UNICEF in emergencies
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UNICEF Deputy Executive Director urges stepped-up response to crisis in Somalia
NAIROBI, Kenya, 19 November 2009 – Time is running out for children in Somalia. The number of people affected by hunger and severe food insecurity has doubled in the last year to more than 3.6 million. Almost half are children. Without immediate funding, UNICEF will have to close many feeding centres for undernourished children.
Therapeutic feeding saves children’s lives in drought-stricken Ethiopia
ANJA JAFFA, Ethiopia, 13 November 2009 - Almaz Kare, 20, a mother of two, watches as her four-year-old daughter Masento finishes the sachet of ready-to-use-therapeutic food.
Mothers encouraged to breastfeed in aftermath of Philippines flooding
A new UNICEF report, 'Tracking Progress on Child and Maternal Nutrition', says undernutrition is a factor in a third of all deaths of children under five. Here is one in a series of related stories.
Breastfeeding encouraged for quake-affected Indonesian mothers
PADANG, Indonesia, 4 November 2009 – The stacks of formula milk in a former ballroom in the city of Padang, West Sumatra, had to be quickly removed. Though generosity motivated local companies to donate these supplies in response to the 30 September earthquake here, such donations could have proved fatal.
Vanessa Redgrave gives benefit performance to support children in Gaza and southern Israel
NEW YORK, USA, 29 October 2009 – Legendary thespian, tireless advocate for human rights and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Vanessa Redgrave gave a special benefit performance of ‘The Year of Magical Thinking’ this week in New York.
Conflict intensifies as winter closes in on displaced families in Pakistan
NEW YORK, USA, 26 October 2009 – Women and children in north-western Pakistan are once again on the move because of conflict in the region.
Funding shortfalls may threaten critical humanitarian assistance in Somalia
NEW YORK, USA, 21 October 2009 – UNICEF officials worry that funding shortfalls may threaten the humanitarian assistance activities that are urgently needed for roughly 3.6 million people in Somalia, including for 1.4 million affected by severe drought and about 1.5 million displaced primarily by conflict.
Restoring normalcy for children in aftermath of tropical storm Ondoy
PASIG CITY, Philippines, 19 October 2009 – The flood waters that still inundate much of the Philippines' capital have become black with waste and garbage, a daily reminder of tropical storm Ondoy, which struck the country on 26 September.
Tsunami-affected children head back to school in Samoa
APIA, Samoa, 12 October 2009 – UNICEF is working closely with the Samoan Government’s Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture to ensure that tsunami-affected children are able to resume their education as soon as possible.
UNICEF delivers life-saving hygiene kits in West Sumatra earthquake zone
TANJUNGSARI, Indonesia, 9 October, 2009 – Children and families in Tanjungsari, a hamlet located in the Agam District of Indonesia’s West Sumatra province, recently endured three successive – and massive – natural disasters.
UNICEF Executive Director visits flood-stricken Philippines
MANILA, Philippines, 8 October 2009 – UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman visited the Philippines yesterday to see the damage done by Tropical Storm Ondoy and subsequent massive flooding.
Cameroon trains teachers on HIV education in primary schools
NEW YORK, USA, 5 October 2009 – According to UNAIDS, some 500,000 people in Cameroon are living with HIV. To help prevent and combat the further spread of infection, the government has begun integrating HIV/AIDS education into the country’s formal primary school curriculum, making it mandatory for children from 6 to 12 years of age.
Learning provides hope amidst the rubble in quake-stricken West Sumatra
JAKARTA, Indonesia, 5 October 2009 – Less than a week ago, the children of Padang, in Indonesia's West Sumatra province, were standing amidst the devastation of an earthquake that had destroyed buildings, caused massive landslides, blocked roads and shattered the water supply. They talked to aid workers of their fears: that more shocks would hit the town, that their homes – if still standing – would fall, that their lives would forever be changed for the worse.
‘Beyond School Books’ – a podcast series on education in emergencies
NEW YORK, USA, 5 October 2009 – In some parts of the world, teaching can be a deadly profession. To commemorate World Teachers’ Day, which is being observed today, UN and UNICEF Radio moderator Amy Costello recently spoke with two experts about targeted attacks on teachers in Colombia and southern Thailand, and their devastating impact on education.
In Syria, ‘capoeira’ helps Palestinian-Iraqi children heal psycho-social wounds
AL-TANF CAMP, Syrian Arab Republic, 2 October 2009 – In al-Tanf, a refugee camp set up in the no-man's-land near the Syrian-Iraqi border, Palestinian children who have fled the conflict in Iraq participate in various activities designed to help them heal their psycho-social wounds.
Triple punch tests disaster preparedness in Asia-Pacific region
NEW YORK, 2 October 2009 – A convergence of severe natural disasters has left millions of people in distress across Asia and the Pacific this week. Since 26 September, a total of six countries have been hit by flooding, a typhoon, a tsunami and earthquakes.
In the storm-stricken Philippines, a true story of a mother’s love
MANILA, Philippines, 1 October 2009 – It was a day that would be etched forever in Lea Mariano’s memory. On 26 September, she and 90 million other Filipinos went about their day in the usual fashion: enjoying a typical Saturday with family, running errands, going to the mall or taking care of their babies.
UNICEF and partners respond to flood crisis in the Philippines
NEW YORK, USA, 5 October 2009 – More than 200 people have died, and hundreds of thousands have been displaced from their homes, due to flooding triggered by Tropical Storm Ondoy in and around metropolitan Manila in the Philippines just over a week ago. Additional flooding affected rural areas this past weekend as another storm, Parma, struck primarily in northern Luzon province.
Floods devastate Agadez region of northern Niger with lingering effects
AGADEZ, Niger, 25 September 2009 – Unprecedented rainfall has led to severe flooding in northern Niger's Agadez region in recent weeks.
Humanitarian access still limited by conflict in Yemen
NEW YORK, USA, 23 September 2009 – Humanitarian access is still limited in northern Yemen, where over 100,000 people have been displaced by fighting between government and rebel forces.
UNICEF Regional Ambassador Mahmoud Kabil visits Palestinian children at risk
JERUSALEM, 17 September 2009 – UNICEF Regional Goodwill Ambassador and Egyptian actor Mahmoud Kabil has visited the Occupied Palestinian Territory to raise awareness about the situation of marginalized Palestinian children, especially Bedouins.
Liberia’s first post-war generation starts primary school
GANTA, Liberia, 11 September 2009 – Salomie Kieah is one of many six-year-old children starting school this month in Liberia. After a final adjustment to fit her new uniform and a stop at the stationery shop to buy supplies, she is ready for her first day in primary school.
Children need urgent assistance as conflict intensifies in Yemen
NEW YORK, USA, 9 September 2009 – As the violent conflict in northern Yemen enters its second month, UNICEF has called on all parties to allow aid agencies immediate, unconditional access to civilians caught in the fighting.
UNICEF Executive Director hears stories of hope amidst conflict in eastern DR Congo
BUKAVU, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 31 August 2009 – The deep, ongoing problems facing women and children in eastern DR Congo have been highlighted during the visit by UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman.
Children and families in DR Congo face multiple crises
NEW YORK, USA, 28 August 2009 – The situation facing children and families in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo was critical enough as they faced increasing conflict and insecurity in recent years, “but at this moment the country is facing three major crises,” says UNICEF Deputy Representative in DR Congo Steven Lauwerier.
UN and UNICEF issue appeal for Yemeni families displaced by conflict
NEW YORK, USA, 2 September 2009 –UNICEF has appealed for international help for the more than 100,000 people fleeing conflict between government and rebel forces in northern Yemen.
Executive Director joins NBA star to launch new health facilities in DR Congo
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 26 August 2009 – As this country tries to recover from years of civil war and unrest, the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital (BMMH) offers hope in an impoverished Kinshasa neighbourhood.
UN report finds crisis in Somalia at its worst in two decades
NEW YORK, USA, 26 August 2009 – A new report confirms a stark picture of the situation facing children and families in Somalia, where UNICEF has been stymied in its efforts to slow a surge in malnutrition in parts of the country most affected by escalating violence.
Essential supplies being delivered to conflict-affected families in Yemen
SANA'A, Yemen, 21 August 2009 – Sa'ada – about 240 kilometres north of the capital of Sana'a – has been embroiled in conflict since 2004, but recent days have seen this escalate.
Child-friendly spaces help conflict-affected children play and learn in Georgia
LAMISKANA, Georgia, 19 August 2009 – The village of Lamiskana lies a few hundred metres from disputed territory. People here live with an ever-present tension, and many children witnessed violence during last year's conflict.
Rebuilding lives of families conflict-affected in Swat
MINGORA, Pakistan, 13 August 2009 – Taj Meena, a mother of ten, hails from a small village in the beautiful Marguzar Valley, once a popular tourist haven in the Swat District of Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province. When conflict began in April, her family, unlike thousands of others, chose to stay.
Rebuilt water and sanitation systems help heal scars of conflict in Georgia
GORI, Georgia, 3 August 2009 – Tortiza Village School near Gori still bears the scars of the 2008 conflict in and around South Ossetia, Georgia. One of the main school buildings is blackened by fire and stands in ruins.
