Mexico City, October 19, 2017 – A month and a half after the first earthquake (September 7), and a month after the second one (September 19), UNICEF calls on lawmakers and government authorities to make decisions in the reconstruction process, for the benefit of the children and adolescents affected by the earthquakes, and the entire child population of the country.
“Children and adolescents living in Chiapas, Oaxaca, Mexico City, Puebla and Morelos continue to need different types of support to regain a normal life”, says the United Nations Children’s Fund in Mexico.
“The protection and physical and emotional recovery of children is a process that requires short, medium and long term care,” said Christian Skoog, UNICEF Representative in the country.
“It also makes it necessary to ensure that all these children return to school and that they do so in safe conditions,” he reiterated.
According to figures from the Ministry of Education, as of October 10, the states with the greatest delay in the return of children to classes were Morelos with 24%, State of Mexico with 44%, Puebla with 60% and Mexico City with 67%
One of the risks that occur once the emergency is over is the increased school dropout rates due to the conditions faced by affected families in low income communities.
“In the face of these scenarios, UNICEF insists that it is critical that the needs of children be at the center of the national response, not only to ensure the protection of their rights today, but also in the future,” Skoog said.
About UNICEF Mexico
For 70 years UNICEF has promoted the rights and well-being of all children and adolescents worldwide.
Together with our allies, we work in 190 countries and territories to transform this commitment into practical actions that benefit all children and adolescents, focusing especially on our efforts to reach the most vulnerable and excluded, around the world.
In Mexico, UNICEF is 61 years old, promoting and protecting the rights of children. Together with government and civil society, it seeks to establish the necessary conditions to overcome poverty, inequality and discrimination. The activities supported by UNICEF in Mexico are mostly financed through contributions and voluntary donations from individuals and companies.
For more information on UNICEF and its work, visit: www.unicef.org.mx
