Children living in conflict-affected countries across the Middle East and North Africa are expected to see little improvement in their conditions in 2026, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned, citing ongoing violence and worsening humanitarian crises.
According to UNICEF, the early weeks of the year have already demonstrated the heavy toll of conflicts on children, including deaths, injuries, displacement and the loss of access to education and essential services.
The agency noted that continued violence across several countries is placing millions of children at risk and increasing their need for urgent humanitarian assistance and protection.
In northeastern Syria, renewed fighting has displaced nearly 200,000 people, about half of them children, while vital services have been severely disrupted. At least five children reportedly died in Kobani due to shortages of healthcare and winter supplies.
Sudan remains among the worst-affected countries, with at least 20 children reported killed in January, mainly in Kordofan and Darfur. Millions of children there require life-saving assistance amid deteriorating humanitarian conditions.
UNICEF also highlighted the continued suffering of children in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, despite relative calm in some areas. Many children continue to face limited access to healthcare, clean water and education following months of conflict.
Children in Yemen continue to endure overlapping crises driven by conflict, poverty and malnutrition, while families in Lebanon are still struggling with the impact of recent hostilities and economic hardship.
UNICEF urged all parties to conflicts to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of children, stressing that an end to violence remains essential to improving conditions for millions of children across the region.
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