Polio immunization drive reaches children on the move in Pakistan
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan, 31 July 2009 – Dr. Mohammed Salem walks alongside volunteers carrying small coolers filled with oral polio vaccine around the streets of Fauji Colony in Rawalpindi, Punjab Province.
Breastfeeding a crucial priority for child survival in emergencies
NEW YORK, USA, 31 July 2009 – UNICEF and the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action are commemorating World Breastfeeding Week, 1-7 August 2009, by underscoring the vital importance of breastfeeding during emergencies.
UNICEF provides a new model of health care for refugees in Syria
HUSSINAYA, Syria, 30 July 2009 – Situated only 14 km from Damascus, the Hussinaya district – home to many Iraqi refugees and other displaced people – feels a long way from the rapid development so visible elsewhere in Syria.
UNICEF rebuilds a child-friendly school in cyclone-affected Myanmar
DIDIER, Myanmar, 28 July 2009 – Aye Nandar Win enjoys attending fifth grade at the rebuilt Sinku Primary School here in cyclone-affected Didier Township. "I love this school!" she exclaimed. "I love the space, the colours, my desk – everything."
Japanese Government partners with UNICEF for ‘Thousand Classroom Project’ in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan, 17 July 2009 - Sonia is one of the 2,800 students at the Soraya Girls’ High School located in the Karta-i-Char area of Kabul. Just 13 years old, she has already decided on a career.
Children from conflict hit areas in Pakistan urgently need life-saving health services
TAKKAR, Mardan District, Pakistan, 16 July 2009 – It is sweltering and overcrowded in the Government Higher Secondary School in Takkar, which is now home to 106 displaced families from conflict-hit areas of Swat and Buner districts in north-west Pakistan.
New UNICEF kit meets developmental needs of young children in emergencies
NEW YORK, USA, 15 July 2009 – Building on the success of its School in a Box kits for education in situations of conflict or natural disaster, UNICEF today launched a new product designed for children under the age of six living in emergency or post-crisis environments.
Dutch delegation commended for aiding education in crisis and post-crisis situations
NEW YORK, USA 9 July 2009 – Representatives of UNICEF and the Dutch Government met at UNICEF House yesterday to review progress achieved under the Education in Emergencies and Post-Crisis Transition Programme funded by the Netherlands.
Aid reaches some displaced families as fighting continues in Mogadishu
MOGADISHU, Somalia, 9 July 2009 – As battles between government forces and armed groups continue to rock Mogadishu, more families are being driven out of their homes in search of safety every day. Over 200,000 of the city's residents have been displaced since a new round of intense fighting erupted at the beginning of May.
Influx of refugees creates silent emergency in eastern Cameroon
DHAHONG, Cameroon, 6 July 2009 – On the surface, the refugee situation in eastern Cameroon looks like a success, but it is also one of immense chaos. Since 2002, over 60,000 refugees from the neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR) have been integrated into host communities here.
‘Beyond School Books’ – a podcast series on education in emergencies
NEW YORK, USA, 1 July 2009 – After participating in the Second Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction – held in Geneva in mid-June – UNICEF Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist Antony Spalton and Rhee, a 16-year-old boy from the Philippines, spoke with UNICEF Radio’s Amy Costello about the role of children in protecting their communities from natural disasters.
‘The Youth Times’ newspaper speaks volumes for Palestinian teenagers
NEW YORK, USA, 25 June 2009 – Although much of the news from the Occupied Palestinian Territory is focused on violence and conflict, there is different, yet just as important, reporting happening on the ground in the region – reporting from a distinctly youth perspective.
Coming to terms with grief in Nablus: ‘Fatima helped me’
NABLUS, Occupied Palestinian Territory, 9 June 2009 – Several times a month, Fatima Alshopy navigates the narrow streets of the Number One Refugee Camp in the West Bank city of Nablus to visit Maha Qatouny, a mother of three who recently suffered a terrible loss.
Reaching out to families torn apart by fighting in Pakistan
NOWSHERA, Pakistan, 5 June 2009 – Three weeks ago, Hanifa and her four children fled their home in Mingora, in the Swat valley in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan, where fighting has intensified heavily over the past month.
UNICEF and ECHO prepare for a new storm season in Haiti
NEW YORK, USA, 4 June 2009 – This year’s Atlantic storm season began on Monday and many forecasters are expecting that it will not be as intense as last year, which saw 16 tropical storms and eight hurricanes.
Cholera cases in Zimbabwe near 100,000 as 'Twin Disaster' continues
HARARE, Zimbabwe, 3 June 2009 – Zimbabweans continue to suffer through the worst cholera outbreak in Africa in fifteen years. According to a new report by the Red Cross, nearly 100,000 cases of cholera have been reported throughout the country, and over four thousand people have died.
Rebuilding stronger schools for earthquake survivors in Rwanda
KIGALI, Rwanda, 2 June 2009 – The day began like any other quiet Sunday in the western province of Rwanda. Lake Kivu glimmered in the sun and the hills surrounding it were green and filled with life.
Pakistan reels as global financial crises hits poor families hard
KARACHI, Pakistan, 29 May 2009 – As she places a chronically malnourished child on a weighing scale in the hospital ward she runs, Dr. Noreen Anwar has no doubt that the economic crisis that started in far-off lands is now having a direct and devastating effect on her most fragile patients.
‘We were scared’: As supplies arrive, children try to cope with conflict in Pakistan
NORTH-WEST FRONTIER PROVINCE, Pakistan, 29 May 2009 – The girls in the tent hosting first-grade students at the Yar Hussain displacement camp were reciting the day’s lessons. Amidst the group of six- and seven-year-olds sat Habiba Rojan, who looks much older than the others but does not know her age because she was not registered at birth. She thinks she is 12.
UNICEF Regional Director assesses situation on the ground in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan, 27 May 2009 – UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia Dan Toole concluded a four-day visit to Afghanistan last week, assessing the situation on the ground.
UNICEF Regional Director meets children and families displaced by conflict in Pakistan
JALALA CAMP, Pakistan, 26 May 2009 – The hot summer sun beat down as UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia Dan Toole walked around Jalala camp. Mr Toole was here last week to see how UNICEF is supporting those affected by the biggest population displacement in Pakistan's history.
UNICEF supports psychosocial relief in child-friendly safe spaces
NEW YORK, USA, 18 May 2009 – Worldwide, an estimated 18 million children are currently displaced by armed conflict and natural disasters. As soon as immediate health and safety concerns have been attended to, emergency situations require a special level of care for emotionally distressed children.
Burundi’s last child soldiers homeward bound toward a new life
GITEGA, Burundi, 15 May 2009 – This week, 136 former child soldiers separated from Burundi’s last rebel group, the Forces Nationales de la Libération (FNL), left the Gitega Transit Centre to rejoin their respective families in Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rural, Bubanza and Gitega.
Beyond School Books – a podcast series on education in emergencies
NEW YORK, USA, 15 May 2009 – Last year in Afghanistan there were nearly 300 documented attacks on schools, killing 92 people and injuring 169. In Pakistan, 172 government and private schools, particularly girls' schools, have been destroyed in the Swat Valley district since 2007.
UNICEF and ECHO help victims of election violence rebuild their lives in Kenya
ELDORET, Kenya, 14 May 2009 – Grace Githinji has a small garden in Eldoret, in central Kenya, where she grows cabbages, kale and corn. This is the region that produces most of Kenya’s food, and her crops are thriving in the rich red soil.
A catastrophe for Sri Lankan children trapped in northern conflict zone
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, 13 May 2009 – Engulfed by gunfire, Tharshini, her husband and their two-week-old baby daughter, Anandi, plunged into the lagoon. Caught amid intense fighting between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and government troops, the new parents were making a desperate bid to escape the conflict zone.
One year after China earthquake, schools bring hope and opportunity
XIHE, China, 11 May 2009 – Well before dawn, sixth-grader Yang Mei, along with her younger brother Yang Zhen and sister Yang Yamei, leave their home in rural Gansu province for school.
Aid for children and families displaced by fighting in Pakistan’s Swat Valley
JALALA CAMP, Pakistan, 11 May 2009 – Kiyanet, a 10-year-old girl, walked with determination among groups of men waiting for aid distribution. Nearby, newly arrived families, sweaty and covered in dust, tried to register at this camp for the displaced in north-west Pakistan’s Mardan district.
Safe spaces help children deal with aftermath of China’s 2008 earthquake
FEISHUI, China, 5 May 2009 – Tang Xiaoping used to own one of the most popular private kindergartens in Feishui, a small township in Anxian, part of southwest China’s Sichuan Province. She had thought she would spend the rest of her life doing just that.
Education for All Week: Gaza’s students struggle to return to damaged schools
NEW YORK, USA, 29 April 2009 – While the world celebrates Global Action Week 2009 with a focus on education for all, the children of the Gaza Strip are still struggling to return to school in the aftermath of the conflict that ended there in January.
