e United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has disclosed that about
160,000 Nigerians have fled the north eastern parts of the country
seeking refuge in neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
This was
contained in a statement signed by Kori Habib, UNFPA Media Associate in
Nigeria as part of activities to mark the 2015 World Population Day
scheduled for July 11.
The statement indicated that Nigeria would
join the rest of the world to commemorate the World Population Day with
the theme: “Vulnerable population in emergencies”.
According to the statement, the theme of the 2015 world population day is of crucial relevance and timely to Nigeria.
“Nigeria
has about 1.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) largely due
to communal conflicts and insurgencies in the north eastern part.
“The
majority of the IDPs are women, children and elderly and 52 per cent of
the IDPs are estimated to be children under the age of 18 years,” the
statement said.
The statement lamented the vulnerable population
in emergencies were exposed to series of protection risks and threats
that included forced labour, physical abuse, torture abductions and
forceful conscription.
“The insurgents also subject them to forced
conscription, sexual and gender based violence as well as poor living
condition and debilitating poverty,” Habib said in the statement.
It
said that UNFPA, partners and stakeholders would use the occasion to
sensitise the populace on the plight of the IDPs, also elicit commitment
from government in addressing their needs.
As part of the
activities for the commemoration of the day, UNFPA, National Population
Commission and other stakeholders will visit some IDP camps in the FCT.
Source: PM News
0 comments:
Post a Comment