Category: unicef

NEW YORK (March 1, 2023) – The number of children without access to social protection is increasing year-on-year, leaving them at risk of poverty, hunger and discrimination, according to a new report released by the International Labor Organization (ILO) and UNICEF today. More than a billion reasons: The urgent need to build universal social protection for… Continue reading Number Of Children Without Critical Social Protection Increasing Globally – ILO And UNICEF

NEW YORK (February 28, 2023) – UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell today concluded a two-day visit to Türkiye, where she met with children and families affected by the powerful earthquakes that hit southeast Türkiye and northern Syria earlier this month. Russell highlighted the importance of social services, including water and sanitation, and psychosocial support for affected children. She… Continue reading 2.5 Million Children In Türkiye Need Urgent Humanitarian Assistance, Says UNICEF Executive Director, Following Two-Day Visit To Türkiye

Tropical Cyclone Freddy made landfall in the coastal town of Vilanculos, Mozambique, on Feb. 24, bringing strong winds, heavy rains and high seas, endangering children and families.  UNICEF teams are on the ground, assessing immediate needs and mobilizing the rapid distribution of critical supplies including safe water and water purification supplies, medical supplies, tents and… Continue reading UNICEF Helps Children as Cyclone Freddy Slams Mozambique

NEW YORK (February 24, 2023) – “I have just returned from Türkiye, where I saw first-hand some of the devastation left by the powerful earthquakes in south-east Türkiye and Syria. “I was in Kahramanmaras, one of the 11 most affected provinces. Seventeen days after the earthquakes reduced buildings to rubble, thousands of families are still huddled… Continue reading UNICEF Geneva Palais Briefing Note On The Situation Of Earthquake-Affected Children And Families In Türkiye

NEW YORK (February 23, 2023) – Every two minutes, a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth, according to the latest estimates released in a report by United Nations agencies today. This report, Trends in maternal mortality, reveals alarming setbacks for women’s health over recent years, as maternal deaths either increased or stagnated in nearly all regions… Continue reading A Woman Dies Every Two Minutes Due To Pregnancy Or Childbirth: UN Agencies

They come in many shapes and sizes, from open-air tents to repurposed subway stations, but every one of the 182 Spilno Spots that UNICEF and partners have set up in Ukraine is a comfortable, nurturing space where children can go to just be kids again for a while, away from the pressures of growing up… Continue reading UNICEF Spilno Centers Are a Refuge for Children in Ukraine

When the war in Ukraine escalated suddenly one year ago, UNICEF leapt into high gear to ramp up urgent humanitarian aid for children caught in an unfolding crisis, distributing prepositioned supplies and rushing assistance to those in need. UNICEF was already well-established in Ukraine, working with partners for decades to provide essential services to families,… Continue reading When Emergencies Hit, UNICEF Is Already There, Helping Children

NEW YORK (February 21, 2023) – “The past year has been one of violence, fear and loss for the children of Ukraine. There is not a single aspect of children’s lives that the war has not impacted, with children killed, injured, forced from their homes, and missing out on critical education. Amid the death and displacement,… Continue reading Death, Destruction And Displacement …And Now Poverty, Stalk The Children Of Ukraine

NEW YORK (February 21, 2023) – Almost one year since the escalation of the war in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, a generation of children has experienced 12 months of violence, fear, loss and tragedy. There is not a single aspect of children’s lives that the conflict has not impacted, with children killed, injured, forced from… Continue reading War In Ukraine Pushes Generation Of Children To The Brink, Warns UNICEF

One week after two deadly earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria, the total number of dead and injured continues to rise. UNICEF fears many thousands of children have been killed. Hundreds of thousands of children need urgent humanitarian assistance. In Turkey, 4.6 million children were living in the 10 provinces hit by the quakes on Feb.… Continue reading Children in Crisis After Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria Need Help Now

One week after two deadly earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria, UNICEF fears many thousands of children have been killed. Even without verified numbers, it is tragically clear that numbers will continue grow. In Turkey, the total number of children living in the 10 provinces hit by the quakes was 4.6 million children. In Syria, 2.5… Continue reading Hundreds of Thousands of Children in Turkey and Syria Need Help Now

NEW YORK (February 14, 2023) – ” As families face the wretched, heartbreaking reality that the focus in Türkiye and Syria is moving to recovery more than rescue, UNICEF fears many thousands of children have been killed. Even without verified numbers, it is tragically clear that numbers will continue grow. “In Türkiye, the total number of… Continue reading Hundreds Of Thousands Of Children Enduring Desperate Conditions Following Türkiye And Syria Earthquakes

More than 36,000 are dead and tens of thousands injured after twin earthquakes devastated Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6, 2023. As the search and rescue phase winds down, the scale-up of the humanitarian response is accelerating rapidly. UNICEF teams are on the ground, working with partners to reach children and families with lifesaving assistance.… Continue reading In Syria, UNICEF Mobile Clinics Reach Children After Earthquakes

NEW YORK (February 13, 2023) – Seven days after two devastating earthquakes and more than 1,600 aftershocks hit south-east Türkiye and Syria – causing widespread destruction and taking the lives of thousands of people – UNICEF is warning that millions of children are in need of urgent humanitarian support. While the total number of children affected… Continue reading One Week On From Devastating Earthquakes, Millions Of Children Remain In Need Of Urgent Humanitarian Assistance

More than 36,000 are dead and tens of thousands injured after twin earthquakes devastated Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6, 2023. As the search and rescue phase winds down, the scale up of the humanitarian response is accelerating rapidly. UNICEF teams are on the ground, working with partners to reach children and families with lifesaving… Continue reading In Syria, UNICEF Mobile Clinics Reach Children After Deadly Earthquake

As the climate change-induced drought crisis in the Horn of Africa deepens, the number of children who don’t have enough to eat is rising sharply. By late December 2022, around 20.2 million children across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia were facing the threat of severe hunger, thirst and disease. And they are not alone: every minute,… Continue reading What Is Child Wasting?

NEW YORK (February 9, 2023) – Acts of armed violence against schools in Haiti, including shooting, ransacking, looting and kidnappings have increased nine-fold in one year, as rising insecurity and widespread unrest begin to cripple the country’s education system, UNICEF warned today.    In the first four months of the academic year (October – February), 72 schools… Continue reading Haiti: Armed Violence Against Schools Increases Nine-Fold In One Year – UNICEF

As Muslim families come together around the world to commemorate the holy month of Ramadan, nearly 10 million children and their families in Pakistan still need immediate, lifesaving support as they struggle to survive the aftermath of the unprecedented 2022 floods.  The “monsoon on steroids” that left huge swathes of Pakistan underwater, swallowing up villages and… Continue reading Standing Up for Children in Pakistan This Ramadan

Search and rescue efforts continue in Syria and Turkey amid aftershocks in the wake of a major earthquake that killed more than 5,000 people and destroyed thousands of homes, schools and other buildings in the early hours of Feb. 6. Speaking from the UNICEF office in Aleppo on Feb. 7, Angela Kearney, UNICEF Representative in… Continue reading UNICEF Responding After Massive Earthquake in Syria and Turkey

Search and rescue efforts continue in Syria and Turkey amid aftershocks in the wake of a major earthquake that killed more than 5,000 people and destroyed thousands of homes, schools and other buildings in the early hours of Feb. 6. Speaking from the UNICEF office in Aleppo on Feb. 7, Angela Kearney, UNICEF Representative in… Continue reading UNICEF Responding After Massive Earthquake Hits Syria and Turkey

NEW YORK (February 7, 2023) – “This is the most powerful earthquake to hit the region in almost 100 years and came at the worst possible time for vulnerable children and families in the affected areas.    “Thousands of homes have been destroyed, displacing families and exposing them to the elements at a time of year when… Continue reading UNICEF Geneva Palais Briefing Note On The Situation Of Children And Families Affected By The Earthquakes In Türkiye And Syria

A deadly combination of displacement, soaring malnutrition rates, conflict and disaster has left more children in need of humanitarian assistance than at any time since World War II. As winter weather has brought freezing temperatures and damp conditions to some parts of the world, children have been left especially exposed and vulnerable.  The risk of hypothermia… Continue reading Weathering Winter With Help From UNICEF

NEW YORK (February 6, 2023) – Thousands of children and families are at risk after two devastating earthquakes and dozens of aftershocks hit south-east Türkiye and Syria today. According to authorities, in the two countries, more than 2,300 people have been killed, including children, with thousands more injured. These numbers are only likely to increase. In Türkiye,… Continue reading Thousands Of Children At Risk After Devastating Earthquakes Hit South-East Türkiye And Syria

A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria early on Feb. 6, killing more than 1,800 people and injuring thousands more. The quake, one of the  strongest to hit the region in the past 100 years, was felt in Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan and Lebanon. As aftershocks continue, UNICEF is on the ground… Continue reading Devastating Earthquake Hits Syria and Turkey

NEW YORK (February 6, 2023) – “This year, 4.3 million girls are at risk of female genital mutilation, according to the latest UNFPA estimates. This number is projected to reach 4.6 million by 2030, as conflict, climate change, rising poverty and inequality continue to hinder efforts to transform gender and social norms that underpin this harmful… Continue reading World Will Miss Target Of Ending FGM By 2030 Without Urgent Action – Including From Men And Boys

Children worldwide are being denied their basic human right to an education. Conflict, climate change, displacement and other crises are pushing them to the edge. To highlight the amazing stories of perseverance and hope emerging on the front lines, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) — the UN’s global fund for education in emergencies that is hosted… Continue reading Postcards From the Edge

This article has been adapted for UNICEF USA with permission from IFANCA.  By Alison DeGuide, Editor-in-Chief of Halal Consumer Magazine and Content Developer at IFANCA, and Amelia Keleher, Food & Health Equity Program Coordinator at IFANCA In June 2021, IFANCA announced a US$3 million grant as part of a five-year partnership supporting UNICEF’s ongoing efforts… Continue reading IFANCA Joins UNICEF Delegation to Jordan

An internationally condemned human rights violation, female genital mutilation (FGM) harms girls’ bodies and their futures. More than 200 million girls and women are living with the pain and trauma of this inhumane practice, a form of ritualized gender-based violence still practiced worldwide. Most are harmed before their 15th birthday. FGM is defined as the partial… Continue reading What Is FGM?

NEW YORK (January 30, 2023) – “”In addition to [requesting the repeal of] the ban [on female humanitarian workers at national and international NGOs from working across Afghanistan] we have requested and advocated for the full inclusion of girls and women in public life, and especially in public secondary education and tertiary education.  “The numbers are alarming. More than… Continue reading Afghanistan: UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Omar Abdi’s Remarks At UN Press Briefing

NEW YORK (January 30, 2023) – “UNICEF is alarmed by the latest escalation of violence that has left many dead and injured. All children are entitled to special protection under international human rights law, and all their rights including the right to life and protection must be upheld at all times. “Children continue to pay the highest… Continue reading UNICEF Calls For The Protection Of All Children Amidst Increase Of Violence In The State Of Palestine And Israel

NEW YORK (January 27, 2023) – UNICEF has called for the immediate and unconditional release of at least 13 children reported to have been abducted this week by a non-state armed group during an attack near the city of Butembo, in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The 11 boys and… Continue reading UNICEF Calls For Immediate And Unconditional Release Of Abducted Children In The Democratic Republic Of The Congo

UNICEF is moving fast to scale up support of Malawi’s response to the country’s massive cholera outbreak as more and more people fall sick and die. As of Jan. 15, UNICEF reported that there were 825 deaths — 123 of them children. There have been over 25,000 registered cases since March 2022, with children representing… Continue reading UNICEF Responds to Cholera Emergency in Malawi

Throughout history, dance — ballet in particular — has played a vital role during times of war and exile. Ballet and other forms of art were used to both symbolize and defy great powers during World War II and other times of conflict. Today, as we near the one-year mark of escalated conflict in Ukraine,… Continue reading Ballet Benefit Raises Funds to Help Ukraine’s Children

NEW YORK (January 25, 2023) – Today, UNICEF USA announced the appointment of Vidya Vasu-Devan to the Impact Fund for Children’s Board of Directors, effective December 21, 2022. The Impact Fund for Children is an organization of UNICEF USA that provides innovative and attractive opportunities for impact investors and catalytic donors who seek to help solve… Continue reading UNICEF USA Announces New Appointment to the Impact Fund for Children’s Board of Directors: Vidya Vasu-Devan

NEW YORK (January 24, 2023) – The ongoing war in Ukraine has disrupted education for more than five million children, UNICEF warned today, calling for increased international support to ensure children do not fall further behind. The impact of 11 months of conflict only compounds the two years of lost learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and more than 8 years of war for children… Continue reading 11 Months Of War In Ukraine Have Disrupted Education For More Than Five Million Children – UNICEF

What results when two global powerhouses join forces to increase access to education? A pathway to success for children, young people and teachers, and a brighter future for all. Over five years — and counting — of strategic partnership, UNICEF and Microsoft have increased access to education for millions of children through the Learning Passport.… Continue reading UNICEF and Microsoft Prioritize Education Via the Learning Passport

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 Yemen is considered one of the worst places in the world to be a child.  After nearly a decade of war, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen has reached unprecedented levels. Dozens of childen… Continue reading Yemen War

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 UNICEF has been on the ground in Ukraine and in neighboring countries providing critical support and humanitarian assistance since the Ukraine war escalated on Feb. 24, 2022. Here is a look at some… Continue reading UNICEF in Ukraine

The flooding catastrophe in Pakistan may no longer be making news headlines, but as media attention — and humanitarian donor interest — wanes, there are 4 million children still fighting for survival, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan Abdullah Fadil said during a press briefing at UN headquarters in Geneva Tuesday. “With homes destroyed, they are suffering… Continue reading ‘Children Are Still Dying’ in Pakistan, UNICEF Warns World

NEW YORK (January 19, 2023) – Marking its 12th and most successful year to date, MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell, in partnership with UNICEF USA, announced that the K.I.N.D. Fund has raised more than $5.2 million since the start of the 2022 campaign on Giving Tuesday (November 30, 2022). Dedicated to empowering school children in Malawi, Africa… Continue reading K.I.N.D Fund Marks Most Successful Fundraising Season to Date with More Than $5 Million Raised Since November 2022

The flooding catastrophe in Pakistan may no longer be making news headlines, but as media attention — and humanitarian donor interest — wanes, there are 4 million children still fighting for survival, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan Abdullah Fadil said during a press briefing at UN headquarters in Geneva Tuesday. “With homes destroyed, they are suffering… Continue reading ‘Children Are Still Dying’ in Pakistan, UNICEF Warns World Leaders

NEW YORK (January 17, 2023) –  Nearly 25 million Nigerians are at risk of facing hunger between June and August 2023 (lean season) if urgent action is not taken, according to the October 2022 Cadre Harmonisé, a Government led and UN-supported food and nutrition analysis carried out twice a year. This is a projected increase from… Continue reading 25 Million Nigerians At High Risk Of Food Insecurity In 2023

NEW YORK (January 17, 2023) – Children from the poorest households benefit the least from national public education funding, UNICEF said in a new report released today, while calling for additional – and more equitable – investment to lift millions of children out of a learning crisis. The report, Transforming Education with Equitable Financing, notes that on… Continue reading Children From The Poorest Households Benefit The Least From National Public Education Funding – UNICEF

NEW YORK (January 17, 2023) – “The rains have ended; and sadly, to a great degree, so has media attention. And yet four million children fight for survival near contaminated and stagnant flood waters. “With homes destroyed, they are suffering a bitter winter, without decent shelter. “You will have all seen the images that tell this… Continue reading Pakistan’s Rains May Have Stopped, But Children Are Still Dying – UNICEF

It has been almost a year since the war in Ukraine escalated, uprooting children and their families and turning day-to-day life into an unimaginable struggle. Intensified attacks on critical urban infrastructure in October destroyed 40 percent of the nation’s power plants, leaving children to face the extreme winter cold without heat or electricity. Full-scale attacks… Continue reading Winter Relief for Ukraine’s Children

Five-year-old Ulyana eyes lit up when she saw the new winter jackets that arrived as part of an aid package from UNICEF. She hugged one tightly, relief washing across her face. These clothes will keep her and her brothers warm this winter. When the full-scale war in Ukraine broke out, Ulyana and her family fled… Continue reading UNICEF Provides Warm Winter Clothes for Ukraine’s Children