Crisis for children in Sri Lanka: Over 100,000 flee fighting, thousands more trapped
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, 23 April 2009 – On any random morning, most 11-year-old Sri Lankan children are seated safely behind their school desks. In a nation that prides itself on being the regional leader in education, these students in their pristine uniforms listen attentively before the school bell says it's lunchtime. The clanging old bells are the loudest interruption of any school day.
UNICEF ‘builds back better’ to improve water supply in China quake zone
CAOCHUAN, China, 20 April 2009 – It was a chilly morning in early March, and Gou Xiumian, carrying a plastic bucket, walked to the water point in her courtyard and turned the tap.
Beyond School Books – a podcast series on education in emergencies
NEW YORK, USA, 16 April 2009 – The UN General Assembly last month hosted a thematic debate on access to education in crisis and post-crisis situations. Experts from the development community were on hand to press for outcomes benefiting children who are suffering in emergencies that deny them their right to an education.
Bakhit’s story: Working to protect children from unexploded mines in Chad
N’DJAMENA, Chad, 6 April 2009 – All it took was a simple moment of curiosity to tragically change a young Chadian boy’s life forever. The incident occurred in January 2008, when Bakhit, 7, was playing with his friends and happened upon an unexploded landmine.
International Day for Mine Awareness: Clearing the legacies of war from Afghanistan's soil
NEW YORK, USA, 3 April 2009 – The world's first humanitarian mine-action program began in Afghanistan two decades ago, but the country remains dangerously contaminated.
Life skills training gives young Palestinian refugees new hope
DAMASCUS, Syrian Arab Republic, 26 March 2009 – In the refugee camps of Syria, life for Palestinian adolescents is challenging. Although better off than many in the region—with civil rights almost equal to those of Syrian citizens—poverty, violence and alcoholism are common. Adolescents often lack opportunities to develop important skills relevant to life outside of the camps.
Children create giant mural to mark World Water Day in Laos
VIENTIANE, Laos, 25 March 2009 – As part of international celebrations for World Water Day 2009, Laotian school children joined forces to create a huge mural.
Education in emergencies discussed at UN high-level thematic debate
NEW YORK, USA, 18 March 2009 – The United Nations General Assembly hosted a thematic debate on education in emergencies today, with participation by representatives of Member States, academia and civil society, as well as UN experts, teachers and students.
Hundreds of children reported killed, more injured, in Sri Lankan violence
NEW YORK, USA, 18 March 2009 – In a statement issued yesterday, UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman expressed alarm at the high number of children affected by continuing violence in the northern area of Sri Lanka known as the Vanni.
Beyond School Books - a podcast series on education in emergencies
NEW YORK, USA, 17 March 2009 – The recent Gaza conflict left about 1,000 Palestinian civilians dead and many more injured. Children, who make up more than half of Gaza’s population, have born the brunt of the conflict and its aftermath.
Amid last year’s destruction, Haiti braces for another hurricane season
GONAÏVES, Haiti, 16 March 2009 – As Haiti braces for another hurricane season, UNICEF Representative in Haiti Annamaria Laurini recently surveyed Gonaïves, the country’s third largest city, to evaluate its emergency preparedness. She was accompanied on the visit by UNICEF Emergency Operations Chief Lucia Elmi.
Death in Dungu: Rebel violence escalates in north-eastern DR Congo
NEW YORK, USA, 13 March 2009 – The Ugandan rebel group, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), has killed more than 900 people in the north-eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo since December of last year. Hundreds of children have been abducted and tens of thousands of Congolese have been displaced by the fighting.
Executive Director calls for stronger protection for Palestinian and Israeli children
JERUSALEM, 9 March 2009 – UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman concluded a four-day visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel on Saturday with a call for stronger action to protect children.
UN agencies express concern over humanitarian aid crisis in Sudan
NEW YORK, USA, 9 March 2009 – UNICEF and several other UN agencies have expressed deep concern about the Sudanese Government’s recent suspension of the activities of 16 non-governmental aid organizations.
'Girl Power' reception outlines plans for UN task force on adolescent girls
NEW YORK, USA, 6 March 2009 – Leaders from seven international organizations converged for a 'Girl Power and Potential' reception this week in New York. The event featured a panel of speakers outlining the strategies and goals of the United Nations Interagency Task Force on Adolescent Girls.
UNICEF Director of Emergency Programmes visits projects in Somalia
NAIROBI, Kenya, 4 March 2009 – UNICEF Director of Emergency Programmes Louis-Georges Arsenault has returned from a visit to Somalia, where he saw firsthand the situation of children and women, and efforts to provide them with life-saving aid and critical services.
Deputy Executive Director calls for release of all child soldiers in DR Congo
NEW YORK, USA, 3 March 2009 – UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Hilde F. Johnson has urged armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to release all children associated with the conflict.
In South Africa, few comforts await children fleeing Zimbabwe
MUSINA, South Africa, 2 March 2009 – Gift Dube (not his real name) was 11 when his father abandoned the family and his mother died. Six years later, he is still on his own in the South African border town of Musina, where thousands of Zimbabweans have joined him as economic crises and a cholera outbreak force a massive migration from their country.
Campaign fights infectious diseases in the wake of Gaza's long crisis
EAST JERUSALEM, 25 February 2009 – A fragile peace is holding in Gaza since hostilities ended last month. But damage to vital infrastructure is widespread, and primary health care services have been reduced by 90 per cent.
Children trapped in Sri Lanka’s conflict
VANNI, Sri Lanka, 23 February 2009 – Sennappu had a split second, a moment, literally a heartbeat to throw her body around her 18-month-old daughter before the bomb landed. Her reactions were enough time to save the life of her baby girl. Sennappu was killed instantly.
UNICEF Chad aids families fleeing violence in the Central African Republic
DAHA, Chad, 18 February 2009 – Musa sits quietly on a mat under a small grass shelter, and the bewilderment in his eyes is palpable. The four-year-old has recently arrived in Daha, a small village in a remote part of south-eastern Chad near the border with the Central African Republic (CAR).
Regional Goodwill Ambassador Mahmoud Kabil lends support to hospital serving Gaza
GAZA STRIP, Occupied Palestinian Territory, 17 February 2009 – Egyptian actor and UNICEF Regional Goodwill Ambassador for the Middle East and North Africa Mahmoud Kabil paid a special visit last week to El-Arish hospital in Egypt, near the Rafah border crossing to Gaza.
On 'Red Hand Day', children call for an end to their forced use in conflict
NEW YORK, USA, 13 February 2009 – Children from 101 countries have appealed to international leaders to take stronger action to end the use of child soldiers.
US tour to raise awareness of V-Day/UNICEF campaign against rape in DR Congo
NEW YORK, USA, 12 February 2009 – On the eve of a five-city US speaking tour designed to raise awareness about the effect of sexual violence on the women of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, activist Eve Ensler warned yesterday that western consumption of DR Congo's resources has "consequences ... on the bodies of women."
Child-friendly spaces bring hope to Iraqi refugee children in Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria, 10 February 2009 – With as many as 1.5 million Iraqi refugees in Syria, it is a struggle to provide basic necessities for people who have left everything behind in their war-torn country. In this setting, the special needs of children can be overlooked.
Back to school in Gaza, children welcome chance to resume normal lives
NEW YORK, 26 January 2009 – With the return of hundreds of thousands of children to school in Gaza, UNICEF is providing essential educational equipment and materials to reinstate learning and recreational activities, create safe environments and help restore a sense of normalcy for children in Gaza.
Cyclone Fanele hits Madagascar and stalls existing reconstruction work
MENABE REGION, Madagascar, 28 January 2009 – The southern part of Madagascar has been brutally affected by Cyclone Fanele, which hit the island in the early hours of 21 January. A recent World Health Organization assessment notes that over 20,500 people have been affected by Fanele and Tropical Storm Eric, which arrived on the 19th.
2009 Humanitarian Action Report launched today in Geneva
NEW YORK, USA, 26 January 2009 – The 2009 Humanitarian Action Report (HAR) was launched today in Geneva by UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman and Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Sigrid Kaag. This year’s HAR highlights the plight of children and women in humanitarian emergencies in a total of 36 countries and territories, including Zimbabwe, the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Myanmar.
UNICEF rehabilitating learning centres for adolescents in Gaza
JERUSALEM, 23 January 2009 – The recent and extreme levels of conflict in Gaza have affected the lives of some 800,000 children and young people. Many have lost their schools, health facilities, play areas and even neighbourhoods, which have been destroyed in the violence.
Displaced families in Gaza face public health crisis
NEW YORK, USA, 23 January 2009 – While the fighting in Gaza has stopped, tens of thousands of Palestinians remain in United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRAW) emergency shelters. Thousands of others who fled their homes remain with friends or relatives.
‘Everything is destroyed’: Siblings describe destruction of their school in Gaza
NEW YORK, USA, 22 January 2009 – When Gaza’s schools reopen in the coming days, Maram, 12, does not know where she’ll go. “I want to see what happened to my school,” she said in a telephone interview with UNICEF Radio. “I saw pictures of it – It was very, very destroyed.”
