Africa: Statement By Unicef Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Etleva Kadilli, On the Impact On Children As Fighting Intensifies in Northern Ethiopia

What the report says

UNICEF’s regional director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Etleva Kadilli, issued a statement from Nairobi warning that fighting in northern Ethiopia is intensifying and putting children and families at risk. The agency said it is alarmed by reports of children being injured or killed, along with damage to homes, schools and other public facilities.

According to the UNICEF statement published by AllAfrica on 1 October 2026, the agency is calling on all sides to show restraint, protect children, and avoid further harm to civilian infrastructure. UNICEF also said humanitarian access should be safe, rapid and unimpeded so communities can continue receiving essential services.

The statement comes amid renewed concern over the wider impact of conflict in Ethiopia’s north, where communities have previously worked to rebuild basic services. UNICEF said those gains, including schools, health care and water systems, should be protected so children are not pushed back into another cycle of violence and insecurity.

The appeal underscores the continuing humanitarian consequences of the conflict and the need for stability, particularly for civilian populations. More broadly, UNICEF’s message reflects standard international humanitarian principles on protecting civilians in armed conflict, though the article itself focuses on the agency’s immediate concerns and call for access and restraint.