UNICEF receives $1.5-mln aid for Sudanese refugee children in Libya

TRIPOLI - The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Wednesday it received $1.5 million in funding from the Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the UN global fund for education in emergencies, to address the urgent educational and psychosocial needs of Sudanese refugee children in Libya.

"This contribution from the ECW allows us to tackle the critical education gaps for Sudanese refugee children in Libya, ensuring that no child is left behind," said Mohammad Fayyazi, UNICEF representative in Libya, in a statement.

The program, set to reach 19,000 children across Libya, provides both formal and non-formal educational opportunities, ensuring children facing barriers, such as lack of documentation, can still access learning, the statement said.

The statement added that the program also integrates mental health and psychosocial support to address the trauma and challenges faced by children affected by displacement and violence.

According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of Sudanese refugees seeking safety in Libya has doubled, with an estimated 400 arrivals in the country daily since the start of 2024.

The ongoing Sudan crisis has driven large-scale displacement across the region, with 8.4 million people internally displaced in Sudan and 3.1 million Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries, including an estimated 210,000 in Libya, the UNHCR said in late December.