Migrants face humanitarian crisis on South Africa’s border with Zimbabwe
MUSINA, South Africa, 22 January 2009 – A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the South African border town of Musina. Historically the transit point for migrants seeking work in the country’s larger cities, it has now become the entry point for many desperate Zimbabweans fleeing the economic and social collapse in their country.
As early recovery work begins, the toll of conflict on Gaza’s children is clear
NEW YORK, USA, 21 January 2009 – Amira, 15, is a survivor. After her two siblings and father were killed during the conflict in the Gaza Strip, she crawled from her family’s home and was found three days later in a neighbour’s house.
Ceasefire holds in Gaza: ‘It’s a hopeful day’
NEW YORK, 19 January 2009 – UNICEF is moving swiftly to deliver supplies and support to children after a ceasefire was declared on Saturday following three weeks of conflict.
Fighting halts in Gaza but humanitarian challenges remain
NEW YORK, USA, 18 January 2009 – UNICEF emergency supplies are ready to go into the Gaza Strip now that a ceasefire has been declared.
Executive Director visits Zimbabwe, with new support for health workers fighting cholera
HARARE, Zimbabwe, 17 January 2009 – UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman, has announced a $5 million incentive package aimed at rescuing the ailing Zimbabwean health sector. Speaking at the end of her two-day visit to Zimbabwe, Veneman highlighted the need for major stakeholders to put children at the forefront of their collective agenda.
As infrastructure collapses, UNICEF supplies water for shelters in Gaza
NEW YORK, USA, 16 January 2009 – After 20 days of military operations in the Gaza Strip, the humanitarian situation there has deteriorated to new levels of desperation.
‘We didn’t sleep at all’ – Gaza aid worker evacuates home
NEW YORK, USA, 16 January 2009 – Shelling and bombing continue in the Gaza Strip, impeding movement into and within the territory and further damaging infrastructure and public utilities.
‘We cannot wait’ – Gaza aid worker’s wife about to give birth amidst crisis
NEW YORK, USA, 14 January 2009 – The conflict in the Gaza Strip holds special terror for Sajy, one of 10 UNICEF staff members who have persevered in the territory throughout the current crisis. His wife is due to give birth any day.
Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 14 January 2009 - "Over 300 children have been killed and more than 1,500 wounded, since the beginning of the Gaza crisis on 27 December, 2008.
UNICEF Project Officer and mother of three copes with Gaza crisis
NEW YORK, USA, 12 January 2009 – UNICEF has 10,000 staff working around the world in a wide range of environments, including conflicts such as the one now under way in the Gaza Strip. Ten stalwart UNICEF staff members have remained in Gaza throughout the current crisis there, working under very difficult and dangerous conditions in an effort to bring some relief to children in need.
‘I wish the war would end’ – Gaza’s children pay psychological cost of conflict
NEW YORK, USA, 12 January 2009 – The children of Gaza have three hours a day in which it’s safe, at least in theory, to go out. The humanitarian ceasefire does not always hold, but it provides a measure of relief for those who need to find food and water, or try and retrieve possessions from their former homes.
UNICEF delivers emergency supplies for children and families in Gaza
NEW YORK, USA, 11 January 2009 – As the conflict in the Gaza Strip escalates into deeper ground incursions, UNICEF is appealing for $16 million in new funding to provide families and children with emergency supplies.
UNICEF staff perseveres under difficult and dangerous conditions in Gaza
NEW YORK, USA, 10 January 2009 – UNICEF has 10,000 staff working around the world in a wide range of environments, including conflicts such as the one now under way in the Gaza Strip. Ten stalwart UNICEF staff members have remained in Gaza throughout the two-week crisis there, working under very difficult and dangerous conditions in an effort to bring some relief to children in need.
Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman regarding the humanitarian operation in Gaza
NEW YORK, USA, 8 January 2009 – "UNICEF is deeply concerned that the ongoing violence has forced UNRWA to suspend its humanitarian operation in Gaza. This can only deepen an already critical humanitarian situation and put children at even greater risk of death or permanent damage. The distribution of food, water, fuel and medicine should not be impeded."
UNICEF mobilizes emergency supplies for children at risk in Gaza
AMMAN, Jordan, 11 January 2009 – As the conflict in the Gaza Strip continues in its third week, UNICEF teams are working to ensure that critical supplies are ready to reach women and children at risk.
As UN aid operations are suspended, a Gaza teenager describes life amidst conflict
NEW YORK, USA, 8 January 2009 – As fighting in the Gaza Strip continued into its 13th day today, UN humanitarian assistance in the territory was suspended for an indefinite period because of the danger facing aid workers there.
Some aid distributed to Palestinian families amidst ongoing crisis in Gaza
NEW YORK, USA, 7 January 2009 – As fighting in Gaza continued into its 12th day today, a three-hour ceasefire allowed for the limited movement of humanitarian aid within the territory. UNICEF was able to distribute some supplies, including family water kits and health kits, to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict.
Life in the midst of Gaza conflict, through the eyes of a Palestinian teenager
NEW YORK, USA, 5 January 2009 – Ten days of aerial bombing on Gaza has caused extensive devastation throughout the territory and is threatening the health and welfare of many children. Most of Gaza is without electricity, and the situation is turning into a massive humanitarian crisis.
UNICEF appeals for help as asylum-seekers flee Zimbabwe for South Africa
MUSINA BORDER, South Africa, 5 January 2008 – Women and children sit on a patch of grass under one of a few leafy trees that lessen the heat from the harsh midday sun. They are among the most recent asylum-seekers who are flooding across the border from Zimbabwe.
UNICEF’s Eminent Advocate, Queen Rania, speaks out on Gaza crisis
AMMAN, Jordan, 5 January 2009 – At a UNICEF-organized press conference here this morning, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah made an urgent plea on behalf of all the civilians living in Gaza – especially children – for a “humanitarian ceasefire” and for the international community to do all it can to help alleviate the suffering.
Nigel's Story: The tragedy of Zimbabwe's cholera outbreak
HARARE, Zimbabwe, 19 December 2008 – Deep grief is evident in Nigel Chigudu's eyes. In a tortured voice, he slowly recounts the harrowing tragedy that saw him lose five siblings in five hours to the cholera epidemic that has been sweeping across Zimbabwe.
Flooding in Colombia brings destruction and disease
PUERTO CASABE, Colombia, 17 December 2008 – In Puerto Casabe there are 60 families, 98 children, 100 adults and a lot of water. Every year, the majestic Magdalena river floods their wood and brick homes.
Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow witnesses devastation and emergency relief in North Kivu
NORTH KIVU, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 12 December 2008 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow is visiting conflict-affected North Kivu, on a three-day mission to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Afghanistan struggles with a food crisis in the harshest of seasons
BAMYAN, Afghanistan, 9 December 2008 – For the people of Afghanistan, it’s fast becoming one crisis too many. Already wrecked by war and insurgency, they are now battling a new force – a food crisis in the harshest of seasons.
Widespread collapse of social services creates 'twin disaster' in Zimbabwe
HARARE, Zimbabwe, 5 December 2008 – After a widespread breakdown in social services, the Government of Zimbabwe declared a national cholera crisis on Wednesday. The country’s health sector has collapsed and hospitals are closing, creating a ‘twin national disaster’.
Villagers still struggling to rebuild lives after devastating Bihar floods
MADHUBANI, India, 24 November 2008 – Dinesh Mandal knew he had to get his family to higher ground when the Kosi River rose over it’s banks and surged towards his village. He tried desperately to lift his 10-year-old daughter, Rekha, up onto an elevated railroad track, but he lost his grip and she was swept away in the raging flood waters.
Thousands of schools closed in eastern DR Congo
NEW YORK, USA, 21 November 2008 – Fighting in the North Kivu province of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has caused massive disruptions in schooling for hundreds of thousands of children. Throughout the province, thousands of schools are closed. Many schools are now occupied by displaced people.
UN launches largest-ever humanitarian appeal for 2009
NEW YORK, USA, 19 November 2008 – Donors, civil society groups and non-governmental organizations gathered in Geneva today for the launch of the UN’s 2009 Consolidated Appeal, or CAP, for humanitarian aid.
A day on the ground in crisis-stricken North Kivu, DR Congo
KIBATI CAMP, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 18 November 2008 – In the last two weeks, well over 100,000 people have fled their homes due to fighting and insecurity in eastern DR Congo. Over 35,000 are on the move as I write. In the last two and a half months, around 250,000 people have fled their homes. Some 1.1 million people in North Kivu – or 20 per cent of the province’s population – are now in displacement.
Children abducted by armed groups in eastern DR Congo
NEW YORK, USA, 14 November 2008 – Continued fighting in North Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, is placing children at risk of abuse and exploitation by armed groups, according to UNICEF representatives in Goma.
UNICEF condemns attacks on schools in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan, 14 November 2008 – UNICEF has condemned the increasing number of attacks on schools and students in Afghanistan. A recent acid attack on 15 female students walking to school in the southern city of Kandahar blinded two of the girls and injured two others.
