The UN Refugee Agency is warning that conflict, insecurity, COVID-19 and deteriorating economic conditions are leading to a rise in trafficking of children, forced labour and forced recruitment by armed groups in Mali.

More cases of child recruitment were documented in the first half of this year (230 cases) compared to the whole of 2019 (215 cases), according to a recent report released by the UNHCR-led Global Protection Cluster.

It’s a network of UN agencies and NGOs providing protection to people affected by humanitarian crises.

Imoh Edet reports.