The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a warning that conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa are causing a child to flee their home every five seconds, with a child killed or injured every 15 minutes.
By Grace Lathrop
As of 2025, an estimated 45 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), a 41% increase just in the past five years.
UNICEF has sought to help children and families in the MENA region for the past 70 years, yet it warns that operations are now at risk due to severe funding shortages.
Statistics of the crisis
The MENA region is currently experiencing multiple different conflicts, including the Israel-Palestine conflict, the Syrian civil war, and the war in Yemen.
One in two children living in the region are located in countries affected by these conflicts, totaling nearly 100 million children at risk of violence.
Since 2023, over 12 million children have been displaced, forcing them to leave their homes. More than 40,000 have been injured or have experienced permanent mutilation and 20,000 have been killed.
A call to action
Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF Regional Director for MENA, explained that “a child’s life is turned upside down every five seconds due to conflicts in the region.”
He stressed that “ending hostilities for the sake of children is not optional—it’s an urgent necessity, a moral obligation, and the only path for a better future.”
UNICEF is urging all parties involved in regional conflicts to end hostilities and respect the international and humanitarian human rights laws, so that the suffering of children can come to an end.
They also ask for neighboring states with influence over conflicts to promote the power of peace and the protection of children.
UNICEF is asking for donors to continue or increase their support for the sake of the vulnerable children in the Middle East and North Africa, and asks for new donors to protect at-risk young populations in the area.
Funding and humanitarian needs
The UN children’s agency reports that it is unable to perform its usual operations in the MENA region due to severe funding shortages.
It said Syria saw a 78% funding gap, and Palestine has a 68% gap in its 2025 funding appeals. UNICEF’s programs are under severe pressure, as they are projected to continue to see a 20-25% funding decrease by 2026.
Around 370 million dollars towards humanitarian support is at risk of being lost with recent cuts. These cuts are a severe threat to its programs, which provides important resources to children and families in need. Treatment for severe malnutrition, access to safer water and vaccinations against deadly diseases are just a few prime examples.