Aid flights arrive in DR Congo, but insecurity persists
NEW YORK, USA, 11 November 2008 – Insecurity persists in the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where more than 250,000 people have been forced from their homes in the last two months alone, due to fighting between the army and a rebel group.
Fighting resumes in DR Congo as displaced civilians languish
NEW YORK, USA, 7 November 2008 – A fragile ceasefire is falling apart in North Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, further deepening an already catastrophic humanitarian situation. Over the last two days, fighting between rebels and government troops and their allies has forced thousands more to flee.
Tens of thousands displaced by flooding after a rare tropical storm hits Yemen
NEW YORK, USA, 5 November 2008 – Up to 300,000 people have been affected by flooding in Yemen following a rare tropical storm there.
UNICEF and ECHO distribute health supplies to cyclone-affected Malagasy families
BESALAMPY, Madagascar, 4 November 2008 – Local health authorities recently distributed mosquito nets and essential medicines free of charge to cyclone-affected families here. The distribution was part of UNICEF’s partnership with the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) and the Malagasy Government.
Six months on, Myanmar marks progress in recovery from Cyclone Nargis
NEW YORK, USA, 4 November 2008 – In early May of this year, hundreds of thousands of people in south-western Myanmar’s Irrawaddy Delta were forced from their homes by Cyclone Nargis. Today, six months on, emergency relief efforts are on track, but more support is needed to ensure long-term recovery for cyclone-affected children and their families.
Continued insecurity hinders aid to displaced families in DR Congo
NEW YORK, USA, 6 November 2008 – Continued violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is seriously hampering humanitarian agencies from reaching more than 1 million displaced people in the region.
Sabnan’s story: Support for the most vulnerable in Pakistan quake aftermath
BALOCHISTAN, Pakistan, 31 October 2008 – Sabnan Guldin, 3, is trying to bite an apple but suddenly looks up in fear as strangers enter the family compound. He is sitting on a mat in an area cleared of rubble where his family's home collapsed in the earthquake that struck Balochistan province, south-western Pakistan, on 29 October.
In Balochistan province, Pakistan, quake leaves children vulnerable
BALOCHISTAN, Pakistan, 5 November 2008 – The death toll from a 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the south-western province of Balochistan, Pakistan, on 29 October stands at more 200. The quake has affected about 108,000 people; 50 per cent of them are children, and some 19,000 are under five years of age.
As severe floods engulf Central America, children are some of the worst affected
NEW YORK, USA, 29 October 2008 – Severe flooding caused by heavy rains during the past two weeks continues to engulf Central America, leaving dozens of people dead and affecting 410,000 – 70 per cent of them in Honduras.
‘Beyond School Books’ – a podcast series on education in emergencies
NEW YORK, USA, 28 October 2008 – High-level talks about progress towards the Millennium Development Goals took place last month during the United Nations General Assembly. Special attention was paid to commitments and progress in some of the poorest African nations, particularly in the area of education.
In Georgia, help for disabled children affected by conflict
GENEVA, Switzerland, 17 October 2008 – For a moment during the recent war in and around South Ossetia, Georgia, the front line nearly passed through the Senaki Institute, a residential school for 105 mentally and physically disabled children abandoned by their parents. In the opening days of the conflict, a bomb flattened an adjacent building.
As cold weather nears, UNICEF and partners shelter Kyrgyzstan earthquake survivors
NEW YORK, USA, 10 October 2008 – Five days after a 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck the town of Nura in the Alai Rayon region of southern Kyrgyzstan, UNICEF, its partners and the Ministry of Emergency Situations are working around the clock to provide relief to quake victims.
Children bear the brunt of earthquake in Kyrgyzstan
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, 7 October 2008 – Hundreds of children and their families have been left homeless and need urgent assistance following the severe earthquake that struck eastern Kyrgyzstan on 5 October.
Disaster preparedness for schools in the Philippines
ALBAY PROVINCE, Philippines, 7 October 2008 – At Banadero Elementary School, the clanging of the alarm bell echoes around the schoolyard. Children file out of their classrooms in orderly columns to pre-arranged assembly points. All the pupils, even the youngest, have the calm composure that comes from practice, because they have been through this drill before.
In from the cold: Sheltering Tajik children from disaster with early childhood care
ISFARA, Tajikistan, 7 October 2008 – Almost a year ago, Nargis Juraeva began the winter of 2007 happily. She gave birth to twin sons Hasan and Hussein last November, doubling the number of her children from two to four. But her newfound joy soon turned to anxiety.
Preventing a water crisis in a camp for the displaced in Georgia
GENEVA, Switzerland, 3 October 2008 – The rumours began shortly after the conflict in and around South Ossetia, Georgia, ended in early September. The water in the Gori camp wasn't safe, they said. The enemy was poisoning the water supply. Children were getting sick.
Haiti’s flood-damaged schools struggle to reopen
GONAIVES, Haiti, 3 October 2008 – Venette and her sister arrived at their school around mid-morning. They were handed a shovel. Then they joined a crew of mud-splattered men and waded into what used to be their cafeteria.
After the storms: Field diary from flood-stricken Gonaïves, Haiti
GONAÏVES, Haiti, 25 September 2008 – I have worked in Latin America and the Caribbean from 1994 to 2000 and have visited Haiti several times during that period. As I landed in Port au Prince this time around, I saw that after more than eight years the situation of poverty and despair has not changed much. Misery can be seen everywhere. Children are begging and women are trying, mostly unsuccessfully, to sell some homemade products.
Classrooms in Syria crowded with Iraqi children whose families have fled conflict
DAMASCUS, Syria, 25 September 2008 – It is the beginning of the new school year in Syria, but a majority of the students are not Syrian. They are Iraqis whose families have fled conflict. When the lives of children like these are turned upside down, going to school can provide the stability they need.
UNICEF Nepal support helps maintain sanitation and hygiene at relief camps
MADHUBAN VILLAGE, Nepal, 24 September 2008 – One day earlier this month, Lalita Kumari Sah, 6, returned with a jar of potable water to the makeshift camp where her family resides. Their house was inundated when the Saptakoshi River burst its banks in August, flooding great swathes of the Nepali and Indian countryside.
For Peace Day, Afghan children get a chance to be immunized
NANGAHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, 22 September 2008 – Afghan and international forces, including the Taliban, have been asked to lay down their weapons in support of the biggest Peace Day that Afghanistan has ever experienced.
Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow urges tsunami-like response in Haiti’s disaster zones
GONAÏVES, Haiti, 22 September 2008 – Looking down from helicopter at the devastation wrought by a month of hurricanes and catastrophic flooding, actress Mia Farrow made an immediate comparison.
Frontline diary: UNICEF doctor’s harrowing tale of survival amidst Bihar floods
BIHAR, India, 9 September 2008 – My mind was spinning with questions as I left Delhi and set off for Bihar: How can a river that is the source of life become the source of such misery and destruction, savagely disrupting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people? The people of this state are far too familiar with misery; even without a disaster, 40 per cent of children under five were already malnourished. How were they going to cope now?
UN schools in Syria serve thousands of Palestinian refugees
DAMASCUS, Syria, 2008 – Palestinian children residing in Husseiniyeh camp here are suffering from overcrowded classrooms and double-shift schools. Faced with staggering challenges outside the classroom, children are now in danger of losing their right to a quality education.
Delivering life-saving aid to hurricane-affected children and families in Haiti
GONAÏVES, Haiti, 17 September 2008 – Fernando Thermidor has the look of a toddler who is all cried out as he buries his tear-stained face in his mother’s shoulder.
‘Beyond School Books’ – a podcast series on education in emergencies
NEW YORK, USA, 15 September 2008 – The ongoing conflict in Iraq continues to have a devastating impact on children and schools there. Insecurity and violence have forced teachers to flee, kept students at home and, in some cases, closed schools completely.
Cuban schools devastated by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike
HAVANA, Cuba, 12 September 2008 – Two powerful hurricanes, Gustav and Ike, have pummelled the island of Cuba in the last nine days with high winds and torrential rains that left a broad path of destruction.
Displaced mothers and their children get help at UNICEF-supported breastfeeding centre
GENEVA, Switzerland, 11 September 2008 – In a classroom in a public school in Tbilisi, mothers held their newborn infants and shared stories of their flight from last month’s fighting in and around South Ossetia, Georgia. A week after their displacement from the region around Gori, only two of these new mothers had been able to resume breastfeeding.
UNICEF supplies begin to arrive in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike
NEW YORK, USA, 8 September 2008 – As the fourth major storm in less than a month barrels through the Caribbean, governments and aid groups are struggling to provide support to hundreds of thousands of people affected by high winds and massive flooding.
After floods in Laos, safe water is a priority for families
VIENTIANE, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 8 September 2008 – In the nine years that he’s been director of the Sendin Village primary school, Sengtun Vongsay has had more than one opportunity to reflect on the destructive force of the nearby Nam Ngum River.
Storms batter the Caribbean, displacing thousands of children and their families
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, 5 September 2008 – Over 200 people are dead and nearly 600,000 urgently need help after a series of storms that have battered Haiti over the past three weeks, according to UN officials. And there may be more storms to come.