Four months since Pakistan declared a national state of emergency due to catastrophic flooding during the 2022 monsoons, up to 4 million children are still living near contaminated and stagnant floodwaters — at grave risk to their survival and well-being. “Children living in Pakistan’s flood-affected areas have been pushed to the brink,” said Abdullah Fadil,… Continue reading As Floodwaters Recede, Grave Risks Remain for Children in Pakistan

NEW YORK (January 10, 2023) – An estimated five million children died before their fifth birthday and another 2.1 million children and youth aged between 5–24 years lost their lives in 2021, according to the latest estimates released by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). In a separate report also released today,… Continue reading A Child Or Youth Died Once Every 4.4 Seconds In 2021 – UN Report

NEW YORK (January 10, 2023) – Today, UNICEF USA announced that Michael S. Chen has been selected as the organization’s new Chief Financial Officer, effective January 10. As Chief Financial Officer, Michael will be responsible for leading the finance team while ensuring all financial functions meet the needs of UNICEF USA.   Michael joins the leadership team… Continue reading UNICEF USA Announces Michael S. Chen as New Chief Financial Officer

Catastrophic conditions created by a climate-induced drought, environmental degradation, a distant war and other factors are now threatening the lives of over 20 million children in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, according to UNICEF  — more than double the number of children reported just five months ago. Levels of malnutrition are soaring among children, with 1.9… Continue reading Dangers Deepening for Children Caught in Horn of Africa Drought Crisis

NEW YORK (January 9, 2023) – More than four months after a national state of emergency was declared in Pakistan, up to four million children are still living near contaminated and stagnant flood waters, risking their survival and wellbeing, UNICEF warned today. Acute respiratory infections among children, a leading cause of child mortality worldwide, have skyrocketed… Continue reading Up To Four Million Children In Pakistan Still Living Next To Stagnant And Contaminated Floodwater

It was springtime when 13-year-old Valeria’s mother told her they were leaving Venezuela to join her father, who was working in Colombia. “When my mom told me we were going to travel, I felt sad,” Valeria recalls. She pulled all the stuffing out of her favorite stuffed animals so she could fit them in her… Continue reading Education Support for Children On the Move From Venezuela

When Carlos Espinoza was only 12 years old, he suffered from an accident that caused him to lose his sight. Confronted with a difficult situation, he had to quickly adjust to his new reality. Espinoza faced a life on the margins. But today, he has become a favorite teacher at a UNICEF education program in… Continue reading Blind Teacher Helps Refugee and Migrant Children in Peru

It was springtime when 13-year-old Valeria’s mother told her they were leaving Venezuela to join her father, who was working in Colombia. “When my mom told me we were going to travel, I felt sad,” Valeria recalls. She pulled all the stuffing out of her favorite stuffed animals so she could fit them in her… Continue reading Education Support for Venezuelan Children on the Move

It was springtime when 13-year-old Valeria’s mother told her they were leaving Venezuela to join her father, who was working in Colombia. “When my mom told me we were going to travel, I felt sad,” Valeria recalls. She pulled all the stuffing out of her favorite stuffed animals so she could fit them in her… Continue reading Education Support for Child Migrants From Venezuela

NEW YORK (January 2, 2023) – “United Nations Security Council resolution 2642 – which allows for life-saving humanitarian aid to be delivered to north-west Syria from across the Turkish border – is set to expire in eight days. If the Council fails to extend it, the consequences will be catastrophic for 4.1 million people in non-Government… Continue reading UN Humanitarian Leaders Urge Security Council To Preserve Cross-Border Aid Lifeline To North-West Syria

NEW YORK (December 29, 2022) – UNICEF USA is deeply concerned by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that allows Title 42 to remain in effect indefinitely while litigation is underway. In the nearly three years that Title 42 has been in place, more than 287,000 children and families arriving at the southern U.S. border have been… Continue reading UNICEF USA Statement on SCOTUS Title 42 Ruling

Forced out of their homes by violent conflict in the Benishangul-Gumuz region of far western Ethiopia, approximately 12,000 people have taken refuge in the Bambassi camp for internally displaced persons where Sedalia Abdulahi works as a frontline health extension worker. “As you can see, they fled without any belongings,” says Abdulahi. “They are in a… Continue reading Health Workers Save Lives Amid Conflict in Ethiopia

The railway station in Pokrovsk, in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, is crowded but quiet. Several hundred passengers, mostly the elderly, women with children and people with disabilities are waiting for a train that will take them to a safer place. All of them are waiting expectantly for the train to arrive, clutching bags,… Continue reading Cash Assistance Program Brings Hope to Ukrainian Families in Crisis

As the war in Ukraine continues, attacks on infrastructure are destroying energy and water supply systems across the country, leaving children and their families stranded without heat, hot water or electricity this winter. UNICEF is supporting children during this difficult time by providing families with basic essentials including winter clothes, shoes and blankets along with access… Continue reading A Cold, Dark Winter for the Children of Ukraine

NEW YORK (December 27, 2022) – UNICEF USA welcomes the recent passage of the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus bill to fund the U.S. Government for FY 2023, as well as provide additional humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. We applaud the U.S. Congress for overall increases to U.S. foreign assistance to support children and families in need globally.… Continue reading Congress Increases Voluntary Contribution To UNICEF’s Core Resources In 2023

NEW YORK (December 25, 2022) –  “UNICEF strongly condemns the recent decree issued by the Taliban de facto authorities banning all female humanitarian workers at national and international NGOs from working across Afghanistan. This decision is a blatant violation of obligations under international humanitarian law and the most fundamental human rights of women in Afghanistan. It comes just… Continue reading Restricting Female Humanitarians From Working And Female Students From Access To Education In Afghanistan Is A ‘Blatant Violation Of Fundamental Human Rights

NEW YORK (December 22, 2022) –  The number of children suffering dire drought conditions across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia has more than doubled in five months, according to UNICEF. Around 20.2 million children are now facing the threat of severe hunger, thirst and disease, compared to 10 million in July, as climate change, conflict, global inflation… Continue reading More Than Twenty Million Children Suffering In The Horn Of Africa As Drought Intensifies – UNICEF

As subzero winter temperatures grip Ukraine this holiday season, some 7 million children continue to suffer the devastating impacts of war, including explosive weapons, heat and energy shortages, and the inability to go to school, either online or in person. UNICEF is stepping up new initiatives and activities to ensure vulnerable children and families across the country get the… Continue reading Holiday Train Brings Hope & Support to Children Caught in Ukraine War

When Carlos Espinoza was only 12 years old, he suffered from an accident that caused him to lose his sight. Confronted with a difficult situation, he had to quickly adjust to his new reality. Espinoza faced a life on the margins. But today, he has become a favorite teacher at a refugee education program funded… Continue reading Blind Teacher Helps Refugee Children in Peru

2022 was another year of challenge and change for millions of the world’s most vulnerable children. The war in Ukraine, the accelerating impacts of climate change, the debilitating effects of widening income and technology inequality, and the rippling repercussions of a global pandemic threatened children around the world. Shining through those dark clouds were rays… Continue reading Partners Helped UNICEF Create a Better Future for Children in 2022

NEW YORK/KYIV  (December 19, 2022) – As families in Ukraine mark St. Nicholas Day, UNICEF is stepping up support through new initiatives and activities, ensuring vulnerable children and families across the country receive financial, educational, and moral support over the holiday period. UNICEF is working with the Ministry of Social Policy to provide a total of… Continue reading UNICEF Supports Ukraine Ministry Of Social Policy And Ukrainian Railways Holiday Season Campaign For War-Affected Children And Vulnerable Families

NEW YORK/COTONOU (December 19, 2022) – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Angélique Kidjo returned to her home country Bénin last week to meet children and young people impacted by the spillover of violence from the Sahel crisis and climate change in the region.   The deteriorating security situation in Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Niger, as well as rising food… Continue reading UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Angélique Kidjo Celebrates Resilience Of Girls And Young People During Visit To Benin

Climate change, armed conflict and crumbling economies had a disastrous impact on children in 2022. From flooding in Pakistan and severe drought in the Horn of Africa to the escalation of war in Ukraine and the rise of armed groups in Burkina Faso, this past year, humanitarian needs have never been greater. Wherever children are in need,… Continue reading In a Year of Conflict & Climate Change, UNICEF Stepped Up for Children

Every year, tens of thousands of children travel through Mexico to the southwestern U.S. border unaccompanied by parents or caregivers. Most if not all are fleeing violence, poverty and lack of opportunity in their home countries. They come seeking safety and a better life — often with the hope of reuniting with loved ones already… Continue reading How to Better Support Child Migrants in the U.S.

NEW YORK (December 14, 2022) – When unaccompanied migrant children leave the care of U.S. federal custody to reunite with a parent or other sponsor, they often lose access to critical case management, health and mental health care and other social services. While local governments, post-release service providers and others offer a range of services to… Continue reading MPI-UNICEF Brief Offers Strategies To Strengthen Delivery Of Post-Release Services For Unaccompanied Children

NEW YORK (December 14, 2022) – Continuing attacks on critical energy infrastructure in Ukraine have left almost every child in Ukraine – nearly seven million children – without sustained access to electricity, heating and water, putting them at increased risk as temperatures continue to drop and winter deepens, UNICEF warned today. Without electricity, children are not… Continue reading Almost Seven Million Children In Ukraine At Risk As Attacks On Energy Infrastructure Cause Widespread Blackouts And Disruption Of Heating And Water

NEW YORK (December 13, 2022) As part of a record global appeal, UNICEF is appealing for US$2.6 billion in emergency funding to deliver lifesaving assistance to over 52.7 million children in need in the Middle East and North Africa in 2023. “With almost half of the countries in the region living in crisis or undergoing ripple… Continue reading UNICEF Appeals For $2.6 Billion To Meet Increasing Children’s Needs In The Middle East And North Africa

NEW YORK/MOGADISHU (December 13, 2022) – The efforts of national and local authorities and the scale up of humanitarian assistance to respond to the impact of the longest and most severe drought in Somalia’s recent history has prevented famine thresholds from being surpassed, for the time being. The situation remains extremely serious, however, and humanitarian assistance… Continue reading The Humanitarian Situation In Somalia Remains Extremely Serious: Assistance Must Be Sustained And Improved To Continue To Prevent Famine

NEW YORK (December 13, 2022) – UNICEF report released today reveals stagnation in access to digital learning made during the COVID-19 pandemic, as one-third of nationally developed platforms have entirely shutdown, are outdated, or no longer fully functional, limiting learning approaches to help schoolchildren recover their education. When planned and facilitated effectively, quality, inclusive, and equitable… Continue reading One In Three Digital Learning Platforms Developed During COVID-19 No Longer Functional

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 Ambition, eagerness to learn, resilience, warm smiles. That is what you will discover upon entering a classroom at St. Monica Girls’ Secondary School in Malawi. St. Monica’s is an all-girls boarding school in… Continue reading K.I.N.D. Fund Scholarships Keep Girls in School in Malawi

NEW YORK (December 12, 2022) – More than 11,000 children have now been killed or maimed as a result of the conflict in Yemen, according to UNICEF – an average of four a day since the escalation of the conflict in 2015. As these are only the UN-verified incidents, the true toll of this conflict is… Continue reading More Than 11,000 Children Killed Or Injured In Yemen – UNICEF

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 The past few decades have brought progress toward ending FGM. In countries where the practice is highly prevalent, seven out of 10 girls and women believe the practice should stop — twice as… Continue reading UNICEF’s Mission to End Female Genital Mutilation

NEW YORK (December 8, 2022) – The number of hungry people in West and Central Africa is projected to reach an all-time high of 48 million people (including 9 million children) next year if urgent and long-lasting solutions to address this crisis are not delivered soon. The latest Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis shows that over… Continue reading FAO, UNICEF And WFP Call For Urgent And Long-Lasting Action In West And Central Africa As The Region Faces Another Year Of Record Hunger With Thousands Experiencing Catastrophic Levels Of Food Security

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 UNICEF is calling for increased support from the donor community to help close critical funding gaps that are limiting the reach and impact of 12 important — and in many cases overlooked —… Continue reading 12 Places in the World That Need More Humanitarian Support Now

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 Last November in the west of Afghanistan, a very frail 4-year-old girl named Parwana was diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). A UNICEF mobile nutrition team nursed her back to health with Ready-to-Use… Continue reading A Malnutrition Tragedy Averted in Afghanistan

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 Being part of a UNICEF Club can change your life. Don’t believe me? Let introduce you to someone who exemplifies just how life-changing joining a UNICEF Club can be. Meet Cynthia Yue, 22,… Continue reading It All Starts With A UNICEF Club: Volunteer Cynthia Yue’s Story

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 Addressing the devastating impacts of climate change on vulnerable children and families is the focus of UNICEF’s humanitarian action plan for 2023, according to a detailed appeal released today. The $10.3 billion plan… Continue reading UNICEF Launches $10B Appeal to Help World’s Children in 2023

NEW YORK (December 5, 2022) UNICEF today launched a $10.3 billion emergency funding appeal to reach more than 173 million people – including 110 million children – affected by humanitarian crises, the enduring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide and the growing threat of climate-impacted severe weather events. “Today, there are more children in need of humanitarian assistance than at any… Continue reading UNICEF Appeals For $10.3 Billion Emergency Funding To Support Children Affected By Conflict, Catastrophe And Climate Crises Around The World

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 More than 14 million people have been forced out of their homes by the war in Ukraine, leaving parents struggling to keep their children safe and healthy in the midst of a national… Continue reading Helping Children With Disabilities in Wartime Ukraine

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 From Ukraine to Yemen, Bangladesh to Kenya to Afghanistan, one of the ways UNICEF helps families in need is through humanitarian cash transfers. Through the program, families impacted by conflict, flooding, drought and… Continue reading Humanitarian Cash Transfers Provide Lifeline to Vulnerable Families

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 When her village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was attacked in 2019, Nyota, now 13, thought all hope was lost. Her father and brothers were brutally killed in the attack,… Continue reading A Dream of Peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo

For more than half of all students in Malawi, one of the world’s poorest countries, school days are spent sitting on the classroom floor. Without desks or chairs, it’s harder to focus, harder to write and harder to learn. In 2010, UNICEF USA and MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell launched the Kids in Need of Desks (K.I.N.D.)… Continue reading K.I.N.D. Fund Provides Desks and Scholarships for Students in Malawi

NOV 29, 2022 (NEW YORK) – On the cusp of celebrating her 20th year as a UNICEF Ambassador, actor and activist Alyssa Milano traveled to Egypt with UNICEF USA to witness girls’ empowerment and education programming firsthand. The visit allowed Milano to learn from UNICEF experts, partners, children and their families about UNICEF’s relentless work… Continue reading Actor and Activist Alyssa Milano Celebrates Milestone 20th Anniversary as a UNICEF Ambassador

NEW YORK (November 28, 2022) – Around 110,000 children and adolescents (0-19 years) died from AIDs-related causes during 2021, according to the latest UNICEF global snapshot on children and HIV and AIDS. Meanwhile, another 310,000 were newly infected, bringing the total number of young people living with HIV to 2.7 million. Ahead of World AIDS Day,… Continue reading HIV Prevention And Treatment Progress For Children, Adolescents, And Pregnant Women Nearly Flat Over Past Few Years – UNICEF

NEW YORK (November 27, 2022) – “UNICEF condemns all violence against children and calls for an end to all forms of violence and abuse that have reportedly claimed the lives of over 50 children and injured many more during the public unrest in Iran. “UNICEF also remains deeply concerned about continued raids and searches conducted in… Continue reading UNICEF Calls For The Protection Of Children Against All Forms Of Violence In Iran Amid Public Unrest

NEW YORK (November 25, 2022) – UNICEF is supporting the Government of Indonesia to reach children and families devasted by the 5.6 magnitude earthquake in Cianjur, West Java. According to the latest official estimate as of November 24, 100 children under 15 years have lost their lives, making up 37 percent of the 272 total number… Continue reading 100 Children Killed By Earthquake In West Java, Indonesia

NEW YORK (November 23, 2022) – Measles vaccination coverage has steadily declined since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, a record high of nearly 40 million children missed a measles vaccine dose: 25 million children missed their first dose and an additional 14.7 million children missed their second dose, a joint publication by the… Continue reading Nearly 40 Million Children Are Dangerously Susceptible To Growing Measles Threat

NEW YORK (November 23, 2022) – Nearly two months into the cholera outbreak in Haiti, UNICEF is warning that approximately 40 percent of the growing number of confirmed cases are among children. Since the onset of the cholera outbreak, 9 in 10 confirmed cholera cases in Haiti have been reported in areas most affected by the… Continue reading Haiti: Children Account For Two In Five Cholera Cases – UNICEF

