Around 800,000 children have been forced to flee their homes as a result of the conflict in northeast Nigeria between Boko Haram, military forces and civilian self-defence groups – according to a new report from UNICEF.
“Also many girls and boys have gone missing in Nigeria – abducted, recruited by armed groups, attacked, used as weapons, or forced to flee violence. They have the right to get their childhoods back,” says Manuel Fontaine, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa.
UNICEF has stepped up its humanitarian response to the crisis. Over the past six months, UNICEF has provided over 60,000 children affected by the conflict in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad with counseling and psychosocial support to help them ease the pain of their memories.
UNICEF is also working with partners to provide safe water and life-saving health services and restore access to education by creating temporary learning spaces.
