Mozambique: Early pregnancy increases due to child sexual abuse – UNHCR

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Early pregnancy increases due to child sexual abuse – UNHCR

4:10 CAT | 18 Nov 2020

For illustration purposes only. [in file CoM]

The war in Cabo Delgado is causing an increase in cases of early pregnancy due to child sexual abuse, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned in a summary of the conflict between rebels and Mozambique’s government.

“Women and adolescents have been abducted, forced to marry, raped and subjected to other forms of sexual violence, highlighted by the increase in teenage pregnancies in affected districts, as well as worrying reports of forced marriages,” the UNHCR said in a document released on Tuesday.

The reports include forced recruitment of children for armed groups that plague the region where Africa’s largest private investment for natural gas extraction is beginning.

The situation in Cabo Delgado is critical, with widespread reports of human rights violations, the organisation said.

The alert comes after another launched three weeks ago by the Centre for Public Integrity (CIP), a Mozambican NGO, on sexual abuse against displaced women in exchange for humanitarian aid, saying there was silence from the government and the United Nations on the matter.

Despite the questions raised by Lusa, there were no reactions to the CIP report.

According to the latest UNHCR document, more than 3,000 structures, mainly traditional houses, but also shops, banks, infrastructure and public facilities have been looted, damaged or destroyed.

Those displaced in camps, with tents or taking advantage of public spaces (usually schools) are a minority.

About 90% of the internally displaced are living with relatives or friends in already precarious houses, so there are problems of overcrowding.

“Sometimes 20 to 30 people share a common space, creating health concerns, particularly in the context of Covid-19,” the document said.

The UNHCR believes that the violence and humanitarian crisis will persist and even increase, with no sign of a reversal of the scenario, the summary in which it calls for strengthening its own funding said.

“The UNHCR’s new financial requirements for the emergency response to the situation in Cabo Delgado in 2020-2021 total $19.2 million (€16 million), with 39% of the needs being financed by 13 November,” it said.

The response aims to benefit 300,000 people in Cabo Delgado and neighbouring provinces that host internally displaced people.

The armed violence is causing a humanitarian crisis with some 2,000 deaths and 435,000 displaced people, without housing or enough food – mainly concentrated in the provincial capital, Pemba.

Source: Lusa