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 Since January of this year, 29 countries have had outbreaks of cholera — the most at any one time on record, some of them places that have not seen a single case of… Continue reading As Cholera Cases Surge Worldwide, UNICEF Helps Countries Fight Back

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 Since January of this year, 29 countries have had outbreaks of cholera — the most at any one time on record, and including places that have not seen a single case of the… Continue reading As Cholera Risks Surge Worldwide, UNICEF Helps Countries Fight Back

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 Since January of this year, 29 countries have had outbreaks of cholera — the most at any one time on record, and including places that have not seen a single case of the… Continue reading As Cholera Risks Surge, UNICEF Helps Countries Fight Back

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 Imagine … despite being the only country in the world that has not ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the United States has cities dedicated to addressing issues… Continue reading UNICEF’s Child Friendly Cities Initiative Catalyzes Youth Involvement

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 November 20 marks both World Children’s Day and the anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the historic international treaty affirming the world’s commitment to protecting kids’ rights… Continue reading Youth Changemakers Tackle Global Issues

NEW YORK (November 18, 2022) – Racism and discrimination against children based on their ethnicity, language, and religion are rife in countries across the world, according to a new UNICEF report published ahead of World Children’s Day. Rights denied: The impact of discrimination on children shows the extent to which racism and discrimination impact children’s education, health,… Continue reading Racism And Discrimination Against Children Rife In Countries Worldwide – UNICEF

NEW YORK (November 18, 2022) – November 20th marks World Children’s Day, the annual commemoration of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which provides a universal set of standards to be adhered to by all countries – including the principle of non-discrimination; the best interests of the child as a… Continue reading Violence, Conflict And Unrest Robs Nearly 580 Children Of Their Lives In The Middle East And North Africa Since Start Of Year

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 In many countries, children are about to experience one of their darkest winters. Many communities continue to suffer the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. War and displacement, rising food and fuel prices and… Continue reading How UNICEF Plans to Help Kids Stay Warm This Winter

NEW YORK (November 17, 2022) – UNICEF USA welcomes the federal ruling from the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia vacating the use of Title 42 at the U.S.–Mexico border. The consequences of Title 42, which was initially enacted as a public health order to stop the spread of COVID-19, are far-reaching and… Continue reading UNICEF USA Statement on Ruling to Vacate Title 42 Public Health Order

NEW YORK (November 16, 2022) UNICEF is launching a new climate financing initiative to enhance countries’ climate resilience and disaster preparedness for children and youth and bolster protection for children from the impacts of future climate-related disasters. The Today and Tomorrow initiative is an integrated climate change finance solution that, for the first time, combines funding for immediate climate… Continue reading UNICEF Calls For Investment In World’s First Child-Focused Climate Risk Financing Solution

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 It has been years since the rainy seasons faded away in Kenya’s Turkana County, destroying crops and lifestock, and depriving families of their livelihoods and the drinking water they need to survive. Like… Continue reading UNICEF-Supported Water Systems a Lifeline in Drought-Stricken Kenya

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 India’s economy is among the fastest-growing in the world, and many positive developments have coincided with this growth. Extreme poverty in the country has dropped by 20 percent. Infant mortality is down by… Continue reading Support Kids in India

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 India’s economy is among the fastest-growing in the world, and positive development has come alongside this growth. Extreme poverty in the country has dropped by 20 percent. Infant mortality is down by half.… Continue reading How to Help UNICEF Support Kids in India

NEW YORK (November 14, 2022) The heads of three UN entities and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) today urged States to support a new political declaration to protect civilians from explosive weapons in populated areas UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency… Continue reading Top UN, ICRC Leaders Urge Stepped-Up Global Support To Protect Civilians From Explosive Weapons In Populated Areas

NEW YORK (November 11, 2022)  UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell concluded a three-day visit to Vietnam, commending the country for its many gains for children. Russell also called for urgent action to address challenges like malnutrition and inequalities that have been exacerbated by COVID-19 and climate shocks. “In the past few decades, Vietnam has made tremendous progress… Continue reading UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell Concludes Vietnam Visit, Commends Country’s Commitment To Children

Zoya, 55, her daughter Iryna, 28, and grandson Denys recently returned home to Shybene, in Kyiv oblast. But there is no house to return to. The family fled in March as their town came under attack, managing to escape when the house caught fire during heavy shelling. There was no time to pack, and anything… Continue reading In Ukraine, Vulnerable Families Brace For Winter With UNICEF’s Help

As the COP27 climate conference gets underway in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, UNICEF is sounding the alarm: this year has brought devastating flooding to 27.7 million children in 27 countries worldwide. “We are seeing unprecedented levels of flooding all around the world this year, and with it, an explosion in threats to children,” said Paloma Escudero, head… Continue reading Over 27 Million Children in 27 Countries Impacted by Flooding in 2022

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 Humanitarian crises are caused by one or multiple events that threaten people’s safety, health, security and lives. Natural disasters, wars, famine and drought are just a few examples. Worldwide, humanitarian crises put children’s… Continue reading Current Humanitarian Crises and the UNICEF Response

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 Humanitarian crises are caused by one or multiple events that threaten people’s safety, health, security and lives. Natural disasters, wars, famine and drought are just a few examples. Worldwide, humanitarian crises put children’s… Continue reading Current Humanitarian Crises — and the UNICEF Response

As the COP27 climate conference gets underway in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, UNICEF is sounding the alarm: this year has brought devastating flooding to 27.7 million children in 27 countries worldwide. A vast majority of the children affected by floods this year are among the most vulnerable, at high risk from a multitude of threats including death… Continue reading 27.7M Children in 27 Countries Impacted by Flooding in 2022

Stay informed on UNICEF’s work saving and protecting children around the world UUSA-185 Entrance Modal Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42 What is child trafficking? Child trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of children through deception, fraud or force with the aim of exploiting them for profit. Anyone — regardless of… Continue reading UNICEF and the Fight Against Child Trafficking

NEW YORK (November 8, 2022) –  As COP27 gets underway in Egypt, UNICEF warns this year has brought overwhelming flooding to at least 27.7 million children in 27 countries worldwide.  A large majority of the 27.7 million children* affected by flooding in 2022 are among the most vulnerable and are at high risk of a multitude… Continue reading Over 27 Million Children At Risk As Devastating Floods Set Records Across The World

Severe drought caused by four consecutive failed rainy seasons has plunged the Horn of Africa into crisis, killing livestock, destroying livelihoods and pushing increasingly desperate families out of their homes in search of water, nutrition and shelter. Mothers walk for days with their malnourished children in their arms, hoping to reach a health center before… Continue reading Climate-Induced Drought Endangering Children’s Lives in Somalia

NEW YORK (November 7, 2022) – Thousands of children fleeing fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are at grave risk in overcrowded and unsanitary camps for internally displaced people (IDPs), UNICEF warned today. As the scale of the crisis escalates, with new IDPs arriving daily, humanitarian access is becoming more restricted because… Continue reading Mass Displacements In Eastern DRC Pose A Deadly Threat To Children And Young People- UNICEF

When Tran Quynh Giang was 13, the world seemed to turn upside down.  “Even now, I find it hard to fully grasp what, how, when and why,” the Vietnamese teenager says in the video below, reading from a heartfelt letter to a younger self. “I wanted to write you this letter because lately I’ve been… Continue reading A Teen’s Mental Health Advice to Their Younger Self

When Tran Quynh Giang was 13, the world seemed to turn upside down.  “Even now, I find it hard to fully grasp what, how, when and why,” the Vietnamese teenager says in the video below, reading from a heartfelt letter to a younger self. “I wanted to write you this letter because lately I’ve been… Continue reading A Teen’s Mental Health Advice to a Younger Self

When Tran Quynh Giang was 13, the world seemed to turn upside down.  “Even now, I find it hard to fully grasp what, how, when and why,” the Vietnamese teenager says in the video below, reading from a heartfelt letter to a younger self. “I wanted to write you this letter because lately I’ve been… Continue reading A Teen’s Mental Health Advice to Her Younger Self

What is Child Trafficking? Child trafficking is the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of children through deception, fraud or force with the aim of exploiting them for profit. Anyone, regardless of class, gender, age and background can become a victim of child trafficking and children are victims in every corner of the world. Common… Continue reading Fight Against Child Trafficking | UNICEF

NEW YORK (November 3, 2022) – Hunger and malnutrition are on the rise across the flood, drought, and conflict-affected areas of South Sudan, with some communities likely to face starvation if humanitarian assistance is not sustained and climate adaptation measures are not scaled-up, the United Nations warned today. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC),… Continue reading Hunger And Malnutrition Being Driven By Climate Crisis And Conflict In South Sudan

NEW YORK (November 3, 2022) – Schools for more than two million children in Pakistan remain completely inaccessible after the most severe flooding in the country’s history destroyed or damaged nearly 27,000 schools in the country. “Almost overnight, millions of Pakistan’s children lost family members, homes, safety, and their education, under the most traumatic circumstances,” said… Continue reading Schools For More Than Two Million Children In Pakistan Remain Inaccessible Due To Devastating Floods – UNICEF

NEW YORK (NOVEMBER 1, 2022) – Clarios Foundation and UNICEF today announced the renewal and expansion of their partnership to help reduce environmental hazards and create healthy environments for children. The new $20 million commitment from Clarios Foundation will support UNICEF’s Healthy Environments for Healthy Children programme between 2023 to 2026. The funds will be… Continue reading Clarios Foundation and UNICEF Partner to Help Protect Children from Environmental Harm

UNICEF and partners are on the ground rapidly assessing the needs of families caught in the path of Tropical Storm Nalgae, which swept through the Philippines on Oct. 29, causing flooding, landslides and displacement in several regions. More than 3 million people live in the area affected by the storm. Nalgae, called Tropical Storm Paeng… Continue reading Tropical Storm Nalgae Batters Philippines

NEW YORK (October 31, 2022) – From the age of one, children in Latin America and the Caribbean are at risk of violence at home, in school and on the street, a new regional UNICEF report reveals. A statistical profile of violence against children in Latin America and the Caribbean finds that almost two in three… Continue reading Two In Three Children In Latin America And The Caribbean Experience Violence At Home

NEW YORK (October 28, 2022) – “As the catastrophic climate disaster continues to upend the lives of millions of children in Pakistan, it is the most vulnerable boys and girls who are paying the steepest price. “The children I have met here have lost everything: loved ones, cherished schoolbooks, the only homes they ever knew, their… Continue reading Climate Devastation In Pakistan Is An Ominous Precursor Of Catastrophes To Come

Young people have always been uniquely vulnerable when it comes to mental health. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, one in seven young people were estimated to be experiencing mental challenges. The lasting effects of the pandemic and persistent threats of violence, conflict and humanitarian emergencies have all combined to make that burden even greater.… Continue reading Time for Joint Action on Mental Health

JAFARABAD, Pakistan – From a distance, the scene looks harmless. We’re driving along an elevated road through Jafarabad, a district in Balochistan, in the southwest of Pakistan, surrounded by water that stretches as far as the eye can see. But these waters shouldn’t be here, and beneath their stagnant surface lay the remains of homes and… Continue reading Scorpions, Snakes and Waterborne Diseases in Flood-Stricken Pakistan

The worst flooding to hit Nigeria in a decade has killed more than 600 people and displaced over 1.3 million in 34 out of the country’s 36 states since September. High rainfall and overflow from rivers have destroyed or partly damaged more than 200,000 houses. Rising flood levels have collapsed infrastructure including public health facilities,… Continue reading Already At-Risk Children in Nigeria Face New Threat: Severe Flooding

The worst flooding to hit Nigeria in a decade has killed more than 600 people and displaced over 1.3 million in 34 out of the country’s 36 states since September. High rainfall and overflow from rivers have destroyed or partly damaged more than 200,000 houses. Rising flood levels have collapsed infrastructure including public health facilities,… Continue reading Already At-Risk Children in Nigeria Face New Threat: Severe Flooding

Dead livestock. Dried up riverbeds. A malnutrition crisis in the making. UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas recently returned from northern Kenya, where she was able to see firsthand how the effects of climate change across the Horn of Africa are threatening children’s lives. During the two-day visit, Chopra Jonas travelled to Turkana County – one of… Continue reading Drought Emergency in Kenya: “This Is What Climate Change Looks Like”

NEW YORK (October 25, 2022) – 90 percent of children in the United States are currently exposed to high heatwave frequency, according to new research from UNICEF. This is significantly higher than the global average of 24 percent. By 2050, the research finds all of the world’s 2.02 billion children are expected to be exposed to high heatwave frequency, regardless… Continue reading Millions More US Children To Experience Severe, Sustained And Frequent Heatwaves By 2050: UNICEF

NEW YORK (October 25, 2022) – It’s back and bigger than ever! Join Wonderama TV, the Times Square Alliance, and One Times Square for the “Biggest Halloween Parade in History II” and “add some meaning to your Halloweening” by celebrating Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF on Sunday, October 30th, in Times Square from 11:00AM ET – 12:30PM… Continue reading Join Wonderama TV, the Times Square Alliance and One Times Square for the taping of the “Biggest Halloween Parade in History II” Global Television Broadcast as we Celebrate Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF on the 10-story high screen on One Times Square

With Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF transforming into a new, digital experience this year, UNICEF Clubs around the country have been even more excited to host fundraisers and celebrations to raise critical funds for the world’s most vulnerable children. Have a look at some of our favorite fabulous (and sometimes frightening) Club Trick-or-Treat events:  Cauldrons, Cobwebs & Community Service… Continue reading UNICEF Clubs Add Meaning to Their Halloweening

NEW YORK (October 24, 2022) – “The fast pace of the cholera outbreak in Syria and Lebanon is alarming and the risks of the disease further spreading to other countries in the region call for immediate action. Urgent support is needed to respond and contain the spread of the disease. “The acute epidemic in Syria has… Continue reading Cholera Outbreaks Threaten Children’s Survival In The Middle East

More than three decades after UNICEF, Rotary International and other key partners joined forces with national governments to establish the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), the wild poliovirus remains endemic in just two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Political instability and migration back and forth along the porous, rugged border between the two countries has made it… Continue reading Afghanistan’s Female Vaccinators Protect Hard-to-Reach Kids From Polio

NEW YORK (October 21, 2022) – More than 2.5 million people in Nigeria are in need of humanitarian assistance – 60 percent of which are children – and are at increased risk of waterborne diseases, drowning and malnutrition due to the most severe flooding in the past decade, UNICEF warned today. The floods, which have affected… Continue reading More Than 1.5 Million Children At Risk As Devastating Floods Hit Nigeria

NEW YORK (October 21, 2022) – In the aftermath of the devastating floods in Pakistan, health facilities are reporting alarming levels of severe acute malnutrition among children in affected areas, UNICEF warned today. More than one in nine children under five admitted to health facilities in flood-affected areas of Sindh and Balochistan were found to be… Continue reading More Than One In Nine Children In Flood-Affected Areas Of Pakistan Suffering From Severe Acute Malnutrition – UNICEF

Millions of girls worldwide experience gender inequality. The impacts can be devastating. UNICEF’s mission is to create a more equitable world for all children, and this includes working with partners globally to address the many inequities that girls face. How are girls being impacted by inequality? Globally, girls are less likely than boys to finish… Continue reading Gender Equality | UNICEF

Polio, a highly contagious and sometimes deadly virus that can cause paralysis, was nearly eradicated in recent decades. Country after country was crossed off the list until the wild poliovirus remained endemic only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But due to falling childhood immunization rates and health systems disrupted by conflict, displacement and the COVID-19 pandemic,… Continue reading UNICEF and Rotary Double Down in the Fight Against Polio

The children of Afghanistan are facing dire and unprecedented circumstances. Children are displaced from their families and lack necessities like food, water, clothes and shelter. More than half of all families in Afghanistan require urgent humanitarian assistance. Every other child under age 5 in the country is acutely malnourished. Your donation will help secure a… Continue reading Support Children in Afghanistan | UNICEF

NEW YORK (October 20, 2022) – UNICEF delivered lifesaving health and water, hygiene, and sanitation supplies to Syria earlier this week to scale up efforts to halt the cholera outbreak. The supplies included acute watery diarrhea (AWD) kits to support health facilities and communities in treating 36,000 moderate and severe AWD cases, and aqua tabs to… Continue reading UNICEF Delivers Lifesaving Supplies To Syria To Halt The Spread Of Cholera

