The Privilege of Making a Choice

By Yasmine SherifNEW YORK, May 8 2023 (IPS) A civilian student named Saber was caught in the crossfire in Khartoum. He had two choices: either flee and lose everything; or die. But within a moment his option to choose was violently denied: he died. As a result of the brutal internal armed conflict in Sudan right now, UNHCR projects that 860,000 people will flee across the borders as refugees and returnees into the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea and South Sudan. About 50% will be children and adolescents below 18. Will they arrive alive? They can’t choose. They can only hope. Making it worse, none of the neighboring countries has the financial and structural capacity to manage such influx, and yet they too, have no choice. Indeed, an enormous international response will be required to support the Refugee Response Plan developed by 134 partners, including UN agencies, national and international NGOs and civil society groups, and launched on 4 May 2023. Fleeing children and adolescents will need immediate psycho-social support and mental health care to cope with the stress and trauma of the conflict and perilous escape. They will need school meals. They will need water and sanitation. They will need protection. In the deep despair of their young lives, they will need a sense of normalcy and hope for their future. They need it now and a rapid response to establishing education can meet these needs. Or to paraphrase ECW’s new Global Champion, the wo...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Armed Conflicts Civil Society Crime & Justice Education Education Cannot Wait. Future of Education is here Headlines Health Human Rights Middle East & North Africa Migration & Refugees TerraViva United Nations Education Cannot Wait ( Source Type: news