This archive report was first published on 14 August 2019.
On August 13, 2019, the United Nations child protection agency, Unicef, sounded the alarm on the escalating violence in Mali, where over 150 children lost their lives in the first half of the year due to jihadist and ethnic attacks.
According to Unicef, the situation has worsened significantly, with more than 900 schools remaining closed due to insecurity. The agency also reported a sharp increase in the recruitment and use of children in armed groups, with numbers doubling compared to the same period in 2018.
French forces intervened in Mali six years ago to drive out jihadist groups that had taken control of much of the country's north. However, organisations linked to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State group remain active in the region.
Meanwhile, ethnic conflicts have added to the volatile mix, particularly in central Mali. The situation has led to the displacement and separation of children from their families, exposing them to sexual violence and psychological trauma.
Unicef executive director Henrietta Fore urged the international community not to accept the suffering of children as the new normal, stating, "We must not accept the suffering of children as the new normal."
The UN stabilisation force in Mali, MINUSMA, published a report last week detailing the findings of an investigation into an attack on the village of Sobane Da, which resulted in the deaths of 35 people, including 22 children. The report revealed that most of the children were burned to death or suffocated inside homes that had been set ablaze.
Unicef is now calling for an additional $4 million (3.58 million euros) to help women and children in Mali, with over 377,000 children in need of assistance.