NEW YORK/ NAIROBI (October 19, 2022) – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas travelled to northern Kenya this week to meet children suffering from severe acute malnutrition as a result of prolonged drought across the Horn of Africa. During the two-day visit, Chopra Jonas travelled to Turkana County – among 15 drought-affected counties in Kenya… Continue reading UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas Meets Children Suffering from Severe Malnutrition in Kenya

Seventeen-year-old Oleksandra can see through the metal fence that lines her yard, even before she opens the gates. Bullets and shrapnel have punctured holes in the steel. Her house no longer has a roof. “From now on, my house will always be associated with the war,” says Oleksandra, as she carefully steps over broken glass… Continue reading Families Crushed by War in Ukraine Face New Threat: Winter

The malnutrition crisis in Somalia — fueled by severe drought — keeps getting worse, UNICEF reported Tuesday. Tens of thousands of children in the Horn of Africa country are now being admitted for treatment for severe acute malnutrition every month, at a rate of one child every minute.  On a mission to Mogadishu this week,… Continue reading With Somalia on Brink of Famine, More Children At Risk of Dying

NEW YORK (October 18, 2022) – A new UN report shows that women’s and children’s health has suffered globally, as the impacts of conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change converge with devastating effects on prospects for children, young people and women. Data presented in the report show a critical regression across virtually every major measure… Continue reading Staggering Backsliding Across Women’s, Children’s And Adolescents’ Health Revealed In New Un Analysis

NEW YORK (October 18, 2022) “Today in Somalia, every single minute of every single day, a child is admitted to a health facility for treatment of severe acute malnutrition. The latest admission rates from August show 44,000 children admitted with severe acute malnutrition. That is a child per minute. “A child whose mother has walked for… Continue reading Geneva Palais Briefing Note: UNICEF Warns Of Unprecedented Numbers Of Child Deaths In Somalia

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, up to 1.6 billion children were affected by school closures. Many children were able to attend online classes, but hundreds of millions were not. Today, an estimated 1.3 billion children and young people still cannot access the internet at home, and only around half of the world’s schools… Continue reading Giga Connecting World’s Students to Internet, One School at a Time

Thirteen-year-old Emyte dreams of being a doctor when she grows up. But her dreams for the future have been upended by the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia that has ripped so many lives apart. In 2018, Emyte’s school in the hard-hit Amhara region of Ethiopia was severely damaged in the fighting. Without a safe place to… Continue reading Realizing Rights and Dreams in Ethiopia

NEW YORK (October 14, 2022) – Nearly 100,000 children under the age of five who are already suffering from severe acute malnutrition -also known as severe wasting – are especially vulnerable to the ongoing cholera outbreak affecting Haiti, UNICEF has warned. At a time when much of the country is facing growing food insecurity, acutely malnourished… Continue reading Cholera Threat ‘Close To A Death Sentence’ For Children With Severe Acute Malnutrition In Haiti As Food Insecurity Worsens

A resurgence of cholera in Haiti —after three years without a single reported case — is threatening the health and well-being of 1.2 million children in and around Port-au-Prince, UNICEF warned as it joined other UN agencies in support of an emergency response. Containing the outbreak is complicated by a surge in gang violence and… Continue reading Cholera, Gang Violence Increase Risks for Children in Haiti

When I think of a refugee, I think of someone forced to flee their country because of some imminent danger, a grave issue they face. War. Persecution. Political Instability.  And although technically correct, this conception feels a bit narrow. You see, thinking of refugees just as people fleeing a country made me forget that they… Continue reading World Mental Health Day: A Young Refugee Shares Her Story

NEW YORK (October 10, 2022) – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom has reflected on how a near-fatal accident when he was a teenager impacted his mental health in a moving video issued on World Mental Health Day. In the video – released as part of UNICEF’s #OnMyMind campaign – Bloom talks candidly to camera about breaking his… Continue reading UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom Opens Up About Mental Health Following Teenage Accident

NEW YORK (October 10, 2022) – “We are extremely concerned by continuing reports of children and adolescents being killed, injured and detained amid the ongoing public unrest in Iran. Our thoughts are with the families of those who have been killed and injured, and we share their grief. In addition to the reported casualties, many children… Continue reading UNICEF Calls For The Protection Of Children And Adolescents Amid Public Unrest In Iran

Three years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, much remains at stake for children. Addressing global learning loss, inequitable access to mental health services and disruptions of routine vaccinations all continue to be top priorities for UNICEF. August Recess, a time when senators and representatives return to their home states and districts, is the… Continue reading Advancing Advocacy in August

When I think of a refugee, I think of someone forced to flee their country because of some imminent danger, a grave issue they face. War. Persecution. Political Instability.  And although technically correct, this conception feels a bit narrow. You see, thinking of refugees just as people fleeing a country made me forget that they… Continue reading World Mental Health Day: A Former Refugee Shares Her Story

NEW YORK (October 7, 2022) – The livelihoods and well-being of nearly 600,000 immigrants and their families currently protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy continue to be at risk. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said a federal district judge in Texas should take another look at the program following the… Continue reading UNICEF USA Statement on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Ruling

NEW YORK (October 7, 2022) – “Pakistan’s catastrophic floods have already claimed the lives of 615 children. Right now, almost 10 million children are now in need of immediate, lifesaving support. It is a staggering number; indeed the scale of need is daunting. And with a heavy heart, I must state that more children will die… Continue reading UNICEF Warns That More Children Will Die Without Immediate International Support, And Revises Funding Appeal To $173.5 Million

NEW YORK (October 6, 2022) –  UNICEF is saddened and shocked by the tragic shooting incident at an early childhood development center in Thailand’s northern province of Nong Bua Lamphu, where dozens of people were reported killed, many of them young children. UNICEF condemns all forms of violence against children. No child should be a target… Continue reading UNICEF Is Deeply Saddened By Tragic Shooting At Early Childhood Development Center In Thailand

NEW YORK (October 5, 2022) – UNICEF is commemorating 60 years of delivering emergency supplies to the world’s most vulnerable children from its Global Supply and Logistics Hub in Copenhagen. The Copenhagen Hub has been shipping supplies – such as medical instruments, medicines, hygiene supplies, education materials, and sanitation equipment – at record pace in recent… Continue reading Demand For Life-Saving Supplies For Children At An All-Time High As UNICEF Commemorates 60 Years Of Operations In Copenhagen

NEW YORK (October 4, 2022) – The resurgence of cholera in violence-stricken Haiti after three years without a single reported case threatens the well-being and health of 1.2 million children living in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, UNICEF warned today.  As the country grapples with clashes between armed groups and violent protests over price hikes, seven deaths have… Continue reading Amidst Insecurity In Haiti, New Cholera Upsurge Puts 1.2 Million Children At Risk

Eight-year-old Daniyal’s family lost everything when floodwaters swept through their village in Pakistan’s Balochistan Province. He and his younger brother, Hakim, are still terrified by the memory. “There was a lot of water, and everyone had to pack up and leave,” says Daniyal. “We borrowed a tent from a neighboring community, put it outside our… Continue reading Helping Children Recover From the Trauma of Pakistan Floods

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has raised more than $195 million since it first launched back in 1950. But what began as a kid-focused donation drive looks very different in 2022. From QR codes to ghoulish filters for your Instagram story, UNICEF USA has reinvented its iconic Halloween campaign — harnessing the power of an increasingly digital world and… Continue reading Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF 2022: Add Some Meaning to Your Halloweening

NEW YORK (October 3, 2022) —  Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) is partnering with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) USA to support Giga, a UNICEF-ITU global initiative to connect every school to the internet by 2030 and every young person to information, opportunity and choice. 1.3 billion children have no access to the internet at home and… Continue reading Dell Technologies Partners with UNICEF USA to Support Giga, the Global Initiative to Connect Every School to the Internet by 2030

Seventeen-year-old Dipali is the only girl in her village in northeastern Bangladesh who knows how to repair mobile phones. Forced to drop out of school when her parents couldn’t afford to pay the fees, Dipali returned to learning with the help of an innovative alternative education program: Skills4Girls. The UNICEF-supported program helps girls complete their… Continue reading Skills Training Program Empowers Girls in Bangladesh

NEW YORK (September 30, 2022) – “UNICEF is appalled by the horrific attack, early this morning, inside the Kaaj Educational Center in the Dasht-e-Barchi district of West Kabul, Afghanistan. This heinous act claimed the lives of dozens of adolescent girls and boys and severely injured many more. The victims were practicing for the entrance exam to… Continue reading UNICEF Statement On Attack On Kaaj Educational Center, Dasht-E-Barchi, West Kabul, Afghanistan

Seventeen-year-old Dipali is the only girl in her village in northeastern Bangladesh who knows how to repair mobile phones. Forced to drop out of school when her parents couldn’t afford to pay the fees, Dipali returned to learning with the help of an innovative alternative education program: Skills4Girls. The UNICEF-supported program helps girls complete their… Continue reading Skills Training Programs Empower Girls in Bangladesh

UNCEF’s newest Goodwill Ambassador, 25-year-old Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate, has been calling for urgent action to mitigate climate change since 2019, when she organized a protest with her siblings and cousins on the streets of Kampala. Inspired by Greta Thunberg, Nakate continued to protest weekly, becoming a well-known face in the movement of young people… Continue reading Activist Vanessa Nakate: On the Front Lines of the Climate Crisis

The scale of the devastation caused by historic monsoon rains in Pakistan is difficult to comprehend. Around 33 million people have been impacted by the ‘super floods’ – the worst flooding in more than a century – which have left at least 3.4 million children in need of lifesaving support.   Young children are living in temporary shelters or… Continue reading 4 Ways UNICEF Is Delivering for Pakistan’s Children

The scale of the devastation caused by historic monsoon rains in Pakistan is difficult to comprehend. Around 33 million people have been impacted by the ‘super floods’ – the worst flooding in more than a century – which have left at least 3.4 million children in need of lifesaving support.   Young children are living in temporary shelters or… Continue reading 4 Ways UNICEF Is Delivering for Pakistan’s Children

NEW YORK (September 27, 2022) – UNICEF USA announces the launch of the new, digital Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF experience, bringing the tradition firmly into the 21st century. A QR code will launch across the United States in early October and will be available for download and use throughout the month. “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has been a… Continue reading UNICEF USA Launches Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF QR Code Across the United States to Deliver Impact for Children Globally

NEW YORK (September 25, 2022) – Super Typhoon Noru (local name Karding) is expected to make landfall today in Luzon, including the capital Metro Manila. Noru is the 11th tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines in 2022 and the most powerful typhoon to hit the island of Luzon this year, developing into a super typhoon after… Continue reading UNICEF Concerned For Children In The Philippines As Super Typhoon Noru/Karding Strikes

The families and children of Ukraine have experienced many months of displacement, fear and trauma. UNICEF is on the ground helping the children fleeing Ukraine and those who have remained inside the country. The families and children of Ukraine have experienced many months of displacement, fear and trauma. Children have been killed, injured and separated… Continue reading Support the Children of Ukraine

Food insecurity and malnutrition fueled by a severe drought, soaring food prices and an underfunded humanitarian response are pushing Somalia closer to what UN officials are warning will be the worst famine in a century. “We’ve got half a million children facing preventable death,” said UNICEF spokesperson James Elder. “It’s a pending nightmare.” UNICEF-supported health and nutrition… Continue reading Famine Conditions Loom in Somalia

The war in Ukraine has resulted in the largest growing refugee crisis since World War II. One-third of the country is displaced, either inside the country or in neighboring countries. As winter approaches, the situation is likely to only get worse, with another wave of Ukrainians from the east who have lost access to gas… Continue reading How Your Donation Helps the Children of Ukraine

NEW YORK (September 23, 2022) –  “In this briefing, my aim is to underscore the enormity of challenges the children of Sudan face. And to share some sense of what action is urgently required. Children are caught in a perfect storm of crises on top of crises. “More than one out of every three of Sudan’s… Continue reading Children In Sudan Are In The Middle Of A Perfect Storm Of Crises - UNICEF Geneva Palais Briefing

NEW YORK (September 22, 2022)- On Thursday, September 22, UNICEF, ChildFund International and the Basic Education Coalition, along with colleagues from World Vision, Plan International and others, hosted the event “Keeping Girls in School: U.S. Foreign Policy for Global Prosperity” on Capitol Hill, which urged Congress to pass the bill this legislative session. The event was… Continue reading UNICEF USA, ChildFund and the Basic Education Coalition Host Joint Event to Support the Keeping Girls in School Act (H.R. 4314)

Conflict, climate change, poverty and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic are driving massive humanitarian crises, leaving millions at risk of famine. Children are the most vulnerable during periods of famine and extreme food insecurity, facing a greater likelihood of severe malnutrition and death. These crises also produce irreversible, life-long consequences for children, leading to severe… Continue reading 4 Things You Should Know About Water and Famine

NEW YORK, (September 21, 2022) — Governments, philanthropies, and private donors have pledged approximately US$577 million since July in response to the deepening child malnutrition crisis – with at least 60 per cent of that amount committed to directly supporting UNICEF’s work. Roughly US$280 million of the over half billion raised was pledged today at… Continue reading Over Half a Billion Dollars Pledged to Tackle Severe Wasting Since July in Unprecedented International Response to Deepening Child Malnutrition Crisis

NEW YORK (SEPTEMBER 21, 2022) – Multinational software corporation SAP SE (SAP) has today committed to continuing its partnership with UNICEF in support of Generation Unlimited (GenU) for an additional three years to help prepare young people for the workforce.   The partners will pilot a new programme that supports ‘learning to earning’ pathways in the… Continue reading SAP, UNICEF and GenU Extend and Expand Partnership to Help Young People Gain Skills for Employment

Once again a country that is among the least responsible for climate change — Pakistan generates less than 1 percent of the world’s carbon emissions — is bearing the brunt of its dangerous impacts. The ‘super floods’ triggered by record rainfall have killed over 1,545 people since mid-June, including at least 552 children. Homes and entire communities… Continue reading Deadly Floods in Pakistan Linked to Climate Change

Naz Gul, 11, sits beside her little brother, 7-year-old Shahzain, on a roadside in Jacobabad District in southeastern Pakistan’s Sindh Province. The family has been camped out here on a sliver of dry land since floodwaters swallowed their home and swept away all their possessions.  Shahzain, below center, is running a high fever. Protecting children… Continue reading More Help Needed for Flood-hit Families in Pakistan

NEW YORK (September 20, 2022) – “Next week marks a month since catastrophic floods uprooted more than 3.4 million children from their homes. The violent rapids have already claimed the lives of more than 550 children. Without a significant surge in support, we fear many more children will lose their lives. “Even after three weeks, large… Continue reading UNICEF Geneva Palais Briefing Note On The Harrowing Situation Children Face As Floods Continue To Devastate Pakistan

NEW YORK (September 15, 2022) – “The catastrophic floods in Pakistan have now claimed the lives of at least 528 children, according to the latest Government figures. Each and every one of these deaths is a tragedy that could have been averted.  “The sad reality is that without a massive increase in support, many more children will lose… Continue reading Devastating Floods In Pakistan Claim Lives Of More Than 500 Children – UNICEF

Nine-year-old Rafat is a dreamer, a survivor and a portrait of hope and resilience in a nation turned upside down by violence, displacement, attacks on education and other grave violations. Rafat has learned to navigate life despite his severe visual impairment. The decades-long conflict in Syria has disrupted his learning trajectory and pushed his dreams… Continue reading A New Hope and New Vision for 9-Year-Old Rafat in Syria

The start of a new school year is typically filled with excitement and anticipation, but for 4 million children in Ukraine, this fall brings unsettling questions: Is my school still standing? Are all my friends and teachers still alive? Will I be safe in my new classroom? Thousands of schools have been damaged or destroyed… Continue reading Getting Ukraine’s Children Back to Learning Is a UNICEF Priority

You may already recognize their faces from our National Youth Council –  so please, say hello to our 2022 US UNICEF Youth Advocates: Ayaan Siddiqui, Kyle King and Salma Abdi.  2022 UNICEF Youth Advocates and 2022-23 UNICEF USA National Youth Council members Ayaan Siddiqui, Kyle King and Salma Abdi. © photo courtesy of UNICEF USA… Continue reading A UNICEF Youth Advocate Looks Forward to UNGA 77