UNICEF sets up centres for families who fled conflict in and around South Ossetia
GENEVA, Switzerland, 5 September 2008 – When the conflict broke out last month in and around South Ossetia, Georgia, Solomon Surameli, a 10-year-old living in the frontline village of Brotsleti, fled south with his parents.
Hurricane Gustav leaves behind a path of destruction in Cuba
HAVANA, Cuba, 5 September 2008 – Hurricane Gustav, one of the most devastating hurricanes to strike Cuba in 50 years, hit the island hard overnight on 30-31 August.
Women and children are the worst-affected by flooding in Bihar
ARARIA, India, 3 September 2008 – Zafeda Khatum has just lost her newborn baby son to the icy waters of the Kosi River. The 18-year-old maintains a stoic silence even as her family members clamour around to explain how she lost her infant.
Flooding in Nepal leaves women and children vulnerable
SUNSARI, Nepal, 2 September 2008 – In better times, the classroom in the Sunsari district of southern Nepal would be filled with young students. Today, it is occupied by 10 families – a total of about 80 people – seeking refuge after the Saptakoshi River flooded and washed away everything they had.
Two families face the future – in Tbilisi, Georgia, and North Ossetia, Russian Federation
GENEVA, Switzerland, 28 August 2008 – From the same conflict in and around South Ossetia, Georgia, these are the stories of two families: two stories, two temporary shelters in different places, but one very uncertain future.
Food interventions are crucial as Somalia faces ‘worst-case scenario’
BOSSASO, Somalia, 21 August 2008 – Malnutrition is the one of the biggest challenges facing Somali children today, and according to an upcoming UN report, it could be getting worse.
‘Bee’ system prototypes represent the future of connectivity in emergencies
NEW YORK, USA, 20 August 2008 – UNICEF has successfully tested the first two prototypes of the ‘Bee’, a mobile communication system developed by the Division of Communication. The Bee will allow communication, connectivity and data access in field conditions where such technologies are often difficult or impossible to use.
Conflict in Georgia: Thousands of children displaced and vulnerable
GENEVA, Switzerland, 19 August 2008 – Children of different ages played in the yard of a Tbilisi kindergarten. More than 24 hours had passed since they left the conflict zone around South Ossetia, and some of them were still afraid to enter the building.
UNICEF responds to urgent needs of children and women in Georgia and Russia
NEW YORK, USA, 15 August 2008 – UNICEF remains deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of civilians affected by the hostilities in and around South Ossetia, Georgia. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 100,000 people, many of them children and women, have been displaced as a result of the fighting. Many others have reportedly been killed or wounded.
UNICEF continues relief efforts for Myanmar cyclone victims
YANGON, Myanmar, 12 August 2008 – UNICEF Myanmar has pledged to continue relief works until the lives of cyclone-affected families are fully restored.
UNICEF to set up ‘child-friendly spaces’ in the Sichuan earthquake zone
BEIJING, China, 11 August 2008 - UNICEF will work with the government of China to set up 30 centres for the long-term psychological recovery of children and families affected by the 12 May earthquake. To that end, intensive training and basic facilities are being provided to local partners and social workers.
UNICEF Hong Kong Ambassadors show support for children in quake-affected Sichuan
BEIJING, China, 31 July 2008 – Three top celebrities who are also Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF Ambassadors visited earthquake-affected Southwest China’s Sichuan province recently.
Project aims to ensure education for child labourers in drought-affected Ethiopia
AWASSA, Ethiopia, 28 July 2008 – In the districts around Awassa, it is becoming increasingly difficult to earn a livelihood. As the population has grown, the size of available plots of land has diminished. And now drought, along with rising food prices, has exacerbated an already desperate situation.
UNICEF Executive Director pays first visit to Madagascar to see cyclone recovery
ANALANJIROFO, Madagascar, 28 July 2008 – Ann M. Veneman, on the first-ever visit by a UNICEF Executive Director to Madagascar, spent Sunday in Analanjirofo, the region hardest hit by Cyclone Ivan earlier this year.
Organized ‘recreation days’ relieve stress for children in Gaza
GAZA, Occupied Palestinian Territory, 25 July 2008 – Every day, children and adolescents throughout the Gaza Strip suffer from the disruption of basic services and deteriorating living standards. The children of Shoka, a small Bedouin area bordering with Israel, are no exception.
UNICEF’s child-friendly spaces use movement and dance to help children heal
NEW YORK, USA, 21 July 2008 – The tragedies of war and natural disasters leave children struggling to cope with deep psychological wounds. One of the ways that UNICEF and other organizations have helped to alleviate children’s emotional scars is through dance and movement.
Aid for cyclone-affected schools, still struggling in remote areas of Myanmar
NEW YORK, USA, 17 July 2008 – In the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, up to 1 million people were displaced from their homes and villages in Myanmar. Over the past two months, a massive effort has sought to repair the damage caused by the storm – especially in the Irrawaddy Delta, where it hit hardest.
UNICEF and ECHO provide vital health services to cyclone-affected Malagasy villages
ANTISIRAKA, Madagascar, 17 July 2008 – At first glance, the village of Antsiraka is an idyllic setting. Clear blue waters lap the shores of a white sandy beach, and palm trees mark the entrance to this remote village, which is only accessible by bicycle or boat.
Mia Farrow sees children returning to schools in northern Central African Republic
KAGA BANDORO-KABO, Central African Republic, 27 June 2008 – On a recent visit to the northern regions of CAR, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador witnessed first-hand how schools have begun to reopen, improving the lives of children affected by conflict here.
'Not by Bombs and Bullets' – overcoming the legacy of violence in DRC
GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo, 26 June 2008 – The road to Rutshuru runs past hazy active volcanoes and silver lakes. It would be the stuff travel brochures are made of – that is, if this route on the eastern edge of DRC, flush with Rwanda, wasn’t literally lined with the hardware of a war few understand.
‘Beyond School Books’ – a podcast series on education in emergencies
NEW YORK, USA, 25 June 2008 – With an estimated 10,000 child fatalities from school collapses in the Sichuan earthquake in China, safe school construction has become a central issue for parents, governments and the international development community.
Adolescent-friendly learning centres support young Palestinian refugees in Syria
HUSEINEYEH CAMP, Syria, 24 June 2008 – If Aziza Melkash were not in this yellow-curtained room among 31 other teenagers intently discussing research findings, she would be holed up at home with little to do and nowhere to go.
Rebuilding the lives of earthquake-affected children in China
LONGNAN PREFECTURE, China, 20 June 2008 – Bending over a tiny desk, seven-year-old Zhang Ziwen does his homework in a tent near the Bailongjiang River.
UNICEF Iraq helps the children of Sadr City regroup after intense violence
NEW YORK, USA, 20 June 2008 – Forty days of recent intense violence took a toll on close to 1 million children in Baghdad’s Sadr City, which is home to 2.5 million Iraqis. During April and May, the streets of the sprawling neighbourhood turned into a battlefield – trapping children in their homes without access to water, school or play areas.
UNICEF begins rebuilding schools in cyclone-stricken Myanmar
YANGON, Myanmar 17 June 2008 – The weather has become an added challenge to delivering aid in cyclone-ravaged Myanmar.
Ban on humanitarian aid threatens Zimbabwe’s most vulnerable children
HARARE, Zimbabwe, 12 June 2008 – Last week, the authorities here banned non-governmental organizations from distributing aid throughout the country. For many Zimbabweans already suffering from food shortages and rampant inflation, the lack of aid could prove disastrous.
UNICEF Regional Director visits Palestinian children bearing brunt of conflict
GAZA, Occupied Palestinian Territory, 9 June 2008 – UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Director Sigrid Kaag visited the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel recently to see first-hand the enduring impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on children.
After the quake, safety and a sense of security for Sichuan schoolchildren
NEW YORK, USA, 6 June 2008 – UNICEF has concluded its second assessment mission through China’s quake-damaged Sichuan province, organized to identify the most pressing needs for the millions of children whose schooling was disrupted by last month’s earthquake.
A month after deadly cyclone, classes resume in Myanmar
YANGON, Myanmar, 3 June 2008 – A new school year has begun as children head back to classes, just one month after Cyclone Nargis damaged or destroyed more than 4,000 schools in Myanmar.
Chinese children take the first steps to recovery after earthquake
CHENGDU, China, 29 May 2008 – More than two weeks after a devastating earthquake in Sichuan Province toppled schools, wiped out towns and killed an estimated 67,000 people, children in the worst-hit areas are still experiencing the staggering psycho-social aftershocks.
A health worker sets aside personal loss to help others recover in Laputta
LAPUTTA TOWNSHIP, Myanmar, 23 May 2008 – Health worker Myint Myint Yi lost her home when the cyclone struck the small town of Laputta. Although her life has been turned upside down, she has put her misery aside for the moment in order to help others.
UNICEF and Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcome news of more international aid access in Myanmar
NEW YORK, USA, 23 May 2008 – UNICEF has welcomed the announcement by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that Myanmar’s leaders will allow more international aid workers into the cyclone-damaged areas of the Irrawaddy Delta.
