By Merve Aydogan
HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - At least two children are killed or injured every day in Ukraine, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Wednesday as it highlighted the toll of the war with Russia on children.
"The UN has verified that at least 2,406 children have been killed or injured since February 2022 -- an average of two children every day," the head of the agency, Catherine Russell, said at a Security Council session on Ukraine.
Emphasizing the escalating effect on children, she said, "The UN verified more child casualties during the first nine months of 2024 than we did during all of 2023."
"That is the true cost of a war. But it does not end there," she said, adding that nearly 3.6 million Ukrainians are internally displaced and 6.7 million have become refugees.
She said that "children spend up to six hours every day sheltering in basements and other damp, dark spaces under blaring air raid sirens, fearing for their lives."
Noting the destruction wrought on critical infrastructure, she reported that "over the past 1,000 days, almost 1,500 educational institutions and more than 660 health facilities have been damaged or destroyed."
Russell described the psychological toll on children. "Children are impacted by the constant threat and fear of attacks or violence, the loss of loved ones, the separation of families due to displacement, and the disruption of education -- including isolation due to long-term online learning," she said. "The consequences of such trauma can be devastating and have a long-lasting impact on children’s mental health.”
She also highlighted the dangers posed by landmines in Ukraine, and said, "Eastern Ukraine was already one of the world’s most mine-contaminated stretches of land even prior to the recent escalation -- a reality which now has extended to other parts of the country."
While expressing gratitude for international support, she stressed the need for continued commitment.
"Investment in the future of children is fundamental," she said, adding that "humanitarian efforts, while vital, cannot be a substitute for a political solution to end the war and suffering."
Calling for urgent action, Russell said: "We again call for the support of members of this Security Council, and the parties to this conflict to take immediate steps to protect children caught in this nightmare."
"Children are depending on this Council to provide solutions. We cannot and we must not let them down," she said.