Every Five Seconds, Conflict Shatters a Child’s Life in the Middle East and North Africa, UNICEF Warns

UN agency urges urgent action as over 12 million children are displaced, maimed or killed in under two years

A staggering 12.2 million children across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have been killed, injured, or forced to flee their homes due to conflict in less than two years, according to a new alert issued by UNICEF. The toll amounts to one child displaced every five seconds, and one child killed or maimed every fifteen minutes.

UNICEF’s Regional Director for MENA, Edouard Beigbeder, called the situation “a moral emergency,” as conflicts continue to devastate lives across a region where nearly half of the 220 million children already live in conflict-affected countries.

“A child’s life is being turned upside down the equivalent of every five seconds due to the conflicts in the region,” said Beigbeder. “Ending hostilities – for the sake of children – is not optional; it is an urgent necessity and the only path to a better future.”

Homes, Schools, and Futures in Ruins

Today, an estimated 110 million children are living in MENA countries impacted by war and violence. Ongoing hostilities are destroying homes, schools, and hospitals, while exposing children to severe trauma, displacement, and psychological harm that could endure for decades.

According to the report, more than 12 million children have been displaced since 2023, 40,000 maimed, and nearly 20,000 killed.

Looking ahead, the need for assistance is expected to grow. By 2025, 45 million children in the region will require humanitarian aid, a sharp increase from 32 million in 2020 — marking a 41% surge in just five years.

A Looming Humanitarian Funding Crisis

Despite escalating needs, UNICEF is grappling with severe funding shortfalls. As of May, the agency reports a 78% funding gap for Syria and a 68% gap for the State of Palestine under their 2025 appeals. Regional humanitarian programmes are also under immense strain.

The situation could worsen. UNICEF forecasts a 20 to 25% drop in funding for its MENA operations by 2026 — a potential $370 million loss. Such a cut would threaten essential services, including malnutrition treatment, clean water access in conflict zones, and vaccination efforts against deadly diseases.

“As the plight of children in the region worsens, the resources to respond are becoming sparser,” Beigbeder warned. “Conflicts must stop. International advocacy must intensify. And support for vulnerable children must increase, not decline.”

Call for Peace and Global Solidarity

UNICEF is urging all parties to conflicts across the region to immediately end hostilities and adhere to international humanitarian and human rights law. It is also calling on Member States with influence over warring factions to exert diplomatic pressure to secure peace and safeguard children and critical infrastructure.

At the same time, the agency is appealing to international donors to maintain or boost their contributions and is calling on new donors to step forward to help meet the urgent needs of millions of children at risk.

“We must not fail this generation,” said Beigbeder. “The protection and wellbeing of children should be the foundation of every peace effort in the region.”