GENEVA / CAR CHILD SOLDIERS

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said Friday that the number of children caught up with armed groups has increased to between five to six thousand children in the Central African Republic (CAR). Poverty, displacement and an increase in armed groups mean children are more vulnerable to recruitment. CH UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:54
• Production Date: 22 November 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: CHILD SOLDIERS; YOUTH
• MAMS Id: U131122a

Description

STORY: GENEVA / CAR CHILD SOLDIERS
TRT: 1.54
SOURCE: CH UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 22 NOVEMBER 2013 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais des Nations
2. Wide shot, press room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Souleymane Diabate, Central African Republic (CAR) Representative, UNICEF:
“We’re talking here about 4,600,000 people either directly or indirectly affected by the crisis.”
4. Wide shot, press room
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Souleymane Diabate, Central African Republic (CAR) Representative, UNICEF:
“Half of this population have less than 18 years old. Before the crisis the situation was not good at all and it has worsened since, in terms of security the situation today is very fragile, volatile and unpredictable.”
6. Cutaway, cameraman
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Souleymane Diabate, Central African Republic (CAR) Representative, UNICEF:
“Talking about children associated with the armed groups this number has increased a lot and we can estimate this number to between five to six thousand children today affected by the crisis.”
8. Med shot, journalists at table
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Souleymane Diabate, Central African Republic (CAR) Representative, UNICEF:
“If we don’t do something, if the international community doesn’t stand up and do something, I think we will probably see a lot of killing going on there.”
10. Wide shot, press room
11. Close up, journalist at computer
12. Close up, journalist

Storyline

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said Friday that the number of children caught up with armed groups has increased to between five to six thousand children in the Central African Republic (CAR). Poverty, displacement and an increase in armed groups mean children are more vulnerable to recruitment.

Since September, clashes between local self-defence groups called Anti-Balaka and ex-Séléka forces have triggered large scale displacements of up to 400,000 people.

On Thursday, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius described the CAR as a country "on the verge of genocide."

Briefing journalists in Geneva, the UNICEF CAR representative, Souleymane Diabate said the killing is likely in increase unless the international community takes action. “If we don’t do something, if the international community doesn’t stand up and do something, I think we will probably see a lot of killing going on there.”

“We’re talking here about 4,600,000 people either directly or indirectly affected by the crisi,” Diabate said. “Half of this population is less than 18 years old. Before the crisis the situation was not good at all and it has worsened since, in terms of security the situation today is very fragile, volatile and unpredictable.”