In the wake of violence, working to repair the damage done to children’s schools and confidence
AMMAN, Jordan, 23 May 2008 – The Baghdad Girls Primary in Iraq’s Sadr City had only been occupied by students for a few months before violent clashes erupted between military forces and militia groups in the area.
Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow calls for more international support to Central African Republic
BANGUI, Central African Republic, 23 May 2008 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow has wrapped up a week-long journey to the Central African Republic by calling for more international support for the tiny, impoverished nation.
Child-friendly spaces offer protection and hope for cyclone-affected families
PHAYARGYI VILLAGE, Myanmar, 22 May 2008 – When the 10-foot tidal wave surged into three-year-old Thè Su Wai’s village in Kungyangone Township, she was swept away from her mother, somehow managing to survive by holding on to a strong tree.
Helping quake-affected children cope with trauma in Sichuan province
MIANYANG CITY, China, 21 May 2008 – Wang Yue, a fourth-grade primary school student, can’t think about the events of last week’s earthquake in Sichuan province without crying.
Vaccination campaign continues in cyclone-affected Myanmar
LAPUTTA TOWNSHIP, Myanmar, 21 May 2008 – The rush to provide relief to the victims of Cyclone Nargis continues. The United Nations now estimates that as many as 2.5 million people have been severely affected by the cyclone and its aftermath. Forty per cent of those affected are children.
Providing protection and emotional care for children living in camps in Cameroon
KOUSSERI, Cameroon, 20 May 2008 – The bridge connecting Kousseri, Cameroon to N’djamena, Chad takes about five minutes to walk across, but in the hot afternoon sun, it might feel like much longer – especially if the bridge is crowded, as it was in the first days of February when tens of thousands fled violence between the Chadian military and rebel forces.
UNICEF seeks additional funds to aid children affected by Ethiopia’s growing food crisis
EAST HARERGHE, Ethiopia, 19 May 2008—Ibro Bekeri Yusuf’s daughter Khesna, age five, is severely malnourished. He has carried her to the UNICEF-supported therapeutic feeding unit at Bissidimo Hospital so that she can receive life-saving treatment such as therapeutic milk.
Psycho-social support helps children deal with the ‘storm in their mind’ after Cyclone Nargis
KAWHMU TOWNSHIP, Myanmar, 19 May 2008 – Cyclone Nargis may be over but the effects are not gone. Since the storm devastated the impoverished Irrawaddy Delta in southwestern Myanmar two weeks ago, the villagers have united to rebuild, one by one, their small, fragile homes, made of leaves and bamboo.
Rescue efforts continue in Juyuan after devastating earthquake
JUYUAN, China, 16 May 2008 – Rescuers are still racing against time to search for survivors in the Juyuan Township Middle School, which collapsed in the earthquake here on 12 May. As of this week, some 50 people have been confirmed dead with about 100 still buried beneath the rubble.
Growing concern for the safety of Myanmar’s storm-affected children
NEW YORK, 19 May 2008 – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will visit the cyclone-damaged region of Myanmar this week. The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes began a three day visit there yesterday.
China requests emergency supplies to aid in quake recovery
SICHUAN, China, 15 May 2008 – Two days after the largest earthquake to hit China in a generation, the Chinese Government yesterday formally requested the support of the international community to respond to the needs of affected families.
UN Secretary-General appeals for further cyclone aid as UNICEF supplies arrive
NEW YORK, USA, 14 May 2008 – The devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis could quickly turn into a catastrophe for the people of Myanmar. According to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the health of at least 1.5 million people is at severe risk.
UNICEF concerned about children affected by powerful earthquake in China
SICHUAN, China, 13 May 2008 – UNICEF expressed growing alarm today about children affected by a powerful earthquake in southwestern China that toppled houses and schools, leaving at least 60 students dead and, at latest count, over 4,700 children buried under the rubble of collapsed buildings.
UNICEF focuses on restoring normalcy for young survivors of Cyclone Nargis
GYO PHYU, Myanmar, 12 May 2008 – “We ran to higher ground when the water rose,” explained Kaung Myat, 12, standing on what used to be his family's bamboo hut in Gyo Phyu village, part of Kungyangone township in Myanmar’s southern Yangon Division.
UNICEF safe-water supplies arrive in Myanmar to aid cyclone survivors
NEW YORK, 9 May 2008 – A Thai International airliner carrying 3 million water-purification tablets for the victims of Cyclone Nargis landed in Myanmar’s former capital, Yangon, at 8:45 local time this morning.
‘Beyond School Books’– a podcast series on education in emergencies: Segment #7
NEW YORK, USA, 8 May 2008 – Exactly one month ago, Rwanda commemorated the 14th anniversary of its genocide. By this time in 1994, some half a million Rwandans had already been killed in an ethnic-cleansing campaign.
UNICEF and partners appeal for funding to aid families in Myanmar’s cyclone zone
NEW YORK, USA, 8 May 2008 – To meet the urgent needs of children and women affected by the cyclone last weekend in Myanmar, UNICEF today issued an emergency appeal for $8.2 million. The initial funding request is part of an interagency appeal prepared with the organization's UN partners.
UNICEF helps protect children and families at risk on the Cameroon-Chad border
KOUSSERI, Cameroon, 6 May 2008 – According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, about 8,000 people, including over 2,800 infants and children, are currently living in Maltam Camp, a refugee settlement in northern Cameroon. For these displaced families, all taking refuge from the violence in southern Chad, time seems to stand still.
UNICEF crisis response focuses on water and hygiene in aftermath of Cyclone Nargis
NEW YORK, 7 May 2008 – With 5,000 square km underwater and an estimated 1 million people homeless and in need of assistance, Myanmar continues to reel from the effects of Cyclone Nargis, which struck last weekend. In its response to the crisis, UNICEF is focusing on providing safe water and hygiene supplies to children and families at risk of life-threatening water-bourne diseases.
Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict calls for action on child rights in Iraq
NEW YORK, USA, 2 May 2008 – The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Radhika Coomaraswamy, has called for immediate action to improve the lives of Iraqi children.
‘Beyond School Books’– a podcast series on education in emergencies: Segment #6
NEW YORK, USA, 29 April 2008 – At the 52nd Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women last month, global leaders met to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing women and girls today. The theme this year was financing for gender equality and empowerment of women.
Violence in Iraq disrupts lives and education
AMMAN, Jordan, 21 April 2008 – Over the last two weeks, families in Basra and Baghdad’s Sadr City have been plunged into one of the most violent episodes in Iraq’s recent history. As Iraq’s security forces mobilized against militia groups, widespread clashes and curfews kept families trapped indoors and led to shortages of water, food and medical supplies.
After devastating floods, Namibians fight cholera and wait for a return to normalcy
ENGELA and OSHIKANGO, Namibia, 16 April 2008 – Since February, floodwaters have inundated thousands of square kilometres of rural north-central Namibia. According to the Namibian Government, over 71,000 people have been affected by the floods.
Junior Goodwill Ambassador 'Name Six' visits child-friendly spaces in Madagascar camps
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar, 15 April 2008 – Malagasy rap star and UNICEF Junior Goodwill Ambassador for Eastern and Southern Africa 'Name Six' visited young victims of cyclone Ivan recently here in Madagascar’s capital city.
Playrooms for young population affected by Peru quake serve many roles
CHINCHA, Peru, 7 April 2008 – Every day, Rosa Linda Díaz and her son Daniel have lunch at the Los Angelitos centre in Pueblo Nuevo, Chincha Province.
On International Mine Awareness Day, Afghanistan still copes with landmines
KABUL, Afghanistan, 3 April 2008 – Landmines have killed or injured more than 70,000 Afghans in the last two decades, and they continue to cause hundreds more casualties each year.
Thousands remain homeless after torrential rains and flooding in Ecuador
LOS RIOS PROVINCE, Ecuador, 2 April 2008 – Rain and floods are not unusual in Ecuador’s winter, but this year torrential rains have continued since early January, affecting 13 provinces – nearly half the country.
UNICEF responds to critical needs with water tankers in Basra crisis
AMMAN, Jordan, 31 March 2008 – For children in an Iraqi city paralyzed by violence, the arrival of a UNICEF water tanker in their street was an unexpected miracle. Thirsty families queued for up to two hours to fill whatever containers they could. For some, it was the first fresh water they had seen in days.
An appeal for aid as Madagascar struggles to rebuild after cyclones
NEW YORK, USA, 14 March 2008 – It has been more than four weeks since Cyclone Ivan first touched down on the island nation of Madagascar and triggered devastating floods, leaving 93 people dead and more than 330,000 homeless.
Temperatures rise, but Tajikistan still on alert after winter crisis
NEW YORK, USA, 13 March 2008 – Two months after severe temperatures left the mountainous country of Tajikistan in deep freeze and without power, warmer temperatures are bringing a new set of dangers.
Kenyan leaders sign power-sharing agreement as children hope for peace
NEW YORK, USA, 29 February 2008 – Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odiniga yesterday signed a power-sharing agreement to restore peace to a country that has been engulfed by violence since the disputed presidential elections there in December.
