(Ecofin Agency) - Estimates by the UN Fund for Children (Unicef) show that a total of 2.9 million people need humanitarian assistance in Niger, with 1.6 million of them being children.

Malnutrition, recurrent epidemics, cyclical floods, drought seasons, people displacements and insecurity are the factors leading to the current situation, Unicef said. “Insecurity is escalating at a worrying pace in the central Sahel. Women and children are the first victims of violence. In already fragile host communities, the burden of forced displacement increases household vulnerability and risks to children's health, protection, nutrition, and education,” said UNICEF Representative Dr. Félicité Tchibindat after a visit to the region of Diffa.

According to the UN organization, it’s now more than necessary to address the impact insecurity has on children and their families. It launched a call for solidarity to help the government of Niger and its development partners to better respond to urgent needs of these populations and to provide vital aid to improve their living conditions.