A global network of journalists reporting on early childhood development in emergencies has called for urgent attention to the plight of millions of young children trapped in humanitarian crises worldwide.
The group, known as the Reporters for Early Age Children in Humanitarian Crisis (REACH) Network, raised the concern in a communique released on 16 May after its second meeting hosted by the Moving Minds Alliance virtually.
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The REACH Network is a global movement of reporters dedicated to advocating improved care and support for young children and their caregivers in emergencies, displacement, and crises through their reporting.
The communique, signed by the Co chair for REACH Network, Mojeed Alabi, highlighted that nearly two billion children across the world, aged zero to 14, are living in conditions that jeopardise their health, development, and rights.
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“UNICEF has pointed out that for babies and young children in humanitarian settings, access to early childhood services can be a matter of life and death,” the communique read in part. “It is imperative that we act now to ensure early childhood rights are not curtailed.”
The communique spotlighted several countries, including India, Jordan, Uganda, Nigeria, and Cameroon.
Children and climate disasters in India
According to the REACH Network, more than one-third of India’s population is under the age of 18, but the country’s vulnerability to extreme weather and disasters is undermining progress in early childhood (ECD) development.
India witnessed three major cyclones in 2023 and four in 2024, and 37 cities recorded temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius last year. These events left over 2.4 million children in need of assistance.
“Flood exposure in India worsens child malnutrition. Disasters also stand in the way of children receiving timely immunisations,” the group noted.
“Studies also show the deep psychological impact on children in the aftermath of disasters.”
Beyond natural disasters, India’s children face barriers in education and health.
The REACH Network said the climate crisis has also left women and children vulnerable to trafficking. Despite several state-level schemes, families continue to struggle to provide adequate nutrition for young children.
“There is an urgent need to mount the lens of intersectionality in order to turn the focus on early childhood interventions,” the group recommended.
“A holistic early childhood policy would also mean adopting a gendered focus where young mothers are educated on the need…”
Rising needs of Jordan’s children
The REACH Network observed that Jordan’s children, who make up nearly 40 per cent of the population, face inequalities in accessing early childhood care and education.
It said that less-privileged children have access to just five per cent of services, compared to 44 per cent for the privileged.
“Jordan relies on the private sector to provide early childhood care and education services,” the group noted.
“Inadequate water services could undermine educational attainment by Jordanian youth, particularly girls.”
The country is also considered one of the most water-scarce in the world, a factor that affects nutrition and increases vulnerability to water-related diseases.
Jordan hosts a large number of refugees, with children making up around half of this population. Out of 233,000 school-aged Syrian children in Jordan, about 84,000 remain out of school.
“Refugee children face difficulties in accessing education. The majority of registered Syrian refugees in Jordan live in poverty, with refugee children facing heightened vulnerability due to depleted family savings, unemployment, and heavy reliance on international aid,” the statement read.
The group recommended that “to address the stark disparities in access to early childhood care and education, the Jordanian government should prioritise expanding publicly funded ECD programmes, particularly in underserved and refugee-dense communities.
“These include establishing more affordable and accessible childcare centres, training and certifying early childhood educators, and integrating ECD into national education planning.”
Situation in Uganda
Uganda is home to nearly 46 million people, with children making up half of the population. While some progress has been recorded in child health, the country continues to struggle with challenges such as malnutrition, low school completion rates, and violence against children.
According to the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, 26 per cent of children between six months and five years suffer from stunting and wasting due to malnutrition. The under-five mortality rate stands at 52 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Access to education remains a concern, with only 41 per cent of children completing primary school, which is “more pronounced in rural areas, where resources are limited.”
Children in Uganda also face heightened risks of child labour, early marriage, and sexual abuse.
The communique also noted that 34 per cent of women aged 20 to 24 are getting married below the age of 18.
“Over half of young children lived in multidimensional poverty, deprived in at least two key areas of their rights, and around one in four lived in extreme poverty.”
Nigeria’s mounting challenges
The communique described the state of children in Nigeria as deeply troubling. Citing the 2024 Situation Analysis of Children and Adolescents, published by the Nigerian government in partnership with UNICEF, REACH noted that nearly half of Nigeria’s estimated 210 million people are children, around 105 million.
Out of these, 2.1 million children are unvaccinated, 10.2 million children of primary school age, and 8.1 million of secondary school age are currently out of school.
The country also records 41 newborn deaths per 1,000 live births, with maternal mortality at 1,047 per 100,000 births.
“The situation may have been further exacerbated by the renewed terrorist attacks, banditry, and violence across the northern part of the country, and indeed, across many of the nation’s 36 states and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory,” the group noted.
While acknowledging some gains made before the COVID-19 pandemic, including improvements in school enrollment, antenatal care, and exclusive breastfeeding, the communique warned that such progress has been reversed by insecurity and climate crisis.
Crisis In Cameroon
In Cameroon, the group said children are experiencing undue hardships following three overlapping humanitarian crises.
The Anglophone crisis, the Boko Haram insurgency, and an influx of refugees from the Central African Republic have disrupted access to education, healthcare, and safety.
“In the English-speaking North West and South West regions, armed separatist groups continue to target educational institutions, learners and teachers, leading to widespread school closures,” the communique stated.
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About 25 per cent of children between the ages of three and 17 are still unable to go to school in the conflict-ridden regions, according to the Cameroon Education Cluster.
The violence has also resulted in significant displacement, with nearly half a million people, including women and children, forced from their homes.
Call for urgent action
The REACH Network stressed that without deliberate and immediate efforts to strengthen early childhood care in crisis contexts, the long-term consequences on global development could be severe.
In India, Jordan, Nigeria, Uganda, and Cameroon, specific policies and investments are needed to break the cycle of deprivation and provide hope for children growing up in the most difficult circumstances.
“Babies and young children need urgent attention and care under these unprecedented circumstances,” the group added. “We must act now to save childhood rights.”
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