict in 10 most-affected countries between 2013 and 2017, according to a new analysis by Save the children.

DR Congo and South Sudan, where most of the nearly 1.2 million refugees in Uganda come from, are listed in the 10 war-torn countries.

Others include Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Iraq, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.

The numbers are published in a new Save the Children report, Stop the War on Children, which reveals that more children, almost 1 in 5 globally, are living in areas affected by armed conflict and war.

"The infants succumbed to indirect effects of conflict and war such as hunger, damaged infrastructure and hospitals, lack of access to health care and sanitation, and the denial of aid.  They probably would not have died if they hadn't been living in areas affected by conflict," the report reads.

"This report shows the sheer horror and brutality that children who flee to Uganda are escaping. Uganda has been a safe haven for refugee children for many years and it's vitally important that this continues." says Brechtje Van Lith, Save the Children's Country Director in Uganda.

He further noted that many children arrive scared and vulnerable, sick and malnourished, and emotionally scarred by the violence they have witnessed.

The report shows that the number of ‘grave violations' against children being killed or maimed, recruited by armed groups, abducted, falling victim to sexual violence, seeing their school attacked or humanitarian aid denied, has almost tripled since 2010.

The CEO of Save the Children International, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, said the report shows that, the way today's wars are being fought is causing more suffering for children.

"It is shocking that in the 21st century we are going backwards on principles and moral standards that are so simple. Children and civilians should never be targeted. Our analysis clearly shows the situation is getting worse for children and the world is allowing this travesty to happen."

Statistics further indicate that children's deaths are five times as many as the number of fighters killed (almost 175,000).

The children who survive death undergo despicable trauma. Research for the report interviewed numerous refugee children in Uganda including six-year-old Akello (not real name) who was raped in eastern DRC when an armed group attacked her village. She was separated from her parents and only survived after two months in hospital. Her brother was killed in the attack.

Her mother says, Akello oftenly wakes up screaming at night, she has stunted growth and prefers to stay on her own away from other people.