4,000 children from Afghanistan, Syria, Morocco seek protection in Bulgaria: UNICEF
Sofia: In 2024, UNICEF reported that 4,000 children from Syria, Afghanistan, and Morocco, along with 60,000 from Ukraine, sought refuge in Bulgaria to escape the ongoing conflicts in their home countries, according to the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).
The report calls 2024 “one of the most disastrous years for children in conflict” in UNICEF’s history.
According to a report by Bulgaria’s news agency on Saturday, December 28, these children have arrived in Bulgaria due to insecurity and violence in their home countries.
UNICEF described 2024 as the most catastrophic year for children in conflict zones. Based on the organization’s data, more than 12,164 individuals, primarily from Afghanistan, Syria, and Morocco, are in dire need of immediate aid in Bulgaria, with 4,000 of them being children.
The UN children’s fund further noted that 2,569 of these children have arrived without any accompanying adults.
UNICEF also highlighted that 473 million children worldwide live in unsafe regions, with one in every six children affected by conflict. The organization has warned that the number of children living in conflict zones has doubled in recent years.
UNICEF acknowledged that the percentage of children in unsafe areas has increased from about 10% in the 1990s to 19% in recent years, with a disproportionate impact on women and girls who face widespread violence in conflict zones.
The situation in Afghanistan remains dire, with children, especially girls, facing immense challenges. The Taliban’s ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade is a major blow to their future prospects. Millions of Afghan children, along with those from other war-torn countries, are living in precarious conditions, in urgent need of support to ensure their safety, health, and education.
The international community must act swiftly to provide assistance and pressure governments to uphold children’s rights, especially in conflict zones like Afghanistan.
