UNICEF appeals for funding

Thousands of new Liberian refugees in Guinea live in overcrowded camps, lack access to non-food items and school education, suffer malnutrition, and have no access to essential drugs and basic medical equipment, the UN children's agency, UNICEF, said on Wednesday. In a fresh appeal for funds, the UN agency said at least 13,000 refugees entered Guinea in May and June of whom 80 percent were women and children. Most of the influx occurred at Nzerekore region, UNICEF said, adding that on 13 June alone some 7,000 Liberians entered Guinea via this region. "Donor funding remains generally insufficient to cope with the needs of the refugees, internally displaced people (IDPs) and host communities," UNICEF said in its "Guinea donor update 3 July 2002". The children suffered diseases like malaria, acute respiratory infections, skin diseases and diarrhoea. At least 2,000 did not have access to schools, the majority being girls. There was also lack of vocational training for youth and no recreational activities, the agency said. "There are approximately 1,000 separated children among the refugees and many women continue to be victims of violence," UNICEF said. While it had supplied blankets and recreational kits to 3,000 children, a shortage of clothes, school supplies and recreational activities continued to exist, it added. The agency received only 30 percent of funding it requested for Guinea and had no money to support a project on abuse of women and children. While it has sent a mission to the border areas to asses the situation and prepare an immediate emergency response, lack of adequate funding would affect its operations, UNICEF added. Italy, it said, had donated some money for new projects to ensure the psychological well-being of refugees and IDPs in the forest region and a second project in the camps of Nonah, Kouankan, Kola and Nzerekore town to sensitize the communities against sexual and gender violence.