from ARMANDO DOMINGOS in Maputo, Mozambique
Mozambique Bureau
MAPUTO, (CAJ News) – THE escalation of violence in northern Mozambique is exerting too much pressure on children.
They are the most affected by the Islamist insurgency that has displaced more than 100 000 people in recent weeks.
Children constitute two-thirds of those forced to flee their homes in the crisis afflicting Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces.
“Tens of thousands of children have been forced from their homes in northern Mozambique, with displacements occurring at a staggering pace over a short period of time,” Mary Louise Eagleton, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) representative in Mozambique, said.
“This surge in the number of children forced to flee is pushing families into desperate conditions, while essential services – health, education, child protection, water, sanitation and hygiene – strain under the weight of need. Attacks and grave violations of children’s rights must cease immediately.”
Around 4,8 million people in the Southern African nation require humanitarian assistance, more than half of them children.
In addition to the impact of conflict and displacement, children in Mozambique are suffering the impact of the climate crisis and poverty.
An estimated 920 000 children were affected by cyclones in 2025 alone and almost 400 000 children had their learning disrupted due to damage to or loss of classrooms.
Recently released data show that 77 percent of Mozambique’s 16,4 million children live in poverty.
“The humanitarian response is reaching its breaking point at a very dangerous moment for children, with rapid displacement and a high risk of devastating cyclones in the months to come,” Eagleton said.
– CAJ News