23 August 2019

DRC Kasai region security is gradually improving and, as a result, thousands of refugees are leaving Angola in order to return to DRC.

11 August 2019

Violence escalates between Yemen’s internationally recognised government and the Southern Transitional Council (STC) resulting in  more civilian casualties

11 July 2019

John Fru Ndi reported his 24-hour kidnapping from his home in Bamenda in the English speaking Northwest Region in Cameroon

1 July 2019

Syrian Democratic Forces signed the United Nation Action Plan to prevent recruitment of Syrian children as soldiers

On Monday 1 July, it was announced that, on 29 June, the United Nations (UN) signed an Action Plan for children protection with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

In order to prevent the recruitment of syrian children as soldiers, Action Plan was signed by Virginia Gamba Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) and Mazloum Abdu, SDF commander. 

 Children situation in Syria is one of the most desperate. Among the several groups that enlistee children, there are the People’s Protection Units (YPG), Syrian government forces and Women’s Protection Units (YPJ). UN recorded 3,377 cases of children being used in the Syrian conflict from 2013 to 2018 and also said that there were over 380 verified cases of children used by the YPG and the YPJ in 2013-2018. In order to heal the situation, a plan was needed and after months of engagement between UN and SDF, the result is the Action Plan in which  SDF commits to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children under 18, to identify and separate boys and girls currently within its ranks and to create preventative, protection and disciplinary measures related to the use of minors.

Ms. Gamba highlighted the importance of Action Plan since it represents a great opportunity for the parties involved in the conflict to put an end to violations against children as well as to improve the protection of those affected by armed conflict. Ms. Gamba described this result as an “important day” for syrian children and she urged all parties listed in the annexes of the Secretary-General annual report, in Syria and elsewhere, to adopt the Action Plan. She also asked them to work together for a political solution in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 2254 (2015) in order to restore peace in the country.

To read more, visit:

As conflict in the Great Lakes region heightens, Uganda continues to accept more refugees. 

26 June 2019

With an open door policy and being trapped between three large active conflicts in the Great Lakes region, Uganda’s refugee population has increased to more than one million since 2016.  More specifically, Uganda currently hosts more than 345,000 refugees from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), more than 825,000 South Sudanese refugees, and nearly 105,000 refugees from Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan and Ethiopia.

Dunia Aslam Khan, the spokesperson for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Uganda, recalls: “There’s not a single day when we don’t receive refugees. Last week we received more than 1,000 from DRC alone.”. 

Since the start of June 2019, violence resulting from decades-long conflict between the militias associated with Lendu farmers and Hema herders in DRC has peaked . Especially high escalation can be seen in the Ituri province, where, apart from large-scale displacement, "armed groups are said to be attacking villages, torching and looting houses, and killing men, women and children," says UNHCR spokesperson Andrej Mahecic. 

In the Beni area within the Nord-Kivu province of DR, over 40 people were killed at a funeral for a journalist by the same rebels that killed him, recalls the journalist's sister-in-law Maska Wizine. Wizine left for Uganda with the family shortly after the attack.

In addition to being affected by the conflict, Beni is the second-worst troubled area with regard to the ongoing Ebola epidemic in the DRC. As Wizine’s family were getting onto the boat to Uganda, Wizine’s sister fell ill and died shortly after.

According to UNHCR’s Khan, the organization is working with the Ugandan government to create more screening facilities and all refugee reception centres in Uganda already screen for Ebola with infrared thermometers. Although refugees coming from DRC form a very small part of the Ugandan population, Khan warns against Ebola-related scapegoating while the country is overburdened with the refugee influx. 

UNHCR estimates that Uganda will need $927 million to be able to adequately respond to the influx of refugees. So far it has received merely $150 million which is less than 20 percent of what is required.

For more information, visit:

On Sunday 30 June, pro-democracy activists held the largest mass protest in Khartoum, Sudan since the 3 June paramilitary attacks.

30 June 2019

Tens of thousands of Sudanese pro-democracy activists took to the streets this past Sunday, 30 June to protest against the ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC). This demonstration was the largest protest since the military took power, despite the internet blackout and blocked bridge. 

The government said 11 people were killed and 181 were injured amid protests held on 30 June. AFP reported that paramilitary forces fired tear gas to clear the protesters near the presidential palace in three other Khartoum districts, Omdurman, and in the eastern town of Gadaref.

The most recent protest was planned after 3 June as a result of excessive force inflicted on protesters by the paramilitary, which resulted in over 100 deaths and rapes of more than 70 civilians. Additionally, Sudanese generals rejected Ethiopia’s proposal for establishing a transitional government in Sudan, argumenting that the proposal needed to be unified with the African Union’s (AU) previous plan. According to Reuters news agency, Ethiopia’s proposal focuses on creating a transitional government under the name of“a Sovereign Council,” comprising of seven civilians and seven military members, leaving  one more seat for an “impartial individual.” Talks between the TMC and the protesters failed after the 3 June attacks and have not resumed despite mediation efforts.

The demonstrations on Sunday marked the 30th anniversary of the coup that brought Sudan’s last president, Omar al-Bashir, to power in 1989. Sudan has been in turmoil since President al-Bashir was ousted by the military in April 2019. The military continues to blame the opposition for the violence and deaths. General Degalo (Hemeti) has warned the people against a “concealed agenda” that might come from the demonstrations.

However, a 23-year old protester, Zeinab, told the AFP, "we are here for the martyrs of the [June 3] sit-in. We want a civilian state that guarantees our freedom. We want to get rid of military dictatorship." 

To learn more, visit: 

20 June 2019

Acts of violence in Central African Republic continue despite a peace deal, UN informs 

“Violence must stop”: UNICEF expresses concern about the continuous unrest and brutality inflicted on children in Sudan.

On 3 June, as a result of a military backlash against pro-democracy protesters,   several children were killed or injured.

Over the last months, the condition in Sudan has been gradually becoming unbearable for civilians.  Considering the gravity of the situation, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, has expressed her concern with regard to  the foreseeable consequences of perpetual violence on children living in Sudan.

The tensions in the country began in April when the autocratic ruler, President Omar al-Bashir, has been overthrown by the military. Although  the ruling Transitional Military Council and protesters seemed to have reached some kind of consensus during peaceful talks in May, the situation aggravated on 3 June when security forces and paramilitaries opened fire on pro-democracy protesters in the capital city of Khartoum.  As a result, at least 19 children have been killed and another 49 have been injured. This circumstance is a cause for considerable concern, as expressed by Fore. Moreover, schools, hospitals and health centers were destroyed. According to information gathered by UNICEF, children living in Sudan are being detained, sexually abused, or recruited to serve as militants. The situation in Sudan is further deteriorating due to a shortage of food, water and available medicine which is critical for children's health.

Following recent unrests, UNICEF will continue to offer assistance to children in Sudan and committed itself  to provide vaccines, water and treatment for malnutrition and psychosocial support for millions of children, as underlined by its Executive Director. In addition, in her statement, Fore urged all  parties involved in the conflict to establish a peaceful dialogue as well as to protect children and their fundamental rights. In her plea, she also asked the Sudanese authorities to allow humanitarian organizations to carry on their activities in Sudan.

To read more, visit: