VOA常速英语:War taking its toll on Iraqi children

The U.N. Children's Fund says an estimated two-million children in Iraq are facing poor nutrition, disease and interrupted education. UNICEF says Iraqi children are paying too high a price for a war that was none of their doing. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva.

The U.N. Children's Fund says children in Kurdistan in northern Iraq are thriving and the situation in southern Iraq has become more stable. It says security has improved in Baghdad and the surrounding areas since the so-called troop surge began in February.

But, UNICEF spokeswoman, Claire Hajaj, tells VOA Iraq is still a volatile and dangerous place.

"Better security does not mean secure. And, the second thing is as we see communities begin to open up because of greater access, we are going to see the needs that may have been hidden for a long time," said Hajaj.

UNICEF says Iraqi children frequently were caught in the crossfire of conflict in 2007. It reports hundreds of children lost their lives or were injured by violence and many more had their main family wage earner kidnapped or killed.

More than one million people are displaced in Iraq. About one half of them are children.

displaced:无家可归的