You may already recognize their faces from our National Youth Council –  so please, say hello to our 2022 US UNICEF Youth Advocates: Ayaan Siddiqui, Kyle King and Salma Abdi.  2022 UNICEF Youth Advocates and 2022-23 UNICEF USA National Youth Council members Ayaan Siddiqui, Kyle King and Salma Abdi. © photo courtesy of UNICEF USA… Continue reading What a Youth Advocate is Looking Forward to at UNGA 77

When war escalated in Ukraine six months ago, UNICEF immediately scaled up its emergency response to meet the urgent needs of millions of children and their families. A major component of that response: rushing humanitarian supplies from UNICEF’s global hub in Copenhagen to distribution points inside the country against a backdrop of complex policy environments,… Continue reading How UNICEF Built a Supply Pipeline to Support Response to Ukraine War

NEW YORK (September 13, 2022) – “The number of Somalia’s youngest children (those aged 6-59 months) who are expected to suffer severe acute malnutrition (SAM) has now increased from 386,000 to 513,550. “This is a staggering increase of 33 percent. It means 127,000 more children are at risk of death. “As we heard last week, children… Continue reading UNICEF Geneva Palais Briefing Note On Rising Severe Acute Malnutrition For Children In Somalia

NEW YORK (September 13, 2022) – UNICEF today announced a new global education mascot. Uni will serve as an ambassador for learning and symbolize every child’s right to access quality education. Uni symbolizes the hope that access to quality learning gives children and their communities. Yet, with nearly 70 per cent of children in low- and middle-income… Continue reading UNICEF Announces New Global Education Mascot, Uni

The excitement of the first days of school is complicated this year for the estimated 2.2 million Ukrainian children who have fled to safety in neighboring countries. Cut off from the lives they once knew, refugees from Ukraine need the comfort and stability of a welcoming school community now more than ever. This year, 80… Continue reading Ukrainian Refugees Head Back to School

The excitement of a new school year is complicated this year for the estimated 2.2 million Ukrainian children who have fled to safety in neighboring countries. Cut off from the lives they once knew, refugees from Ukraine need the comfort and stability of a welcoming school community now more than ever. This year, 80 of… Continue reading Ukrainian Refugees Head Back to School in Poland

The numbers are staggering — both in their size and senselessness. Each year, according to data from the Global Burden of Disease Study, nearly 1 million children and adolescents under age 20 die from often treatable noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). These deaths account for 15 percent of overall mortality for this age group. NCDs are also the… Continue reading UNICEF on a Mission to Protect Children From Noncommunicable Diseases

Famine could hit parts of Somalia as soon as next month, according to new projections by a multi-agency working group. Somalia, along with parts of Ethiopia, Kenya and other countries in the Horn of Africa, has been suffering the combined effects of severe drought — the region’s worst climate-induced emergency in 40 years — sharply… Continue reading More Humanitarian Aid Needed to Fend off Famine in Somalia

NEW YORK (September 7, 2022) – UNICEF USA welcomes the news that Massachusetts is the seventh state in the U.S. to officially ban child marriage with no exceptions after Governor Charlie Baker signed the Massachusetts FY23 Budget, which included an amendment to ban child marriage. The new legislation signed today eliminates exceptions in Massachusetts law… Continue reading UNICEF USA Applauds Massachusetts on Becoming 7th State to End Child Marriage

The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has reached unprecedented levels.  Political and socio-economic developments over the past year brought even more turmoil to a country that has experienced 40 years of prolonged conflict, chronic poverty, recurrent natural disasters and widespread food insecurity. Every other child under five years is acutely malnourished. More than half of the… Continue reading Afghanistan Refugees: Help Save Refugee Children

At least six weeks of relentless monsoon rains have left one-third of Pakistan underwater and more than 3 million children in urgent need of humanitarian aid. UNICEF is rushing aid to the vulnerable, as families who have lost almost everything struggle to find shelter, safe water, nutrition support and medical care. © UNICEF/UN0698672/Zaidi Families are… Continue reading Reaching Pakistan’s Children as Floodwaters Leave Families Stranded

For millions of disadvantaged youth around the world, technology could be their ticket to a new future – but only if they are equipped with the training, tools and knowledge to harness it. Technology is a powerful economic equalizer, empowering the next generation of inventors, innovators and problem solvers with the 21st-century skills they need… Continue reading UNICEF & SAP Turning Today’s Youth Into Tomorrow’s Tech Leaders

NEW YORK (September 6, 2022) “You heard the warnings yesterday about a looming famine in areas of the Bay Region of Somalia between October-December this year.  It underlines the scale of the crisis Somalia is facing and the urgent need to quickly scale up support. “Bay is not the only region facing this deep humanitarian crisis.… Continue reading UNICEF Geneva Palais Briefing Note On Threat Of Famine For Children In Somalia

NEW YORK (September 5, 2022)– Somalia has reached a tipping point. The lives of hundreds of thousands of people are at immediate risk, according to the latest food security and nutrition analysis. Famine is unfolding in two areas in the Bay region (Baidoa and Burhakaba districts) in South-Central Somalia, and will likely last until March 2023… Continue reading Window Of Opportunity To Prevent Famine In Somalia Is Closing, Principals Of Inter-Agency Standing Committee Warn

NEW YORK / PAKISTAN (September 4, 2022) – UNICEF today delivered 32 metric tons of life-saving medical and other emergency supplies to support children and women affected by devastating floods across Pakistan. The shipment arrived in Karachi from UNICEF’s Supply Division in Copenhagen. The shipment includes medicines, medical supplies, water purifying tablets, safe delivery kits, therapeutic… Continue reading UNICEF Delivers Life-Saving Supplies to Help Children Affected by Floods in Pakistan

UNICEF understands that every child has the right to an education. This includes every girl. That’s why UNICEF works closely with governments and other partners to clear the barriers that stand in their way, to keep girls in school and help them thrive. The benefits are many. Girls who complete a secondary school education earn… Continue reading 10 Reasons to Educate Girls

NEW YORK (September 2, 2022) – “Over the past few weeks, torrential monsoon rains have broken a century-long record and dumped more than five times the 30-year average for rainfall in some provinces, killing more than 1200 people, including about 400 children, while washing away or damaging over 1.1 million houses and destroying vital infrastructure children… Continue reading UNICEF Geneva Palais Briefing Note On The Impact Of The Pakistan Floods On Children And Families And UNICEF’s Response

UNICEF understands that every child has the right to an education. This includes every girl. That’s why UNICEF works closely with governments and other partners to clear the barriers that stand in their way, to keep girls in school and help them thrive. The benefits are many. Girls who complete a secondary school education earn… Continue reading 10 Benefits to Educating Girls

The world is in the midst of a water crisis that is endangering children’s lives and futures. Nowhere is this crisis more urgent — or its impacts more keenly felt — than in the Horn of Africa, where a severe drought, one of the worst climate-induced emergencies of the past 40 years, has taken hold.… Continue reading Struggling to Survive Severe Drought

NEW YORK (September 1, 2022) –  The ongoing war in Ukraine has marred the start of a new school year for Ukraine’s four million school children, stated UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell as she concluded a three-day visit across the country.  “The new school year should be a time of excitement and promise, as children re-enter the… Continue reading Start Of An Uncertain School Year For Four Million Schoolchildren In Ukraine

Some 3.85 billion people around the world rely on health care facilities that lack basic hygiene services needed to prevent and control the spread of disease, increasing the risk of infection, according to a new report from UNICEF and the World Health Organization.  The number includes 688 million people who receive care at facilities with… Continue reading Report Finds Poor Hygiene at Over Half of All Health Facilities

After six months of war, thousands of schools in Ukraine remain inaccessible to children — some damaged or destroyed, others used in the conflict, or as shelters for displaced people and distribution points for humanitarian aid. One Ukrainian school that will not open its doors to children on Sept. 1 is the village school in… Continue reading Amid the Horrors of War, Ukraine’s Children Yearn for School

NEW YORK (August 31, 2022) – More than three million children are in need of humanitarian assistance and at increased risk of waterborne diseases, drowning and malnutrition due to the most severe flooding in Pakistan’s recent history, UNICEF warned today. UNICEF is working with Government and non-government partners to respond to the urgent needs of children… Continue reading More Than Three Million Children At Risk As Devastating Floods Hit Pakistan – UNICEF

NEW YORK (August 31, 2022) – During a three-day visit across Jordan, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Muzoon Almellehan warned that refugee children have experienced severe loss to their learning, having endured almost two years of COVID-19 school closures, threatening to reverse the gains made since they fled conflict. “Children whose lives have already been devastated by conflict… Continue reading UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Muzoon Almellehan Returns To Jordan To Meet Refugees Affected By The COVID-19 Education Crisis

Since June, torrential monsoon rains and floods have inundated large swathes of Pakistan, dumping up to five times the 30-year average rainfall and impacting at least 33 million people, according to the Government of Pakistan.  More than 1,000 people have died — a third of them children — and the death toll is expected to… Continue reading UNICEF Rushes Aid to Families Hit by Heavy Monsoon Rains in Pakistan

NEW YORK (August 26, 2022) –  “UNICEF strongly condemns the air strike in Mekelle, the capital city of the Tigray Region, Ethiopia. The strike hit a kindergarten, killing several children, and injuring others. UNICEF calls on all parties to agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities. “Yet again, an escalation of violence in northern Ethiopia has… Continue reading Children Of Ethiopia Are Once Again Under Attack

NEW YORK (August 26, 2022) – “As the economic crisis continues to rattle Sri Lanka, it is the poorest, most vulnerable girls and boys who are paying the steepest price. “Sri Lanka, a country normally known for its rapid economic growth and booming tourism, is experiencing its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948. Families are… Continue reading Devastating Crisis For Children In Sri Lanka Is A Cautionary Tale For South Asia

NEW YORK (August 25, 2022) – Three years of devastating crisis in Lebanon have plunged children into poverty, affecting their health, welfare and education, shattering their hopes and breaking down family relationships. A UNICEF report shows that much of the progress towards achieving children’s basic rights – including the right to health, education, protection, play and… Continue reading Deprived Of The Basics, Robbed Of Their Dreams, Children In Lebanon Lose Trust In Their Parents: UNICEF Report

Amid soaring child malnutrition rates in Afghanistan — one of many crises in the country — teams of health and nutrition specialists backed by UNICEF are bringing urgently-needed services and support to remote communities.  Nine miles from the nearest main road and 68 miles from Kabul, the village of Alisha in central Afghanistan’s Maidan Warnak… Continue reading UNICEF Mobile Health Teams Reach Children in Need in Rural Afghanistan

As the Ukraine war reached the six-month mark, UNICEF reported some startling statistics: Nearly 1,000 children in Ukraine have been killed or injured. Two of every three Ukrainian girls and boys have had to flee their homes. There are 5.2 million Ukrainian children who remain in need of humanitarian aid. An animation based on actual… Continue reading Blunting War’s Impacts While Calling for Peace

It has been six months since the war in Ukraine escalated in February 2022, plunging the nation’s children and families into a waking nightmare. Children didn’t start the war, but they remain caught in the crossfire, while all around them, the schools, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure on which they depend continue to be damaged… Continue reading Humanitarian Cash Transfers Provide Vital Aid for Ukraine’s Families

NEW YORK (August 23, 2022) – Children in the Horn of Africa and the Sahel could die in devastating numbers unless urgent support is provided, as severe malnutrition and the risk of water-borne disease collide – UNICEF warns during World Water Week. “History shows that when high levels of severe acute malnutrition in children combine with… Continue reading Children Suffering Dire Drought Across Parts Of Africa Are ‘One Disease Away From Catastrophe’ – Warns UNICEF

In March 2022, after more than 180 days out of the classroom, girls in Afghanistan in grades 7 through 12 learned that their schools would remain closed. Cut off from their teachers, friends and the familiar, encouraging school environment, the adolescent girls in the video below speak out from Kabul, sharing their grief and determination.… Continue reading Afghanistan’s Girls Want to Go to School

Rahima Akhter* would do anything to protect her children in the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where they live in a temporary dwelling tightly packed among strangers. She worries especially about her daughter’s safety and dignity. Better to keep 14-year-old Nurkolima* at home, Akhter used to think, than let her go to school… Continue reading Quality and Equality: Education for Rohingya Refugee Girls

NEW YORK (August 22, 2022) – “At least 972 children in Ukraine have been killed or injured by violence since the war escalated nearly six months ago, an average of over five children killed or injured each day. “And these are just the figures the UN has been able to verify. We believe the true number… Continue reading War In Ukraine Has Left Nearly 1,000 Children Killed Or Injured

As Afghanistan’s economic and humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate, many children and young people are feeling forced to go to work — often in difficult conditions. Many migrate to neighboring countries, seeking job opportunities they perceive to be lacking at home — encountering many dangers along the way, and at great risk to their health… Continue reading How UNICEF Supports Children on the Move From Afghanistan

Baby Sofia is just a day old. She was born in Sumy, northeastern Ukraine, as air raid sirens wailed in the background. Now, against all odds, she sleeps quietly in a special portable incubator designed to keep her comfortable and maintain the temperature of her tiny body. UNICEF has delivered 150 portable incubators* — donated… Continue reading Portable Incubators Save Fragile Newborns in Ukraine

NEW YORK (August 17, 2022) – UNICEF’s humanitarian cash assistance program has now reached more than 350,000 children in Ukraine. The ‘Spilno’ program, launched on March 31, 2022 together with the Ministry of Social Policy, was created to address the needs of families with children, who are among the most vulnerable groups in Ukraine. Since then,… Continue reading UNICEF Reaches 350,000 Children With Cash Assistance Through “Spilno” Program

MAZAR-E-SHARIF, AFGHANISTAN – Fatima was born with a disability which confines her to a wheelchair. When she started school, she endured bullying and insults. She would often come home crying. But her parents were supportive, and Fatima refused to give up on herself. In 2018, she joined a wheelchair basketball team organized by a community organization… Continue reading Sidelined in Afghanistan, a Wheelchair Athlete Refuses to Give Up

Zufan, 10, of Mymereb, Ethiopia, does not go to school. Instead, she spends her days doing domestic chores, including fetching water far from home. “It is too much to carry,” Zufan says as she straps the yellow jug to her back and pushes forward to begin the walk home. “In the future, I would like… Continue reading In Ethiopia, Girls Fetch Water Instead of Going to School

Every child wants to learn, and every child has the right to an education. But around the world, 129 million girls are missing out on school.  From poverty and household chores to conflict and child marriage, girls face multiple barriers in their quest for a quality education. UNICEF and partners are working to ensure that… Continue reading 10 Things Keeping Girls Away From School

Afghanistan, a country strained by decades of insecurity and devastating natural disasters, has long been one of the most dangerous places to be a child. Still, it was a very different country a year ago. Before the Taliban seized power on Aug. 15, 2021, there were 1 million girls in Afghanistan attending high school. Women could work.… Continue reading UNICEF: Help Needed to Save Lives, Safeguard Futures in Afghanistan

Seven-year-old Nabeela loves spending time at the UNICEF Child-Friendly Space in Qalan Bafan, Balkh Province, northern Afghanistan. She’s animated and enthusiastic as she leads her friends in a review of the English alphabet, carefully drawing letters as she takes her turn at the white board. “When Nabeela first arrived here, she was very shy but now… Continue reading A Safe Place for Girls and Boys to Learn and Play in Afghanistan

NEW YORK (August 15, 2022) – Keeping girls out of secondary school costs Afghanistan 2.5% of its annual GDP, according to a new analysis by UNICEF. If the current cohort of three million girls were able to complete their secondary education and participate in the job market, girls and women would contribute at least $5.4 billion… Continue reading Depriving Girls Of Secondary Education Translates To A Loss Of At Least $500 Million For Afghan Economy In Last 12 Months

UNICEF’s Child Friendly Cities Initiative creates safe, equitable, inclusive and child-responsive cities and communities around the world. Since CFCI’s U.S. launch in 2020, five cities and one county have partnered with UNICEF USA to pilot the two-year CFCI framework for action. One of these is the city of Houston, which through the CFCI has become a city… Continue reading UNICEF’s Child Friendly Cities Initiative Celebrates Two Years in U.S.

