UNICEF warns that four million children “fight for their survival” after the floods in Pakistan

Jan. 17 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned this Tuesday that four million children “fight for their survival” after the torrential rains recorded in summer in Pakistan and has asked to maintain aid to help deal with the crisis .

“The rains have ended and, sadly, much of the media attention has also ended. Yet four million children are fighting for their survival near polluted and stagnant water,” said UNICEF Representative in Pakistan Abdullah Fadil.

Thus, he has stated that these children “suffer a harsh winter without adequate shelter” due to the destruction of their homes and has pointed to “a heartbreaking story” due to the floods, which have left “villages turned into islands, children taken to orphanages , families who continue to live under pieces of plastic in a state of literally freezing.”

“The figures also tell a story: that of a nightmare that continues for the children of Pakistan,” he pointed out, while detailing that “in the districts affected by the floods, around 1.6 million children were already suffering from malnutrition acute and another six million suffered from chronic malnutrition, a condition that can cause irreversible damage to their brains, bodies and immune systems.

“After the floods, UNICEF expects this situation to have worsened exponentially,” lamented Fadil, who pointed out that the organization’s appeal for help, worth 173 million dollars (close to 160 million euros), “has not received nor half of the funds.

In this sense, he stressed that UNICEF “continues to work in practically all sectors and is reaching millions of children”, before asking that children “be at the center of recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction work” after the commitment announced last week by international donors to deliver more than 9,000 million dollars (more than 8,300 million euros) to contribute to the recovery of Pakistan.

“It is a very generous gesture,” he acknowledged, before arguing that “real economic recovery and sustained growth can only be achieved if the necessary investments are made to meet the needs of children in the short and long term.”

Likewise, he stressed that “it is also imperative to invest in human capital and resilience, especially in Sindh and Balochistan, particularly devastated areas.” “These vulnerable communities need safe access to essential services such as health care, nutrition, education, protection, hygiene and sanitation, especially in remote and marginalized areas,” he explained.

“Pakistan is a place where climate vulnerability is known. It is only a matter of time before another large-scale climate disaster hits the country’s children. We need flexible financing to redouble our work today, and long-term investment that addresses the persistent inequalities that boys and girls have been dealing with it for too long”, he concluded.