PHNOM PENH, July 31 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Thursday that it urgently requires 800,000 U.S. dollars to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of displaced Cambodian families from border clashes with Thailand.
The UN agency said in a press release that following the ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand on July 28 after five days of armed violence along the border, UNICEF is scaling up its humanitarian response to deliver critical support to displaced families who face urgent threats to their health, safety, and education.
The press release said UNICEF urgently requires 800,000 U.S. dollars to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of displaced families in the coming month, and an additional 7.67 million dollars to implement its development programs and increase access to essential services for more than 1.5 million children across the country.
Since late May, border conflict has displaced over 134,700 people, while 174,430 Cambodian returnees from Thailand are now living in overcrowded conditions, the press release said.
"Displaced families mostly children live in makeshift shelters, facing urgent needs for food, clean water, health care, and access to education," UNICEF representative to Cambodia Will Parks said.
"They also face increased risks of violence, abuse, and exploitation. These children have already lost so much, but their future must not be lost," he added.
He said families are sheltering in schools, pagodas, and makeshift camps, with only plastic sheets or salvaged materials for protection.
UNICEF is working closely with the Cambodian government to scale up the humanitarian response and ensure that every child is protected through shelter, clean water, immunization, learning opportunities, and psychosocial support, Parks said. ■
