Central African Republic's children are the most deprived in the world

Half of the country's children lack access to health services, and nearly 40% suffer from chronic malnutrition, according to the United Nations children's agency. Few have access to clean water, sanitation or a healthy diet.

Photo: Reuters

Meritxell Relano Arana, UNICEF representative in the Central African Republic, said that with the world's attention focused on the war in Gaza and other conflicts, the plight of children in the African country had become "painful and invisible".

“Three million girls and boys in the Central African Republic are facing the highest levels of overlapping and interconnected crises and deprivations recorded in the world,” she said.

This means the Central African Republic is now ranked as the country at highest risk of falling into a humanitarian crisis, she added.

Violence in the Central African Republic, one of the world's poorest countries, has eased following a peace deal in February 2019 between the government and 14 armed groups, but the situation remains volatile with large swathes of territory still outside government control.

Children in the Central African Republic often face recruitment into armed groups, sexual violence and a lack of educational opportunities, according to Human Rights Watch.

The hardest hit areas are those with little or no government or humanitarian presence.

The report from the World Health Organization (WHO) also highlighted that diseases such as malaria and cholera are on the rise due to poor living conditions and a weak health system in the Central African Republic.

Cao Phong (according to CNA, BBC)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/unicef-tre-em-cong-hoa-trung-phi-ngheo-kho-nhat-the-gioi-post302181.html