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Data on the situation of children in the Middle East and North Africa

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Children with disabilities

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02 January 2024

Facing life in the Gaza Strip with a new disability

In the Gaza Strip, the life of any child could turn into a nightmare in the blink of an eye. Families try to keep their children safe, but this becomes harder and harder with the intense bombardments. Many houses have been destroyed, and many children ended up under the rubble. More than 9,000 children have been i...

18 September 2023

Unleashing Potential: Empowering Children with Disabilities Through Inclusive Education

In the suburbs of Torbat-e Jam, nestled within the eastern province of Khorasan Razavi, Abolfazl’s father carries him and his brother Mohammad up the stairs where a dedicated social worker, Ms Tahereh Ramezani, eagerly awaits their arrival. Twice a week, she enters their home, armed with knowledge and a desire to help them review their school…

Early Detection Tools For Children With Developmental Delays And Disabilities

This technical brief was developed to support specialists in countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to select which early detection tools best fit their needs and context by comparing various tools that have been used in the region and lessons learned in using and adapting those tools to local...

Signing the language of science

Aleppo city, northwest Syria, January 2022 - “These young girls have all they need to succeed in life, and they just need an opportunity to express their potential,” said Dr Susan. She is teaching a robotics course to a group of nine girls with disabilities at the UNICEF -supported centre in Aleppo city. Robotics ...

Striving for a better future

Aleppo, northwest Syria, February 2022 - Six years ago, a shell fell on Fatima’s house in Ar-Raqqa, Syria, heavily damaging it. A shrapnel injured the eye of her brother, Ibrahim, causing him permanent damage. Fatima, traumatized by what had happened, became very fearful of loud noises. “She’d cover her ears and c...

Stepping into a brighter future

Syria crisis 11 years on, Children struggle after 11 years of war, Download the infographics, Fast Facts: Children and the Syria crisis 11 years on, Read more stories about the children of Syria, Finding strength to heal from loss and trauma Regaining confidence and love for learning Striving for a better future N...

Regaining confidence and love for learning

Syria crisis 11 years on, Children of Syria struggle after 11 years of war, Download the infographics, Children and the Syria regional crisis 11 years on, Read more stories about the children of Syria, Finding strength to heal from loss and trauma Stepping into a brighter future Striving for a better future Aleppo city, northwest Syria, February 2022 – Maram was four years old when she lost her leg. “Mum, if I eat all my vegetables, will my foot ...

Syria: children struggle with physical and psychological scars after 11 years of war

DAMASCUS, 15 March 2022 – Only yesterday three children were reportedly killed by unexploded ordnance in Aleppo city. Eleven years since the crisis began in Syria, violence, displacement, and lack of access to essential services continue to obstruct children’s lives. Last year, nearly 900 children in Syria lost th...

06 December 2021

Miryame’s story

Aleppo, Syria, November 2021 - At the age of three, Miryame’s parents noticed their daughter had not yet spoken nor did she interact like most children her age would. Following thorough medical examinations, they found out she had a mental disability. Miryame, now 9, had suffered from hypoxia at birth, which seems...

05 December 2021

A new school, a new beginning

Nour, 11, on her wheelchair, helped by her sister Itab, 12, as they leave their house. UNICEF/Syria/2021/Johnny Shahan Nour, 11, on her wheelchair, helped by her sister Itab, 12, as they leave their house to school in Al-Kaisa village, Rural Damascus. Itab, 12, fixes the foot of her sister Nour, 11, on the footsto...

“A person is helpless only when he loses a brain”

“If you lose a limb, this shouldn’t stop you. A person is helpless only if they loses their brain, but you didn’t, so you should pull yourself together and keep working.” Moaz, 14 Douma, Rural Damascus, Syria, July 2021 - Four years ago, Moaz lost his right leg in a blast when he was going to the market to get som...

Yasser’s confidence grows through education

“I had never been to school because I can’t walk and there’s no public transportation available from our home to school. My family cannot afford the cost of other means of transport,” Yasser, 12 Syria, Al-Hasakeh, June 2021 – “I had never been to school because I can’t walk and there’s no public transportation ava...