Across East Asia and the Pacific, children are facing hurdles to return to school, as the world recovers from COVID-19 and the evidence of its costs to children’s development becomes increasingly clear. Lack of internet access during extended school closures and teachers’ struggles to implement new ways of learning have resulted in significant education losses… Continue reading UNICEF in East Asia and the Pacific

NEW YORK (August 11, 2022) – Today, UNICEF USA designated the City of Houston as the first city in the United States to become a Candidate for UNICEF Child Friendly City recognition. This designation reaffirms Houston’s dedication to place the needs of children first, listen to youth’s challenges and recommendations, and advocate for and protect child… Continue reading City Of Houston Becomes The First City In The United States To Become A Candidate For The UNICEF Child Friendly Cities Initiative

As the conflict in Yemen stretches into its eighth year, economic pressures are more acute than ever, creating financial barriers for children to continue their education. To help Yemen’s children and youth develop their potential and to better equip them to face the transitions from childhood and student life to employment and active citizenship, UNICEF… Continue reading Life Skills Training Offers Hope for Vulnerable Youth in Yemen

NEW YORK (August 8, 2022) – “UNICEF welcomes the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and Israel after three days of heavy violence. “Fifteen children were killed and 150 reportedly injured in the Gaza strip, as well as 14 children reportedly injured in Israel. When violence rages, it is children who pay the price. Beyond these figures,… Continue reading UNICEF Welcomes Ceasefire In The Gaza Strip And Israel After Three Days Of Violence Take Heavy Toll On Children

Worried mothers with babies on their laps fill all available floor space at the Sector 6 health center in the district of Kaya in north central Burkina Faso, where Aminata Zabré, the center’s longtime Head of Nutrition, is conducting a mass screening for malnutrition. “We found many, many malnourished children, malnourished breastfeeding mothers and malnourished… Continue reading Bringing Malnourished Children Back to Health in Burkina Faso

NEW YORK (August 5, 2022) An upsurge in gang-related violence has shut access to health services across some urban areas in Haiti, leaving one in 20 children living in Cité Soleil – a violence-ravaged commune in Port-au-Prince – at risk of dying from severe acute malnutrition, UNICEF warned today. According to latest available data from UNICEF,… Continue reading Haiti: Thousands Of Children At Risk Of Dying From Acute Malnutrition If Adequate Therapeutic Care Is Not Provided, UNICEF Warns

On July 28, 2022, the Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed a bill outlawing child marriage in the state, with no exceptions. This major legislative accomplishment was achieved thanks to the leadership of the Massachusetts Coalition to End Child Marriage and State Representative Kay Khan. UNICEF USA supporters were part of a strong grassroots presence that helped… Continue reading Massachusetts Becomes 7th State to End Child Marriage

UNICEF Emergency Director Manuel Fontaine calls for a scaled-up response to Ethiopia’s ‘double emergency’ to address a child malnutrition crisis and to help families rebuild.  In Afar, Ethiopia, severe drought is just one factor contributing to rising rates of child malnutrition. The region is also reeling from the devastating effects of conflict, an extension of… Continue reading Impacts of Conflict and Climate Change Fueling Crisis in Ethiopia

Today marks a day of solemnity as the world remembers the devastating Beirut Port explosion on August 4, 2020, which injured more than 6,500 people and killed over 200. Surrounding neighborhoods —hospitals, schools, businesses and homes — crumbled in the blast, disrupting the lives of over 300,000 people, including 100,000 children. UNICEF stands in solidarity… Continue reading Remembering the Beirut Port Explosion Two Years Later

NEW YORK (August 3, 2022) – “UNICEF welcomes the announcement that the parties to the conflict in Yemen have agreed to the United Nations’ proposal to renew the current truce for an additional two months. Since it started in April, the truce led to a significant reduction in the intensity of the conflict and the number… Continue reading UNICEF Welcomes Extension Of Truce In Yemen And Calls For More Action For Protection Of Children From Violence And Remnants Of War

NEW YORK (August 3, 2022) – Sony Corporation of America, on behalf of Sony Group Corporation (“Sony”) and its affiliates in the Americas, announced today a $1 million donation to support UNICEF’s Learning Passport, helping millions of children and their families affected by the crisis in Ukraine and neighboring countries access education. UNICEF’s Learning Passport… Continue reading Sony Corporation of America Donates $1 Million to Support UNICEF’s Learning Passport in Ukraine and Surrounding Countries

NEW YORK / WARSAW (August 3, 2022) – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas travelled to Poland this week to meet refugee children and families who fled the war in Ukraine.  Chopra Jonas visited a “Blue Dot” space at the Refugee Accommodation Centre in Warsaw, meeting with mothers and children from Ukraine who are now staying at… Continue reading UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas Meets Refugee Families in Poland who Fled War in Ukraine, Calls for More Support for Refugee Children

Safe water is a basic necessity for life, and proper sanitation and hygiene are our baseline barrier against the spread of infection and disease. Access to these lifesaving water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services are an afterthought for many, as easy as twisting a faucet, pumping the nearest soap dispenser or depressing a toilet handle.… Continue reading UNICEF Improves Water Systems in Rural Colombia

Every time 6-month-old Yehor is breastfed, he uses his tiny fingers to clasp his mother Yevheniya’s hand. Then he smiles up at her. “In my view, breast milk is not only about food for a baby, it’s about communication between mom and baby,” says 29-year-old Yevheniya. During wartime, breast milk … makes me confident that… Continue reading Breastfeeding a Lifeline for Mothers and Babies in Ukraine

Schools in Moldova are welcoming child refugees from Ukraine into their classrooms — helping them to get comfortable and continue learning after traumatic wartime disruptions. UNICEF has partnered with the Ministry of Education of Moldova to help students integrate into the local school system. “Our teachers are dedicated to finding solutions for children so that… Continue reading Back to School After Fleeing War: Ukrainian Students in Moldova

As Sri Lanka’s unprecedented economic and political crisis continues, families are becoming increasingly desperate. Unable to afford three meals a day, many families have been forced to cut back to two.  In Devapuram, Batticaloa, Selvathy — below with her younger son, 3-year-old Tulakshika, who is underweight — says the escalating crisis is pushing families like… Continue reading UNICEF Providing Nutrition Support for Children in Sri Lanka

Three or four times a day, when mother of two Nasri Garane needs water for her household in drought-stricken Garissa County, eastern Kenya, she drags an empty 20-liter jerrycan to a communal borehole, waits in line to fill the can, then drags it back home over dry, sandy ground.  Garissa County is caught in the… Continue reading UNICEF Helps Families Access Safe Water in Drought-Stricken Kenya

Ongoing conflict in northern Ethiopia has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, mainly women and children, and deprived many more of their livelihoods. On a recent visit to Ethiopia’s Amhara region, Rania Dagash, UNICEF’s Deputy Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, found hardship and suffering — but also signs of hope and the unshakeable… Continue reading Amid Conflict in Ethiopia, Proof of the Enduring Power of Mothers

Immediately after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake rocked the northern Philippines in the early hours of July 27, 2022, UNICEF teams began prepositioning emergency supplies and assessing urgent needs on the ground.  Early reports from the epicenter in Abra and nearby provinces confirm damage to homes, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure. The impact of the earthquake… Continue reading UNICEF Assessing Urgent Needs After Earthquake Hits Philippines

NEW YORK (July 27, 2022) – UNICEF is concerned about the situation of children and families affected by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Northern Philippines at 8:43 am local time. UNICEF and partners are assessing the immediate needs of affected communities and stand ready to support the Government-led emergency response. Early reports from the epicenter… Continue reading UNICEF Stands Ready To Reach Children Affected By The Philippines Earthquake

NEW YORK (July 26, 2022) – Using a total of 27 cargo trucks, UNICEF has delivered life-saving supplies to Odesa to help an estimated 50,000 children in the war-ravaged districts of southern Ukraine. The supplies to be pre-positioned in Odesa city include water purification equipment, sanitation and hygiene supplies to prevent sickness due to lack of… Continue reading UNICEF Delivers Life-Saving Supplies To Odesa In Southern Ukraine To Help Over 50,000 Children Affected By War

For Ukrainian children forced out of their homes by the war, a warm reception from children in their host community can make a world of difference. In Prahova, Romania, a group of schoolchildren organized a getting-to-know-you party to greet the newest arrivals from Ukraine. Arranged with help from their teacher, with support from UNICEF and… Continue reading New Friends: Romanian Children Welcome Ukrainian Refugees

By early March officials had called it: Malawi was facing a serious outbreak of cholera, a highly contagious yet preventable illness. By mid-June, there were 638 cases reported and 32 deaths — an exceptionally high fatality ratio of 5.1 percent — and children between ages 5 and 14 were being disproportionately affected.  UNICEF has been… Continue reading The Fight to Stop Cholera in Malawi

“Nothing makes a mother’s heart happier than seeing her child grow up healthy. And I’m proud to say that I am now a happy mother,” says Lisnawati, a mother of two with a smile and a sparkle in her eyes as she watches her younger daughter, Adifa, cheerfully play at home in Bogor, West Java… Continue reading Locally Made Therapeutic Food Saves Children’s Lives in Indonesia

NEW YORK (July 21, 2022) – Lebanon has managed to stave off a total collapse of its water infrastructure, but water supply systems remain on the brink, putting the health of millions of people, particularly children, at risk, UNICEF has warned. In a new report – Struggling to keep the taps on – UNICEF warns that… Continue reading Lebanon’s Water Infrastructure Struggles On, But Remains On The Brink

NEW YORK (July 20, 2022) – “At least three children were killed and several wounded in Zakho, northern Iraq, today. This is devastating proof of the need to stop the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. UNICEF is deeply troubled by the killing of three girls, one 1-year-old, one 12-year-old, and one 16-year-old, in the… Continue reading The Use Of Explosive Weapons In Populated Areas Must Stop – UNICEF Strongly Condemns The Killing Of Three Children In Iraq

For more than a decade, West Africa’s Central Sahel region has experienced varying degrees of violence between non-state armed groups and the government. In 2021, Burkina Faso became the region’s epicenter for violence, with the country experiencing a sharp increase in attacks on villages and abductions by non-state armed groups, who now control about one-third… Continue reading Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in Burkina Faso

A powerful way to support children caught in conflict or crisis is to provide a safe place where they can get back to doing the things they used to do before their lives were turned upside down. To give them space to play and otherwise engage with each other and to find a bit of… Continue reading Sports as Mental Health Support for Ukrainian Children

NEW YORK (July 20, 2022) – Four consecutive failed rainy seasons have brought on severe drought in Ethiopia’s lowland regions of Afar, Oromia, the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ (SNNPR) and Somali regions. Water wells have dried up and millions of livestock have died, resulting in mass displacement. “The impact of the drought on children is… Continue reading UNICEF Emergency Director, Manuel Fontaine, Visits Drought Stricken Somali Region And Calls For An Immediate Scaled Up Humanitarian Response To Save Millions Of Children

UNICEF is working with partners to rush aid to children and families still reeling from the deadly earthquake that shook southeastern Afghanistan on June 22, 2022. Around 362,000 people — including more than 190,000 children — were impacted by the quake, which claimed the lives of at least 155 children and injured nearly 250. The powerful quake… Continue reading UNICEF Providing Urgent Aid to Children After Afghanistan’s Earthquake

The COVID-19 pandemic fueled the largest sustained decline in childhood vaccinations in three decades — leaving millions more children around the world at risk of devastating yet preventable diseases. According to new data* released Friday by UNICEF and the World Health Organization, the percentage of children who received three doses of the vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus… Continue reading Steep Declines in Childhood Vaccinations Prompt Call to Action

KAYA, BURKINA FASO  – “When I save the life of a child, my heart is filled with joy,” says Aminata Zabré, who oversees nutrition at the UNICEF-supported Health and Social Center in Sector 6 in Kaya, Burkina Faso’s fifth largest city. “Every time I see a child dying, I say to myself: He shouldn’t be there.… Continue reading As Malnutrition Rates Soar in Burkina Faso, UNICEF Steps Up Assistance

The unfolding economic crisis in Sri Lanka is making it increasingly hard for families to make ends meet. Food and fuel prices are pushing staples like milk, rice, lentils and cooking oil out of reach for many. Frequent power cuts are leaving Sri Lankan families in the dark. For 12-year-old Niruthma and her 14-year-old brother,… Continue reading Families Living on the Edge as Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis Deepens

When the shelling started in Bucha, Ukraine, on Feb. 27, 2022, 7-year-old Davyd and his family rushed to shelter in their basement. They listened in terror as a neighbor’s house was hit by a missile strike. “We saw the shadow above us and we heard it,” said Davyd’s mother, Yevgeniya, 37. “We got stuck in our… Continue reading A Ukrainian Refugee Family Finds Safety in London

NEW YORK (July 13, 2022) – Nearly three quarters of young people aged 15 to 24 in 92 countries with available data are off-track to acquire the skills needed for employment, according to a new report published today by the Education Commission and UNICEF ahead of World Youth Skills Day. Recovering learning: Are children and youth… Continue reading Around 3 In 4 Youth Lack Skills Needed For Employment, New Report Says

For a whole weekend, the NYC members met at UNICEF USA offices for programming, professional development and team-building. Check out some highlights from the weekend: A National Youth Council member in front of UNICEF House © photo courtesy of UNICEF USA First stop: UNICEF HQ! National Youth Council members who are also UNICEF Youth Advocates… Continue reading The National Youth Council Takes on NYC!

NEW YORK (July 12, 2022) – “Excellencies, esteemed colleagues, distinguished guests, thank you all for joining us today. “I want to thank the governments of Norway and Sierra Leone for co-hosting this event with us – and for their leadership on this critical issue. “I would also like to thank our co-sponsors, the governments of Belgium,… Continue reading UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell’s Remarks At The Global Launch Of The UNICEF Report, “25 Years Of Children And Armed Conflict: Taking Action To Protect Children In War”

A catastrophic series of flash floods that began in May 2022, with a second wave starting in mid June, have left an estimated 7.2 million people reeling in northeastern Bangladesh. UNICEF is part of a large-scale humanitarian response across the region, protecting children and delivering emergency water and health supplies. Since the start of the… Continue reading UNICEF Providing Emergency Aid After Devastating Floods in Bangladesh

In Bhutan, a country of roughly 800,000 people on the eastern edge of the Himalaya mountains, there are 19 different languages or dialects. At the Wangsel Institute for the Deaf, housed on the grounds of Drukgyel lower secondary school in the western district of Paro, a group of students has been busy helping to create… Continue reading Deaf Students in Bhutan Create Country’s First Sign Language

As Sri Lanka descends further into its worst economic and political crisis in 70 years, it is children who are suffering the most. A foreign currency shortage has left the country struggling to import essential goods, pushing food and fuel prices sky-high. Staples like rice, lentils, milk and cooking oil are slipping out of reach… Continue reading Economic Crisis in Sri Lanka Hurting Children Most

As Sri Lanka descends further into its worst economic and political crisis in 70 years, it is children who are suffering the most. A foreign currency shortage has left the country struggling to import essential goods, pushing food and fuel prices sky-high. Staples like rice, lentils, milk and cooking oil are slipping out of reach… Continue reading Economic Crisis Hurting Children Most in Sri Lanka

Ongoing conflict in northern Ethiopia has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, mainly women and children, and deprived many more of their livelihoods. On a recent visit to Ethiopia’s Amhara region, Rania Dagash, UNICEF’s Deputy Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, found hardship and suffering — but also signs of hope and the unshakeable… Continue reading Amid Conflict in Ethiopia, Proof of the Enduring Power of Women

Thousands of families in southeastern Afghanistan are struggling to survive after a powerful earthquake shook Paktika and Khost provinces on June 22, 2022, killing more than 1,000 people, — including at least 120 children — and injuring over 1,600. UNICEF Communication Specialist Veronica Houser can barely contain her emotions in the video below, recorded on June 25… Continue reading UNICEF Reaching Those in Need After Afghanistan’s Deadly Earthquake

All across Eastern and Southern Africa, children are going hungry. Dought, floods, conflict and other factors are disrupting and endangering millions of lives in the region, contributing to rising food insecurity — and a corresponding surge in child malnutrition.  On May 25, 2022, 8-month-old Ibrahim sits on his grandmother’s lap at UNICEF-supported Banadir Hospital in… Continue reading UNICEF in Eastern and Southern Africa

NEW YORK (June 29, 2022) – Girls as young as twelve are being forced into child marriage and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) at “alarming rates” in the Horn of Africa, as the most severe drought in forty years pushes families to the edge – warns UNICEF. In the regions of Ethiopia worst affected by the drought,… Continue reading Child Marriage On The Rise In Horn Of Africa As Drought Crisis Intensifies – UNICEF

Girls as young as age 12 are being forced into child marriage at “alarming rates” in the Horn of Africa — a region facing its worst drought in 40 years — as families increasingly turn to desperate measures to survive, UNICEF warned on Wednesday. In some parts of Ethiopia, the child marriage rate from January through… Continue reading Drought Forcing More Girls into Child Marriage in the Horn of Africa

