Protecting Children in Emergencies: Escalating Threats to Children Must Be Addressed

Since 1990, over 2 million children have died as a direct result of armed conflict. At least 6 million children have been permanently disabled or seriously injured, and more than 1 million have been orphaned or separated from their families. In contrast to a century ago, when only 5 percent of war casualties were civilians, today more than 90 percent of those killed and wounded as a result of hostilities are civilians, about half of them children. Natural disasters, such as the Asian tsunami of December 26, 2004, can affect even more children, causing them to lose their homes, their families, their schools, their access to adequate food, water and sanitation and even their lives in a matter of minutes. Despite these statistics, however, the protection of children remains a secondary concern for the international community in all phases of emergency response. The failure to protect children from these escalating threats not only results in personal tragedy but carries a long-term social cost as well, including the spread of HIV/AIDS, an elevated maternal and infant mortality rate, a loss of education and a generation of marginalized youth. THE BOTTOM LINE: Protecting children in crises must be a top priority in every stage of every emergency response.