The fragmented country of Somalia is no stranger to conflict and the last two years of fighting has increasingly taken a toll on the lives of everyone in the country, especially the children. Somalia is quite literally a raging battle ground, as fighting in the country continues, as insurgents exchange fire with the Somali government, Ethiopian troops and African Union peacekeepers.

The spiraling downfall of Somalia began in January 1991, when former President Siad Barre was overthrown, which has since left the country without any form of an operational government. The lawless country has spent the almost two decades locked in endless fighting, between various Islamic insurgent coalitions and government forces, warlords, and the government. The recent fighting has culminated in the deaths of hundreds of Somalis and the displacement of hundreds of thousands. In June 2009, some 170,000 were displaced from Mogadishu (an autonomous region, which is part of the Somali republic; however it remains unrecognized by any country or international organization since its inception in 1991). According to local human rights groups, there have been 397 deaths, and some 1,738 injured since 7 May 2007. However the current displacements are not the country’s worst, as in November 2007, the number of refugees hit one million, according to the United Nations. Most of the displaced have fled Somalia, mainly from the capital Mogadishu residing in Somaliland. To see more on the history of the conflict in Somalia see the conflict timeline from 2000 here.

Women and children have been especially vulnerable in the city as looting and rapes are prevalent. The number of orphans continues to rise, and the situation for them and other vulnerable children remains desolate and is increasingly critical with no government support and assistance for them. Additionally aid workers remain targets, and piracy off the country’s coast continues. While addition the naval forces have continued to work to eliminate ship seizures and escort World Food Program and other Aid deliveries, it continues to significantly impact the aid children and families in dire need.

Little has changed in the last year for many children, as conflict, drought force more children onto Hargeisa streets, many of which often spend the day on the streets in an effort to support their families, others spend day and night alone even more susceptible to violence and exploitation. “There are no exact figures but that is our estimate and numbers seem to be increasing”. From begging, shoe shinning, washing cars and cleaning, children quite literally run the streets day and night in an effort to survive. With the continued violence and influx of refugees into Hargeisa, the numbers of children on the streets only looks to increase.

UNICEF has given Somalia the not so glorious title as ‘the worst place in the world for children’, and estimates that one in seven children under the age of five is acutely malnourished. The country’s future state continues to remain a volatile hotbed for violence, and the future of the countries children remains bleak.

Source: The Examiner