More than nine million children are out of school across Ethiopia due to man-made and natural disasters, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has disclosed.
In its latest Ethiopia Humanitarian Situation Report released late Thursday, UNICEF said that more than 6,000 schools have been closed across the East African country due to climate shocks and conflicts.
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The report further noted that over 10,000 schools, representing 18 per cent of schools across the country, have been damaged by conflicts and climate shocks, further reducing the availability of safe and functional learning spaces for children.
Highlighting the ongoing conflict situations in different parts of Ethiopia, particularly in the country’s Amhara and Oromia regions, UNICEF said the education sector has been “devastated.”
Over nine million children are currently out of school due to conflicts, natural disasters, and displacement, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Ethiopian government often blamed “extremist groups” for obstructing vital services, such as education and development initiatives, in areas where armed groups are present.
Meanwhile, UNICEF warned that funding shortfall is hampering its humanitarian response in Ethiopia as the country encounters mounting humanitarian needs.
“UNICEF continues to appeal for support to ensure that children and their caregivers receive lifesaving support in 2024 and beyond,” it said.
Last month, a report released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, had revealed that the number of food-insecure people in the Horn of Africa stood at 64.8 million as of November.
The report said the figure marks a slight decrease from 65 million in October, attributed to improved food supplies following high rainfall in some IGAD members.
Of those affected, 35 million reside in IGAD members, namely Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda, while the remaining are in other Horn of Africa countries, including the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
According to the report, the region hosts over 29 million displaced individuals, driven by conflict and climate-related risks, particularly in Sudan and the DRC. The influx of internally displaced persons is exacerbating food insecurity in many host communities by placing additional strain on their already limited resources.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) highlighted additional drivers of the crisis, including economic shocks, drought, and flooding, which are deepening poverty and fueling displacement, malnutrition, and acute food insecurity.
The OCHA estimated that 9.8 billion US dollars is needed to address the humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa.
