These are the figures mentioned by the United Nations Humanitarian Agency (UNOCHA).
More than 700,000 children are affected by school closures due to violence in the north-west and south-west regions of the country, according to a recent analysis by the UN humanitarian agency (UNOCHA). Multiple deadly attacks in schools, kidnappings and killings that have created a climate of fear forcing teachers and students not to continue classes normally.
"This is one of the most complex humanitarian crises in the world today. Children and young people must flee their homes and schools, are threatened with violence and abduction, and are forced into early marriages and recruited into armed groups," said Yasmine Sherif, director of Education Cannot Wait. To this end, it calls for "urgent donor support to respond to this forgotten crisis. We call for respect for human rights and adherence to the principles of international humanitarian law and the Safe Schools Declaration, and we call on partners to redouble their efforts to ensure that all children and adolescents can regain the safety, protection and hope that quality learning environments offer."
According to UNOCHA, two out of three schools are closed in the English-speaking regions. A recent lockdown imposed by separatists from September 15 to October 2 limited access to basic services, including health and education. During this period, the UN body reported a series of attacks in the northwest. Eight students were kidnapped and one girl had her fingers cut off after trying to go to school. Five public school principals were also abducted, one of whom was killed.
