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GENEVA / UNICEF FORE SOUTH SUDAN
STORY: GENEVA / UNICEF FORE SOUTH SUDAN
TRT: 01:41
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 23 JANUARY 2018, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
FILE - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, Palais des Nations exterior
23 JANUARY 2018, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. Wide shot, briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF):
“I wish that I could tell you that the situation in South Sudan was getting better, but I cannot, it is getting worse. The country faces the worst food shortage since the food security and nutrition monitoring system began in 2010. The acute malnutrition rates are higher than last year and they are already above the emergency threshold of 15 percent.”
4. Wide shot, journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF):
“Seventy percent of the children are out of school. One-third of the schools are closed either due to violence, or teachers running away, or villagers running away, so that there is no school. And, there is, as many of you know, 17 percent literacy rate in the country. It’s just too low for any of us to feel that you can have a well-governed country or citizens that will really be able to govern their country.”
6. Wide shot, dais
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF):
“But I think there’s a chance and there are several signs, like the release of child soldiers, that I think are good signs. There are still difficulties with access, but there are some areas of the country that are now becoming less violent, and people are beginning to feel comfortable to go back to their farms; and that would be very important with the food and nutrition issue, if the farmers can go back to their fields and feel safe to grow crops.”
8. Various shots, journalists
The new chief of UNICEF Henrietta Fore told journalists in Geneva today (23 Jan) the situation in South Sudan was “getting worse” adding that country is facing “the worst food shortage since the food security and nutrition monitoring system began in 2010.”
Returning from a recent mission to South Sudan, Fore said acute malnutrition rates in the country are higher than last year and already “above the emergency threshold of 15 percent.”
Continued violence in the world’s youngest country has had a devastating effect on the ability to educate children and build the foundations for the independent state, said the UNICEF chief.
SOUNDBITE (English) Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF):
“Seventy percent of the children are out of school. One-third of the schools are closed either due to violence, or teachers running away, or villagers running away, so that there is no school. And, there is, as many of you know, 17 percent literacy rate in the country. It’s just too low for any of us to feel that you can have a well-governed country or citizens that will really be able to govern their country.”
One element of hope has been the expected release and reintegration of hundreds of child soldiers, which has yet to be announced officially by the Government. Asked if she though that there was a chance for peace initiatives to prevail in the restive nation, Fore said there were “several signs, like the release of child soldiers, that I think are good signs.” She noted the difficulties with access, but added that some areas of the country “are now becoming less violent, and people are beginning to feel comfortable to go back to their farms; and that would be very important with the food and nutrition issue, if the farmers can go back to their fields and feel safe to grow crops.”
Fore took over the helm of UNICEF from Anthony Lake only 23 days ago. She will be heading next to the Swiss resort town of Davos for the World Economic Forum.
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