Soldatenglück

SWABI, Pakistan, 3 June 2009 | As of 27 May, more than 2.5 million people have been registered as displaced by the current conflict in northern Pakistan. While nearly 200,000 are staying in government-run camps, the large majority, around 2.3 million, are with increasingly over-burdened relatives and friends and in makeshift shelters in schools and other government buildings. UNICEF is focused on ensuring that their right to be educated is not disrupted.

The majority of those who have been displaced by the conflict are women and children and these events have left their mark. Many of these children have been heavily traumatized by their experiences and all of them have had their lives seriously disrupted, says Programme Communication Officer for UNICEF in Peshawar, Shandana Aurangzeb Durrani.

In addition to providing school tents and school supplies such as school-in-a-box, school bags and stationery, UNICEF helps to ensure that these schools have teachers by supporting the payment of teachers salaries and providing mobility support.

However, with the number of displaced children growing daily, increased funds are urgently needed to set up and support more schools, both within the camps and in host communities.

At the moment, only 22 per cent of UNICEFs recent appeal has been funded. With $11 million received against $53 million needed, UNICEF requires an additional $41.4 million to help provide the most urgently needed assistance in health and nutrition services, education and child protection.

(Video-, Textquelle: UNICEF.org)