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CNN LIVE TODAY
Interview of Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF
Aired November 19, 2001 - 10:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Long before the U.S.-led war on terrorism, Afghans were the largest single refugee group in the world. Obviously, the war has only driven more families from their homes. With a look this morning at the refugee situation in and around Afghanistan, here's Catherine Callaway with us. Catherine Good morning.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, Bill. You know, more than 20 years of war in Afghanistan has raised a generation that has known nothing but war and living in refuge. And to talk more about the children affected by this refugee crisis, I'm joined from the United Nations in New York by Carol Bellamy, she's the executive director of UNICEF. Thanks for being with us this morning.
CAROL BELLAMY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UNICEF: Thank you.
CALLAWAY: And I think most people know that you have been working with the children of Afghanistan long before this war began, the "America's New War." Can you tell us how the situation has changed over the last few weeks?
BELLAMY: Well, it's only made it worse in the sense that Afghan's children and the children inside of Afghanistan were some of the poorest and least healthy in the world. They had one of the highest rates of under five child mortality. Children dying before the age of five. And now, recently, since so many of them have had to leave their homes, not only are they subject to malnourishment, but also to exposure with winter coming.
CALLAWAY: And we have some video of some of the refugees and some of the supply trucks. Have you been able lately, in the last week or so, been able to get more of the trucks through to the refugees?
BELLAMY: Yes. Actually, trucks have come into Afghanistan serving not only refugees, but also the people who are displaced. The World Food Program got in food. UNICEF and others have gotten in other supplies like blankets, and pure water, water purification, materials, clothing for children for the winter. So we've been still getting convoys in from several different directions.
CALLAWAY: Carol, it's difficult to pass along the dire straits that the children are in. I think Christiane Amanpour touched on it in her piece a few moments ago about just how many children are dying. One in four before they are one years old -- and -- one year old. And then, women dying in childbirth every 15 minutes. What is the situation there?
BELLAMY: Well, it's really quite horrific. And this was before September 11th, so understand it's only gotten worse. This a country that's been at war for more than 20 years. It's had terrible winters. It's had three years of drought. The children have been suffering. They are the least able to take care of themselves, and the girls particularly. They haven't even gone outside. So we were starting to even see things like rickets among the girls. So, just understand that the terrible conditions did not just start. It's been many, many years. Also these are kids who have only seen war. So they are suffering enormous trauma as well.
CALLAWAY: Winter is approaching, Carol. Big dilemma for UNICEF right now.
BELLAMY: Well, we are trying to get in -- as much positioned in in terms of tents, blankets, winter clothing. Supplementary feeding -- kinds of things like small biscuits. That along with the World Food Program provisions will help the children in winter. But this emergency is not going to go away when the bombing stops. It's here for a long time.
CALLAWAY: We talk about food packets being dropped. Some of the humanitarian aid that is reaching there. But the young babies, this really cannot help them.
BELLAMY: Oh, no. Actually, the food packets don't help the young babies, and in fact, the World Food really isn't dropping, that has been the U.S. But we are providing, and the Red Cross is providing what is called a "mix" that can be used for children who are particularly young and particularly malnourished. And, again, we've always urged breast feeding, but many of the women are so sick. It has -- Afghanistan has the highest maternal mortality rate in the entire world. So we're talking about generally conditions that are not conducive for young children, but young children are growing up in the conditions.
CALLAWAY: And mo -- moving beyond just trying to keep the children alive, there is the situation of the young females not allowed to attend school, and the schools that the young male children are attending are very poor.
BELLAMY: Yes, they are. You saw that -- the pictures just a short while ago. I think one of the exciting things is the opportunity now for children to go to school. It's interesting. Most of the trained teachers in Afghanistan are actually women. They were not allowed to work under the Taliban. Now they'll be able to come back, we hope, and teach not only the boys, but also the girls. This is exciting prospect.
CALLAWAY: We wanted to end it on a positive note here. Carol, I know you're planning on going inside Afghanistan. Do you still plan on doing that in light of today's developments with the journalists being missing now? BELLAMY: Yes, I do. I obviously -- we'll -- we will take care. There are parts of Afghanistan where there is some greater insecurity and certainly the -- Kabul to Jalalabad area is that. But there are other areas where there's more security and certainly I would like to go thank our staff. You should understand U.N. staff remained in Afghanistan working hard even during the bombing.
CALLAWAY: All right. Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF. Thanks for joining us this morning and good luck to you.
BELLAMY: Thank you.
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