As a result of the worst shock to education and learning in recorded history, learning poverty has sharply increased in low- and middle-income countries, with nearly two-thirds of 10-year-olds unable to understand a simple written text, according to a new report compiled by UNICEF, other UN agencies and other partners. The State of Global Learning… Continue reading Rise in Learning Poverty Prompts Renewed Call for R.A.P.I.D. Response

NEW YORK (June 28, 2022) – Between 2005 and 2020, the United Nations verified over 266,000 grave violations against children committed by parties to conflict in more than 30 conflict situations across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, UNICEF said today in a new report. This figure is a fraction of the violations believed… Continue reading Staggering Scale Of Grave Violations Against Children In Conflict Revealed In New UNICEF Analysis

NEW YORK (June 24, 2022) – “The situation caused by flash floods in north-eastern Bangladesh has deteriorated rapidly over the last week. At this very moment, 3.5 million children are in urgent need of safe drinking water. That is a staggering two million more children than just a few days ago. Huge areas are completely underwater… Continue reading UNICEF Geneva Palais Briefing Note On The Situation Of Children And Families Affected By Floods In Bangladesh

NEW YORK (June 24, 2022) – “Good morning. Thank you for your time. “I’d like to bring you up to date with the latest from Afghanistan, following the earthquake that struck in the early hours of 22nd June in the provinces of Khost and Paktika. “The earthquake was another tragic reminder of the challenges facing the… Continue reading UNICEF Geneva Palais Briefing Note On The Situation Of Children And Families Affected By The Earthquake In Afghanistan

Almost 8 million children under age 5 in 15 countries — from Afghanistan to Yemen, Burkina Faso to Somalia — are at risk of death from severe wasting unless they receive immediate therapeutic food and care, UNICEF warned as world leaders prepared to meet for the next G7 summit. UNICEF has issued an urgent appeal for $1.2… Continue reading UNICEF Calls on G7 to Help Tackle Global Child Malnutrition Crisis

When the Ukraine war began in Feb., Anastasiia, a teacher in Odesa, knew she had to get to 2-year-old son, Kyril, to safety.  “There was nothing more important than taking my child away,” she said from Bucharest, Romania, where she and Kyril are living now. “I wasn’t a professor at [that] moment, I was running… Continue reading Ukrainian Refugee Children Are Starting Over at a School in Romania

When the Ukraine war began in Feb., Anastasiia, a teacher in Odesa, knew she had to get to 2-year-old son, Kyril, to safety.  “There was nothing more important than taking my child away,” she said from Bucharest, Romania, where she and Kyril are living now. “I wasn’t a professor at [that] moment, I was running… Continue reading Ukrainian Refugee Children Are Starting Over at a School in Romania

When the Ukraine war began in Feb., Anastasiia, a teacher in Odesa, knew she had to get to 2-year-old son, Kyril, to safety.  “There was nothing more important than taking my child away,” she said from Bucharest, Romania, where she and Kyril are living now. “I wasn’t a professor at [that] moment, I was running… Continue reading Ukrainian Refugee Children Find Peace at a School in Romania

Donate How to Help donate donate monthly join us Fundraise shop sign in Shop sign inregister Sign Up For Updates Stay informed * our mission Saving Lives Health Immunization Nutrition Protection Relief Water Building Futures Child Trafficking Climate Change Development Disabilities Education Equity for Girls Innovation Mental Health Sponsor a Child Voice Emergency Relief Child… Continue reading UNICEF to G7: Global Child Malnutrition Crisis Requires Urgent Action

NEW YORK (June 23, 2022)– Almost 8 million children under 5, in 15 crisis-hit countries are at risk of death from severe wasting unless they receive immediate therapeutic food and care – with the number rising by the minute, UNICEF warned today as world leaders prepare to meet at the G7 summit. Since the start of… Continue reading Global Hunger Crisis Pushing One Child Into Severe Malnutrition Every Minute In 15 Crisis-Hit Countries

NEW YORK (June 23, 2022) – Despite a steady decline in the proportion of schools without basic water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, deep inequalities persist between and within countries, UNICEF and WHO said today. Schoolchildren in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and fragile contexts are the most affected, and emerging data shows that few schools… Continue reading Schools Ill-Equipped To Provide Healthy And Inclusive Learning Environments For All Children – UNICEF, WHO

UNICEF is on the ground protecting children and delivering emergency water and health supplies after catastrophic flash floods — the worst in 100 years — inundated much of northeastern Bangladesh, stranding 4 million people, including 1.6 million children. “Children need safe drinking water now,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh. “Preventing deadly waterborne diseases… Continue reading 1.6M Children Stranded by Flash Floods in Bangladesh

UNICEF has dispatched health teams and emergency supplies after a powerful earthquake shook Paktika and Khost provinces in eastern Afghanistan early on June 22. The earthquake, recorded at a depth of six miles, was reportedly felt in neighboring provinces including Kabul, as well as Islamabad, Pakistan and India.  According to The New York Times, at least… Continue reading Thousands of Children at Risk After Earthquake Devastates Afghanistan

UNICEF has dispatched health teams and emergency supplies after a magnitude 5.9 earthquake shook Paktika and Khost provinces in eastern Afghanistan early on June 22. The earthquake, recorded at a depth of six miles, was reportedly felt in neighboring provinces including Kabul, as well as Islamabad, Pakistan and India.  According to the New York Times,… Continue reading Thousands of Children at Risk After Earthquake Devastates Afghanistan

NEW YORK (June 22, 2022) – “Early this morning, a devastating earthquake shook the districts of Gayan, Barmala, Naka and Ziruk in Paktika Province, as well as Spira district in Khost Province in Afghanistan. “We don’t yet know the full extent of the devastation, but we believe hundreds of people have been killed, including many women and children. Many… Continue reading Thousands Of Children At Risk After Devastating Earthquake Hits Eastern Afghanistan – UNICEF

NEW YORK (June 20, 2022) – Four million people, including 1.6 million children, stranded by flash floods in north-eastern Bangladesh are in urgent need of help. UNICEF is on the ground to protect children and to deliver emergency water and health supplies. “Children need safe drinking water right now. Preventing deadly waterborne diseases is one of… Continue reading UNICEF Provides Emergency Relief As 1.6 Million Children Stranded By Floods In Bangladesh

Ukraine’s refugee crisis is but one of many examples of how forced displacement is endangering the health, safety and future well-being of a growing number of the world’s children. There are now over 100 million people who have been forced to flee their homes, a record number, according to UNHCR, the UN refugee agency. Leading… Continue reading For UNICEF, Helping Child Refugees Is a Global Mission

NEW YORK (June 17, 2022) – Conflict, violence and other crises left a record 36.5 million children displaced from their homes at the end of 2021, UNICEF estimates – the highest number recorded since the Second World War. This figure includes 13.7 million refugee and asylum-seeking children and nearly 22.8 million children who are internally displaced… Continue reading Nearly 37 Million Children Displaced Worldwide – Highest Number Ever Recorded

NEW YORK (June 14, 2022) – “I spent last week in Ukraine, meeting with children and families affected by the war, seeing UNICEF’s critical humanitarian response and meeting with authorities, UN colleagues and partner organizations. “I was able to visit Kyiv, Irpin, Bucha, Zhytomyr and Lviv, and the time I spent in the country provided a… Continue reading UNICEF Briefing Note On The Situation Of Children In Ukraine

Parenting is a responsibility that comes with its own challenges and apprehensions, no matter which part of the world you are living in. In the Banda and Chitrakoot districts of Uttar Pradesh State, India, parents have found a new ‘friend’ — a digital service that uses interactive voice recognition technology to deliver guidance on how… Continue reading In India, New Tools Engage Fathers in Early Child Development

Children look to their parents for love, comfort, support and protection. The photos below celebrate some of the many ways nurturing dads around the world are working hard — sometimes in desperate circumstances — to see that their children receive the care and attention they need to get the best possible start in life. Dominican Republic… Continue reading A Father’s Day Thank-You

In the early days of the war in Ukraine, 16-year-old Oleksandra began keeping a video diary. By turns frightened, determined and hopeful, the diary offers a glimpse into the war as seen through the eyes of a teenager from Zaporizhzhia — from the weeks living in bomb shelters to her current life as a refugee… Continue reading Through Her Eyes: A Ukrainian Teenager’s Video Diary

NEW YORK/ COLOMBO/ KATHMANDU/ GENEVA (JUNE 10, 2022) – The debilitating crisis in Sri Lanka has left nearly half of the children in the country in need of some form of humanitarian assistance. The UN has launched an appeal to address the urgent needs of the most vulnerable population within the next four months. To… Continue reading UNICEF Appeals for US$25 million to Meet the Urgent Needs of 1.7 Million Children Affected by the Economic Crisis in Sri Lanka

NEW YORK (June 7, 2022) – “I am here today to tell you plainly that, if the world does not widen its gaze from the war in Ukraine, and act immediately, an explosion of child deaths is about to happen in the Horn of Africa. Severe Acute Malnutrition“An estimated 386,000 children in Somalia are now in… Continue reading ‘Explosion of child deaths’ imminent in Horn of Africa if world does not act immediately – UNICEF

The humanitarian needs in a number of countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region have intensified — fueling migration flows — as more and more children and families have become increasingly desperate. This is due to a number of factors, ranging from gang violence to COVID-19 impacts to poverty, which increased for the first time during… Continue reading UNICEF in Latin America and the Caribbean

NEW YORK (June 9, 2022) – UNICEF USA has appointed actor Justin H. Min (The Umbrella Academy, After Yang), as the newest UNICEF Ambassador. The announcement, in advance of World Refugee Day, comes days after Justin’s visit to Lebanon where he met with Syrian refugees and learned from experts about the work UNICEF is doing… Continue reading UNICEF USA Announces Actor Justin H. Min as Newest Ambassador

Donate How to Help donate donate monthly join us Fundraise shop sign in Shop sign inregister Sign Up For Updates Stay informed * our mission Saving Lives Health Immunization Nutrition Protection Relief Water Building Futures Child Trafficking Climate Change Development Disabilities Education Equity for Girls Innovation Mental Health Sponsor a Child Voice Emergency Relief Child… Continue reading Justin H. Min, UNICEF’s Newest Ambassador, Is Standing Up for Children

Three consecutive failed rainy seasons have left 29.1 million people in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya in need of urgent humanitarian assistance in 2022, including at least 1.7 million severely wasted children who require emergency nutrition support.  Somalia is by far the worst affected country, with around 1.4 million children facing acute malnutrition by the end… Continue reading UNICEF Treating Malnourished Children in Drought-Stricken Somalia

When yet another school shooting makes the headlines, it can cause feelings such as fear, sadness, anger and anxiety wherever you live. Here are some tips from UNICEF on how to approach the conversation with your child and to provide them with support and comfort.  1. Find out what they know and how they feel Choose… Continue reading How to Talk to Your Child About School Shootings

Millions of children are on the move. Like the more than 2.5 million children who’ve fled Ukraine, some escaped their homes with no more than the clothes on their backs. On their journeys, they can be separated from their families, face a heightened risk of human trafficking and exploitation and miss out on an education… Continue reading How to Help Refugee and Displaced Children Around the World

NEW YORK/ SANA’A (June 2, 2022) – “UNICEF welcomes the announcement that the parties to the conflict in Yemen have agreed to the United Nations’ proposal to renew the current truce for an additional two months. “The renewal of the truce will positively impact the safety and wellbeing of children and their families in Yemen, after… Continue reading UNICEF Welcomes Two-Month Extension of Truce in Yemen

For the past 100 days, children in Ukraine have had their lives turned upside down by war. Children have been killed. Children have been injured. Children have lost loved ones and cargivers. They’ve been forced to go into hiding. To flee their homes. They’ve seen their schools and neighborhoods destroyed. Those who have fled have… Continue reading 100 Days of War in Ukraine: Children on the Front Lines

The war in Ukraine has created a refugee crisis that dwarfs all others in recent history. As of mid-May, 7.7 million people are internally displaced and 6.4 million people — including nearly two-thirds of all children in Ukraine — had crossed the border into Poland, Romania, Moldova and other neighboring countries. UNICEF’s current efforts are… Continue reading UNICEF in Europe and Central Asia

Friday, June 3, marks 100 days of war in Ukraine — a war that has devastated children on a scale and at a speed not seen since World War II. There are 3 million children inside Ukraine and over 2.2 million children in refugee-hosting countries who are now in need of humanitarian assistance. Almost two… Continue reading 100 Days of War in Ukraine

NEW YORK/GENEVA/KYIV (June 1, 2022) – Nearly 100 days of war in Ukraine have wrought devastating consequences for children at a scale and speed not seen since World War II, UNICEF said today. Three million children inside Ukraine and over 2.2 million children in refugee-hosting countries are now in need of humanitarian assistance. Almost two out… Continue reading One Hundred Days of War in Ukraine Have Left 5.2 Million Children in Need of Humanitarian Assistance

Daniella was at home when Mt. Nyiragongo, Africa’s most active volcano, erupted in South Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on May 22, 2021. “On the evening of the volcano eruption, I went outside my house and saw the sky had turned red,” said Daniella, now 13. “I called for my mom to go… Continue reading Back to School After a Volcanic Eruption in DRC

UNICEF was founded on the principle that all children deserve to survive and thrive in an environment free from conflict. Conflicts can have many harmful effects on children, but one of the greatest threats is explosive weapons. Ukraine was already among the most mine-contaminated regions in the world, endangering children who live, play and go… Continue reading War in Ukraine Highlights Danger Explosive Weapons Pose to Children

The staff at the residential placement center in Baicoi, Romania, had limited experience caring for children with disabilities before the group from Odesa, Ukraine, arrived on March 4. In the weeks since, however, the team has found its footing with support from the community, neighboring centers and UNICEF. As the head of the Baicoi center,… Continue reading A Welcome in Romania for Ukrainian Children with Disabilities

More than 1.5 million children are at increased risk of waterborne diseases, drowning and malnutrition due to extensive flooding in northeastern Bangladesh.  Over 4 million people in five districts — Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj, Netrokona and Maulvibazar — are affected by the flooding. Agricultural land and critical infrastructure, including schools and power stations, have been submerged.… Continue reading Extreme Flooding in Bangladesh Puts 1.5M Children at Risk

The City of Houston has embarked on a two-year process toward recognition as a UNICEF Child-Friendly City. UNICEF’s Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) was launched globally in 1996 to protect children’s rights in an increasingly urbanized and decentralized world, and UNICEF USA is piloting the two-year initiative here in the United States with five cities and one county. The… Continue reading UNICEF Working With City of Houston to Improve Child Mental Health

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, only 20 percent of the population has reliable access to safe drinking water.  Until recently, Ester, 12, would walk two miles from her home in Kiziba to the shore of Lake Kivu and back carrying a heavy plastic jug full of untreated lake water, her family’s daily drinking… Continue reading Safe Water in the DRC Means Girls Never Have to Miss School Again

NEW YORK/DAKAR (May 26, 2022) – “”UNICEF is deeply saddened by the death of at least 11 newborn babies following a terrible fire at the neonatal unit of the hospital of Tivaouane. “We express our deepest sympathy to the families and communities affected by this tragedy, especially those who have lost their children. No parent should… Continue reading UNICEF Profoundly Saddened by The Death Of At Least 11 Newborn Babies Following A Horrific Fire at A Hospital in Tivaouane, Senegal

Eleven-year-old Polina and her mother, Tetiana, were hiding in a basement near the hospital where Polina was born in Mariupol, Ukraine, when the building was hit by a shell on March 9.  The terrifying memory is still vivid in her mind. “I was in the basement and my mother and grandmother were on the ground floor,”… Continue reading UNICEF Helps Children Heal From the Shock of War in Ukraine

Five-year-old Arthur stopped speaking the day the bombardment began in Mariupol, Ukraine. During the first few days of shelling, Arthur’s 23-year-old mother, Miranda, had to shield her terrified son from the bomb blasts with her body.  “It felt like I was being blown away by the blast wave and I almost tore my hands off,… Continue reading For Ukraine’s Children, Invisible Scars of War

With the world well into its third year fighting COVID-19, UNICEF has launched a broader push to strengthen health systems around the world to protect against future pandemics. While systems strengthening has always been integral to UNICEF’s work, the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19 — the millions of lives lost, the economic and social disruptions, a… Continue reading Beyond COVID-19: UNICEF’s Push to Improve Primary Health Care

