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GENEVA / CAR
STORY: GENEVA / CAR
TRT: 2.21
SOURCE:CH UNTV
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
DATELINE: 26 MARCH 2013, PALAIS DES NATIONS UNITED NATIONS GENEVA HEADQUARTERS
FILE – RECENT, UNITED NATIONS GENEVA HEADQUARTERS
1. Exterior, Palais de Nations, United Nations Geneva Headquarters
26 MARCH 2013, PALAIS DES NATIONS, UNITED NATIONS GENEVA HEADQUARTERS
2. Wide shot, journalists, Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
3. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Marixie Mercado, Spokesperson for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF):
“We estimate that about 600,000 children have been affected by the conflict across the country. During missions to Kaga Bandoro, Bossangoa, and Bambari earlier this month, UNICEF noted shortages in life-saving medicines in all three towns. Health activities have been seriously disrupted as most doctors have left. Many schools are closed, occupied by armed groups, or without teachers - denying 166,000 children of an access to education. We estimate that 13,500 children will suffer from life-threatening malnutrition this year, and many nutrition centres are closed and looted.”
4. Cutaway, med shot of journalists, Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
5. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Marixie Mercado, Spokesperson for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF):
“Other major risks to children include recruitment into armed groups, and gender-based violence. Most vulnerable are children who have lost their homes, have been separated from their families, or were formerly associated with armed groups.”
6. Cutaway, med shot of journalists, Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
7. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Marixie Mercado, Spokesperson for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF):
“Since the outbreak of the conflict, UNICEF has received credible reports that both rebel groups and pro-government militias have recruited children.”
8. Cutaway, camera recording press conference, Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
9. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Marixie Mercado, Spokesperson for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF):
“The lack of access over the past months has been a huge block to humanitarian efforts. Roads are blocked, the presence of armed groups, there is a risk of pillaging attacks. UNICEF’s office in Kaga Bandoro were completely looted.”
10. Cutaway, med shot of journalists, Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva.
119. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Marixie Mercado, Spokesperson for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF):
“Funding is also a major constraint. Humanitarian agencies launched a 129 million dollar appeal for emergency assistance in 2013, not accounting for this current conflict, and today, just 1% of this much needed funding has been received.”
12. Cutaway, med shot of journalists, Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva
13. SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Adrian Edwards, Spokesperson for the High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
“Absolutely we are concerned about these people. Access to these populations has been impossible for some time now. It’s vitally important that we get access to them as soon as we possibly can, and to people who may be displaced internally.”
14. Wide shot, journalists, Salle III, Palais des Nations, Geneva
Thousands of children in the Central African Republic have been left without adequate access to basic services in the wake of the rebel advance to the country's capital Bangui, according to UNICEF.
Road blocks, the presence of armed groups, and the risk of attacks and pillaging, have prevented humanitarian aid from reaching the affected population. The agency says in most of the rebel controlled areas, health activities have been seriously disrupted while many schools have been closed or taken over by armed groups.
UNICEF's spokesperson Marixie Mercado told reporters at a briefing in Geneva Tuesday that the agency has also received credible reports that rebel groups and pro-government militia have been actively recruiting children into their ranks. She said: “Since the outbreak of the conflict, UNICEF has received credible reports that both rebel groups and pro-government militias have recruited children.”
UNICEF says nearly 14,000 children are expected to suffer from life threatening malnutrition following the looting and closure of nutritional centers.
Mercado said that “funding is also a major constraint. Humanitarian agencies launched a 129 million dollar appeal for emergency assistance in 2013, not accounting for this current conflict, and today, just 1% of this much needed funding has been received.”
UNICEF still requires $11.1 million to provide life-saving support to families hit by the current conflict.
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