UNICEF Warns of Escalating Child Crisis as Violence Spreads in South Sudan

UNICEF Warns of Escalating Child Crisis as Violence Spreads in South Sudan
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The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that a sharp escalation in violence across parts of South Sudan since late December 2025 has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, with children bearing the brunt of the impact, Reliefweb.int reported.

Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva on February 13, UNICEF said fighting in northern and central regions has displaced at least 280,000 people in Jonglei State alone, more than half of whom are children. Many families are experiencing displacement for the second or third time and are sheltering in overcrowded camps or remote areas with little or no access to basic services.

UNICEF reported that children face heightened risks, including killing, recruitment by armed groups, family separation, gender-based violence, and long-term psychological trauma. The health system has been severely disrupted, with 11 health facilities attacked or looted and several nutrition centers forced to close.

The agency also raised alarms over a growing cholera outbreak, with 479 cases recorded nationwide since January, and warned that an estimated 825,000 children across Jonglei, Unity, and Eastern Equatoria states are at risk of acute malnutrition.

UNICEF said humanitarian operations are also under threat, citing the bombing of a hospital supported by Médecins Sans Frontières in Lankien earlier this month. While UNICEF continues to deliver emergency aid, it stressed that current efforts cannot match the scale of the crisis.

The agency called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and unrestricted humanitarian access, warning that hundreds of thousands of children’s lives depend on urgent action.