NEW YORK (May 25, 2022) – “Once again, children have been attacked and killed while attending school – the one place outside of their homes where they should be safest. This time it happened in Uvalde, Texas. “Nineteen children, a teacher, and a school staff member who set out for school yesterday will never return home… Continue reading Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell On School Shooting in Uvalde, Texas

NEW YORK/EQUATORIAL GUINEA (May 25, 2022) – “An increasing number of children across Africa’s protracted crisis areas – from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa – will be exposed to severe wasting as the impacts of insecurity, COVID-19, poor harvests, the Ukraine crisis and global food price rises hit vulnerable families. As the ‘lean season’… Continue reading African Leaders and Development Partners Called to Combine Scaled-Up Humanitarian Response with Prevention, As the Situation Worsens for Millions of Children Facing Severe Wasting

NEW YORK/FLORENCE (May 24, 2022) – The majority of wealthy countries are creating unhealthy, dangerous and noxious conditions for children across the world, according to the latest Report Card published today by UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti.  Innocenti Report Card 17: Places and Spaces compares how 39 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and… Continue reading Over-Consumption in The World’s Richest Countries Is Destroying Children’s Environments Globally, New Report Says

NEW YORK/ INDONESIA (May 23, 2022) –“The Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction comes at a critical time for children and young people as they face the immediate and long-lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Accelerating poverty rates. School closures and massive learning loss. Millions of children at greater risk of child marriage and child labor.… Continue reading UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell’s remarks at 2022 Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction

NEW YORK/DHAKA (May 23, 2022) – Over 1.5 million children are at increased risk of waterborne diseases, drowning and malnutrition due to extensive flooding in north-eastern Bangladesh. UNICEF is on the ground with Government and non-government partners to respond to the urgent safety, health, nutrition, clean water and education needs of children and their families. Over… Continue reading Over 1.5 Million Children at Risk as Devastating Floods Hit Bangladesh

NEW YORK/GENEVA/OSLO (May 20, 2022) – Nearly 18 months after the first administration of a COVID-19 vaccine, incredible progress has been made – with lower-income countries administering billions of COVID-19 vaccines in a historic global rollout that is unprecedented in terms of speed, scale and demographics reached. Yet despite this progress, and the easing of global… Continue reading COVAX Calls for Urgent Action to Close Vaccine Equity Gap

Syria continues to represent one of the world’s most complex emergencies in the world. And for millions of vulnerable children living in and around the country, every day they must wait for help is one day too many. That was UNICEF’s message to the world at a recent convening of world leaders to discuss the… Continue reading UNICEF to World: Syria’s Children Need Help Now

On a spring day in East Ghouta, Rural Damascus, Syria, 22-year-old Abir beams as she watches her toddler son Ishak play outside their home. “I used to look at my son and feel sad. He was very thin and didn’t have the energy to play with his brother and cousins,” she says. “Luckily those days… Continue reading Little Ishak Recovers From Malnutrition in Syria

NEW YORK/JAKARTA (May 18, 2022) – More than 350 participants from 57 countries gathered today in Jakarta for the opening of the Sector Ministers’ Meeting which will generate urgent prioritization of water and sanitation worldwide.    Among them were 50 ministers of water, sanitation, health, environment and the economy, who met to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate… Continue reading Landmark Meeting Urges Prioritization of Water and Sanitation to Get Health, Climate and Economic Targets Back on Track

NEW YORK (May 17, 2022) – “Excellencies, Colleagues, Friends. “I am honored to welcome you to UNICEF House for this critical conversation.   “I want to acknowledge and thank the United States Government, and my co-host, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, for putting children at the center of the discussion on the global… Continue reading UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell’s Remarks at UN High-Level Event on Conflict, Hunger and Children with Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield Of the United States

Six-year-old Hlyan Htet keeps close to his mother these days and does not venture far from the family’s home in Myanmar.  “I have friends, but my best friend is a dog from downstairs,” he says matter-of-factly. “We play together every evening.” Although Hlyan Htet’s innocent charm shines through, his mother, Hnin Hnin, says the events… Continue reading Helping Kids Bounce Back From Pandemic Stress and Isolation in Myanmar

Global conditions are ripe for a surge in the number of children with severe wasting, a life-threatening form of malnutrition, as access to lifesaving treatment for the condition comes increasingly under threat, UNICEF warned in a global Child Alert released Tuesday. Soaring food prices, driven by the war in Ukraine and pandemic-fueled budget cuts, are set… Continue reading UNICEF Urges Lifesaving Action For Children With Severe Wasting

Global conditions are ripe for a surge in the number of children with severe wasting, a life-threatening form of malnutrition, as access to lifesaving treatment for the condition comes increasingly under threat, UNICEF warned in a global Child Alert released Tuesday. Soaring food prices, driven by the war in Ukraine and pandemic-fueled budget cuts, are set… Continue reading UNICEF Urges Action To Save Children With Severe Wasting

NEW YORK (May 17, 2022) – “The number of children with severe wasting was rising even before war in Ukraine threatened to plunge the world deeper into a spiralling global food crisis – and it’s getting worse, UNICEF warned in a new Child Alert. Released today, Severe wasting: An overlooked child survival emergency shows that in… Continue reading World A ‘Virtual Tinderbox’ For Catastrophic Levels of Severe Malnutrition in Children

NEW YORK/ GENEVA (May 16, 2022) – “A new report published today by WHO and UNICEF reveals that more than 2.5 billion people need one or more assistive products, such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, or apps that support communication and cognition. Yet nearly one billion of them are denied access, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where… Continue reading Almost One Billion Children and Adults with Disabilities and Older Persons in Need of Assistive Technology Denied Access, According to New Report

NEW YORK (May 12, 2022) – “Mr. President, Excellencies and colleagues, I would like to express my appreciation to Ambassadors De La Fuente and Riviere for convening today’s meeting. I would also like to thank the United States for hosting this briefing during your Security Council presidency. “It has been just one month since UNICEF last briefed this… Continue reading UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Omar Abdi’s Remarks at The UN Security Council Meeting on The Maintenance of Peace and Security in Ukraine

Food shortages, prolonged conflicts, natural disasters and the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 continue to threaten the health, safety and well-being of children across South Asia. The coronavirus pandemic hit the region particularly hard, exacerbating ongoing challenges and bringing on new ones. Inflation is leading to increased food insecurity. Meanwhile, weather-related disasters such as cyclones and… Continue reading UNICEF in South Asia

The first time I looked into my son’s eyes, hope stared right back at me. While his tiny fingers wrapped around mine, I took him in, thinking about all our tomorrows together. First steps, the first day of school, tooth fairy nights, graduations, Mother’s Days. As I looked on the wall at the framed Mother’s… Continue reading Celebrating Mother’s Day, Every Day

UNICEF USA President and CEO Michael J. Nyenhuis recently spoke with Steven Scully, a guest host on SiriusXM’s POTUS Politics channel, about UNICEF’s response to the war in Ukraine and Nyenhuis’s April visit to a Blue Dot refugee support center in Romania. These hubs have been set up along key transit routes by UNICEF and UNHCR, in coordination with local authorities and… Continue reading UNICEF USA’s Michael J. Nyenhuis on Mental Health & the War in Ukraine

In a cheerful classroom at Kindergarten No. 9 in Brasov, Romania, 4- and 5-year-olds play happily together with puppets and building blocks. A group of Ukrainian children joined the school in late March, after their families were forced out of their homes by the war in Ukraine. “My class is a great class. Our nickname… Continue reading Teaching Inclusivity in a Romanian Kindergarten

NEW YORK/BRUSSELS (May 10, 2022) – “Excellencies, colleagues, and friends, thank you very much for inviting me here today. “Syria today is one of the most dangerous places on earth to be a child. “An entire generation is struggling to survive. “Nearly 90 percent of people in Syria live in poverty.  More than 6.5 million children need urgent assistance… Continue reading UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell’s Remarks at The Brussels VI Conference: “Supporting the Future of Syria And the Region”

COVID-19 has been a terrible blow for the world for many reasons and on many levels. But it has been especially damaging for child immunization. The pandemic diverted attention and resources away from this routine yet essential health service, leaving millions more children at risk of measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases — with far-reaching ripple… Continue reading Critical Mission for UNICEF: Reaching ‘Zero-Dose’ Children

Before February 24th, 2022, Alina Kurska, 26, from Kyiv and Denys Ganzha, 23, from Kharkiv, spent their days busy studying, working, and looking forward to their weekend plans with their friends. Since then, however, their everyday lives have been defined by hearing alarms, packing up essentials, sleeping in bomb shelters, trying to get a hold… Continue reading Ukrainian Youth Delegates Call to Action for Youth Around the World

NEW YORK/AMMAN (May 8, 2022) – “Millions of children continue to live in fear, need and uncertainty inside Syria and in neighboring countries. “More than 6.5 million children in Syria are in need of assistance, the highest number recorded since the beginning of the crisis, more than 11 years ago. “The crisis in Syria is far… Continue reading Number of Syrian Children in Need Hits Record High

NEW YORK (May 8, 2022) – “UNICEF strongly condemns yet another attack on a school in Ukraine amid reports that civilians, including children, had sought shelter in the school’s bunker. “We do not yet know how many children might have been killed or injured in the reported bombing, but we fear this attack has just added… Continue reading Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell On Latest School Attack in Luhansk, Ukraine

A prolonged, crippling drought across the Horn of Africa is fueling a drastic increase in malnutrition rates for children and families. As the specter of famine once again threatens the subregion, children — especially young children — are in the greatest danger.  Speaking from Gode Hospital in Ethiopia’s Somali region in late April, UNICEF Executive… Continue reading Catastrophe Looms as Drought Devastates Horn of Africa

NEW YORK/LVIV (May 6, 2022) – “The situation in Ukraine is a child protection crisis of extraordinary proportions, the likes of which we perhaps haven’t seen before. “Two months of war in Ukraine have left 7.7 million people internally displaced and driven over 5.5 million people across international borders, including nearly two-thirds of all children in… Continue reading UNICEF Geneva Palais Briefing Note on The Situation of Children in Ukraine And Neighboring Countries

Why UNICEF sends puzzles, puppets and building blocks to children caught in crisis. An important component of UNICEF’s humanitarian aid effort for children in and around Ukraine and other countries in conflict or crisis is its supply operation. UNICEF’s ability to rush emergency supplies like water purification tablets, measles vaccines and therapeutic food from its… Continue reading What’s Inside a UNICEF Early Childhood Development Kit?

As the school year winds down for children in the U.S., data shows that 147 million children around the world missed more than half of their in-person school during the first two years of the pandemic. Many did not return to the classroom when their schools reopened. Research is just starting to reveal the terrible… Continue reading In South Asia, the Impacts of School Closures May Last a Lifetime

NEW YORK (May 5, 2022) – “Every day that the war in Ukraine continues is a nightmare for millions of children. “Nearly two-thirds of Ukraine’s children have been forced to flee. Many have seen things no child should ever see.  “Their homes have been hit. Their schools have been attacked, along with all the systems that… Continue reading Every Day That the War in Ukraine Continues Is A Nightmare for Millions of Children

NEW YORK (May 4, 2022) – “Thank you [moderator], and thank you [WFP Executive Director] David Beasley, [FAO Director General] Qu Dongyu, and [EU Commissioner] Jutta Urpilainen for leading this critical discussion. “We are here to take stock of a somber reality. As we have heard already today, the world is once again on the verge… Continue reading UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell’s Remarks at the Launch of the 2022 Global Report on Food Crises

Disruptions in global markets caused by the war in Ukraine have sent food prices soaring, heightening the risks of malnutrition for millions of children in countries that rely on food imports.  Price hikes for wheat and other commodities coupled with low purchasing power among impoverished families is exacerbating food insecurity in the Middle East and North… Continue reading UNICEF Responds As War in Ukraine Fuels Food Crises Across Regions

NEW YORK/ KYIV (May 4, 2022) –At least one in six UNICEF-supported schools in eastern Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed since the start of the war, including School 36 – the only ‘Safe School’ in Mariupol – underscoring the dramatic impact the conflict is having on children’s lives and futures. Two schools have been hit… Continue reading School Year Nears Tragic End in Ukraine Amid Child Deaths, Empty Classrooms and Destruction of Educational Facilities

Many people have special chairs in their lives – chairs that define a part of their day, mark a special occasion, or bring up good memories. For some, the most special chair in their lives might be their spot at the dinner table, the chair they have sat in every night for as long as… Continue reading The Difference A Teacher Can Make

There are all kinds of hero moms, but they all share a deep love for their children and a fierce desire to see them grow up happy, healthy and safe from harm. This Mother’s Day, as you honor the hero moms in your life, remember the mothers who are caring for children amid humanitarian crises… Continue reading A Mother’s Day Thank-You to Hero Moms Everywhere

For some, getting vaccinated for COVID-19 means getting to see and hug a grandchild again after a long time apart. For others, a dose offers an opportunity to get back to earning a living and supporting a family. When UNICEF helped launch the largest vaccine operation effort in history, the focus was to make sure… Continue reading From Bangladesh to Peru to Vietnam, COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Rise

NEW YORK / COX’S BAZAR (May 1, 2022) – A breakthrough for Rohingya refugee children living in the Cox’s Bazar refugee camps in Bangladesh sees the first 10,000 children enrolled to receive education based on the national curriculum of their home country Myanmar. This milestone will be reached this month. The Myanmar Curriculum Pilot, launched by… Continue reading UNICEF: Education Milestone for Rohingya Refugee Children as Myanmar Curriculum Pilot Reaches First 10,000 Children

As the refugee coordinator at C.A.T.T.I.A., a reception center for refugees in Brasov, Romania, Andreea Vrinceanu spends her days assisting newly arrived refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. C.A.T.T.I.A. is also a Blue Dot hub, one of a network of refugee support centers set up by UNICEF and UNHCR, along with local authorities and partners,… Continue reading For Refugee Children From Ukraine, a Safe Place to Play

The war in Ukraine is having a devastating impact on the country’s children. In the first six weeks, nearly two-thirds of Ukraine’s child population were displaced from their homes. As of April 28, 2022, more than 5.4 million people, half of them children, had crossed the border into Poland, Moldova, Romania, Hungary and other neighboring… Continue reading Blue Dot Centers Help Children Traumatized by War in Ukraine

NEW YORK/ KINSHASA (April 29, 2022) – UNICEF has urged parents and children living in the western province of Equateur to maintain the utmost vigilance amid the 14th and latest outbreak of Ebola virus which first emerged on the outskirts of the provincial capital Mbandaka. “UNICEF, through its office in Mbandaka, is on the ground to support… Continue reading Democratic Republic Of The Congo – UNICEF Urges Parents And Children In Equateur Province To Take Safety Precautions After Second Confirmed Fatality From Most Recent Ebola Virus Outbreak

As the war in Ukraine continues to escalate, 100,000 teenage volunteers are stepping up to help everyday citizens struggling to survive. The teens coordinate their activities, both in person and remotely, with help from UNICEF and the Ukrainian Volunteer Service chatbot.  Sixteen-year-old Solomiya volunteers at a train station in Lviv, providing displaced people fleeing the… Continue reading In Lviv, a Teen Volunteer Helps People Fleeing War in Ukraine

As the war in Ukraine continues to escalate, 100,000 teenage volunteers are stepping up to help everyday citizens struggling to survive. The teens coordinate their activities, both in person and remotely, with help from UNICEF and the Ukrainian Volunteer Service chatbot.  Sixteen-year-old Solomiya volunteers at a train station in Lviv, providing displaced people fleeing the… Continue reading A Teen Volunteer Helps People Fleeing War in Ukraine

NEW YORK/ ADDIS ABABA (April 28, 2022) –  At the end of a four-day visit to Ethiopia, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell urged the international community to immediately scale up support to avert a humanitarian catastrophe due to the drought in Ethiopia and the rest of the Horn of Africa. “The impact of the drought in… Continue reading UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell Visits Drought-Impacted Somali Region In Ethiopia And Calls For An Immediate Scaled-Up Response To Save The Lives Of Millions Of Children

NEW YORK/ AMMAN (April 28, 2022) – “We have received harrowing reports that at least 21 children – including an 11-month-old baby – were killed over the past few days during ongoing violence, mostly in the Kerinik area of the West Darfur region in Sudan. “The killing of children is a grave violation of their rights. Nothing… Continue reading At Least 21 Children Reported Killed In Violence In Sudan’s West Darfur