Armenia:

UNICEF warns that children coming to Armenia as refugees face the risk of deteriorating mental health if not given immediate support. Social workers who have been giving children and families specialized care said that refugee children are showing signs of severe psychological distress.

In a press release, the United Nations Children's Fund said that all of the 30,000 children who have fled their homes since the escalation of hostilities are at risk of deteriorating mental health without immediate support.

According to the Agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide, some children have shut down and grown distant, making it difficult for them to communicate their feelings or relate to the world around them. UNICEF has also reported that children are dealing with intense feelings of sadness, anxiety, fear, and anger, manifesting in nightmares, bedwetting, and inconsolable crying.

Since the intensification of hostilities in their home communities two weeks ago, more than 30,000 ethnic Armenian children have arrived in Armenia. Children arriving in Armenia have not been allowed to finish their schooling, UNICEF noted, and many have lived in a dangerous or unsettling environment with their families citing a fear of violence.

"We can now clearly understand how much these kids have suffered. Their physical, emotional, and psychological well-being have been severely damaged by displacement, wars, and hardship. Children run the danger of continuing to experience the repercussions of these extraordinarily upsetting experiences for years to come without ongoing help,” said Christine Weigand, UNICEF Armenia Representative.

"UNICEF advocates for adequate investment in children's mental health and psychosocial support through the health, child protection, and educational systems. This is as crucial in the long run since families will still have to deal with loss and post-traumatic stress disorder,” she continued.

UNICEF said it is on the ground and collaborating with the Armenian government to support the children of refugees. The organization has established mobile pediatric teams for wider outreach and is training specialists to offer psychological support on the front lines.

For the first six months, the UN agency is requesting US $12.6 million to offer essential services in the areas of education, health, child protection, nutrition, water, sanitation, and hygiene.