As violence continues in Darfur, children go missing and families are torn apart
SIRBA, Sudan, 22 February 2008 – Hundreds of children are unaccounted for, following militia attacks on villages in Sudan's West Darfur region.
Cyclone Ivan leaves 22 dead and communication networks damaged
TOAMASINA, Madagascar, 21 February 2008 – On the heels of a major storm that hit Madagascar just last month, this island nation was devastated once again earlier this week, when Cyclone Ivan touched down near Toamasina on its north-eastern coast.
UNICEF seeks emergency support for Somalia’s undernourished children
HARGEISA, Somalia 15 February 2008 – They were noises Khadra Abdullahi knew all too well: first, the blast from a bomb; then the screams and the clanging of pots as she threw her family’s possessions into a bag and fled.
Students return to Gaza schools still suffering from lack of heat and electricity
GAZA, Occupied Palestinian Territory, 13 February 2008 – Nearly 400 government schools in Gaza have reopened their doors to a quarter of a million students returning from winter break – but teachers and children have been met with classrooms that have neither heat nor light due to reduced power supplies.
UNICEF issues annual appeal to meet needs of children and women in global emergencies
NEW YORK, USA, 12 February 2008 – Calling on donors to help address 39 specific crises around the world, UNICEF today launched its annual Humanitarian Action Report outlining the organization’s funding requirements for emergency work in 2008.
UNICEF appeals for $37 million to save vulnerable Iraqi children
AMMAN, Jordan, 12 February 2008 – Iraq’s children saw little respite from violence and instability in 2007. But help may be on the way. A consolidated appeal for Iraq will be launched today to help humanitarian organizations respond to widespread suffering and deprivation.
Bandit attacks lead to mass displacement across north-western CAR
BOSSANGOA, Central African Republic, 18 January 2008 – Despite the pain and hardship of being displaced from their homes, the Peuhl people of the Central African Republic (CAR) are continuing with their traditional way of life. They remain immaculately dressed in vivid fabrics and beaded jewellery, an amazing feat considering their ordeal over the past several weeks.
Violence subsides but families remain displaced in post-election Kenya
NEW YORK, USA, 11 January 2008 – The effects of post-election violence in Kenya continue to reverberate throughout the country. An estimated 250,000 people have fled their homes and are in need of food, shelter housing and essential medicines.
‘Beyond School Books’– a podcast series on education in emergencies: Segment #5
NEW YORK, USA, 2 January 2008 – Providing education to children in regions and societies affected by conflict – or emerging from it – is a major challenge. Yet communities in conflict-affected areas consistently rank education as a high priority. And they demonstrate astounding resourcefulness and resilience in seeking out and providing schooling for their children.
Goodwill Ambassador Shakira reaches out to cyclone survivors in rural Bangladesh
PATUAKHALI, Bangladesh, 21 December 2007 – Internationally acclaimed singer, musician and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Shakira traveled to Bangladesh recently and met with women and children whose lives have been affected by Cyclone Sidr.
Child-survival campaign reaches families displaced by conflict in Mogadishu
AFGOYE, Somalia, 18 December 2007 – Hawa Ali, a mother of two, fled fighting in the Somali capital of Mogadishu last month and found refuge in the makeshift Eelasha Biyasha settlement here. This camp and others like it, along a 30-km stretch between Mogadishu and Afgoye, are now home to some 200,000 children, women and men displaced by conflict.
‘Beyond School Books’– a podcast series on education in emergencies: Segment #4
NEW YORK, USA, 18 December 2007 – Providing education to children in regions and societies affected by conflict – or emerging from it – is a major challenge.
Education suffers amidst political tension and conflict in Gaza
GAZA STRIP, Occupied Palestinian Territory, 12 December 2007 – Najwa Al Smairi, 11, goes to school just metres from Gaza’s heavily guarded perimeter. She is one of the brightest students in her class but fears failure due to the violence and uncertainty around her.
After the storm, Bangladesh cyclone survivors struggle through trying times
BAGERHAT, Bangladesh, 6 December 2007 – It was close to noon in Khuriakhali Bazaar, a market in the Sharankhola sub-district of Bagerhat, when the UNICEF team arrived after a long walk.
Psychosocial help gives children in Iran the tools to cope with challenges
BAM, Iran, 4 December 2007 – After the devastating 2003 earthquake in Bam, Athare Majidian, who lives here and works for Iran’s Ministry of Education, spent much of her time helping children overcome the effects of this tragic event and develop their resilience for possible future disasters.
UN Joint Mission visits cyclone survivors in Bangladesh
DHAKA, Bangladesh, 23 November 2007 – A week after Cyclone Sidr pummelled Bangladesh, the survivors are struggling to pick up the pieces. A roof overhead, food, water and sanitation are the most critical needs.
Cyclone in Bangladesh: UNICEF and partners join emergency relief effort
NEW YORK, USA, 18 November 2007 – UNICEF and its humanitarian partners in Bangladesh are rushing emergency supplies to hundreds of thousands of families in areas devastated by Cyclone Sidr, the deadliest storm to hit the impoverished nation in a decade.
‘Beyond School Books’ – a podcast series on education in emergencies: Segment #3
NEW YORK, USA, 16 November 2007 – Providing education to children in regions and societies affected by conflict – or emerging from it – is a major challenge.
Flood response targets immediate needs of children in Tabasco and Chiapas
VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico, 9 November 2007 – The roads leading into Villahermosa, Tabasco’s capital city, are muddy and strewn with ruptured sandbags where floodwaters have finally receded. Also lining the streets on the city’s outskirts are clusters of families who refuse to leave their badly damaged homes and have rigged makeshift shelters from cardboard and tarpaulin.
UNICEF Executive Director ends first visit to Sudan with sense of optimism
KHARTOUM, Sudan, 5 November 2007 – UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman wrapped up her first visit to Sudan yesterday, expressing optimism at progress she had witnessed for women and children, while noting more efforts were needed, especially in tackling high rates of child and maternal mortality.
'Beyond School Books’ – a podcast series on education in emergencies: Segment #2
NEW YORK, USA, 29 October 2007 – In countries emerging from conflict, getting children into school is the first and most critical challenge for international development agencies, governments and communities.
'Beyond School Books’ – a podcast series on education in emergencies: Segment #1
NEW YORK, USA, 22 October 2007 – In countries caught in a cycle of ongoing conflict, as well as those emerging from war, the rights of children and the right to education are most at risk.
Evacuation orders in effect as East Java volcano alert remains high
NEW YORK, USA, 19 October 2007 – Over 100,000 people have been evacuated from the region within 10 km of Mt. Kelud, as officials continue to monitor volcanic activity from the East Java volcano.
Former child soldiers trade guns for textbooks in rural Southern Sudan
RUMBEK, Southern Sudan, 15 October 2007 – At 15, he was a soldier. At 18, he traded his gun for a textbook and went back to school. Today, at 24, Mayom Mabuong is a community leader and a teacher at Deng Nhial School, one of the only institutions in Southern Sudan created specifically to address the needs of former child soldiers.
Protection centres aim to end the cycle of child labour in Pakistan quake zone
NORTH WEST FRONTIER PROVINCE, Pakistan, 9 October 2007 – For over seven months, eight-year-old Khairuddin and his brothers have been roaming the streets of Abbotabad, collecting empty bottles from garbage heaps to make a little money to bring home to their family.
Humanitarian supplies distributed in the wake of conflict in North Kivu, DR Congo
NORTH KIVU, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 27 September 2007 – Just a 20-minute drive west of Goma, the North Kivu provincial capital, the aftermath of recent fighting between government troops and dissident forces begins to unfold.
In West Africa flood response, UNICEF focuses on the most vulnerable children
NEW YORK, 25 September 2007 – Four weeks of heavy flooding have taken a damaging toll on countries in West and Central Africa, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced, several hundred killed, and homes and farmland swept away.
Rebuilding lives in marginalized communities of flood-affected Bihar
BIHAR, India, 19 September 2007 – In the remote village of Sarainyan, near the border of Nepal, the floods that came with this year’s monsoons destroyed homes and displaced many familes.
Providing vital supplies to vulnerable Nepalese families displaced by floods
NEPALGUNJ, Nepal, 19 September 2007 – The flood waters from the Dundhuwa river receded over three weeks ago, yet the destruction left in its wake still remains. Most of the homes and food stores of the people of Rajarampur Village have been completely washed away.
Displaced children especially vulnerable to illness and military re-recruitment in North Kivu
NORTH KIVU, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 18 September 2007 – In an era of extreme difficulty for the people of DR Congo, between 300,000 to 350,000 people have been displaced since November 2006. In the last few weeks, the situation has gone from bad to worse, with approximately 60,000 people displaced from their homes around North Kivu. In unstable circumstances like these, children are especially vulnerable to exploitation.
Combating acute malnutrition in flood survivors
BIHAR, India, 17 September 2007 – It is more than a month after the flooding began in Bihar, but millions of people continue to be affected. Food being distributed by the Government is often delayed because roads are still submerged or completely washed away.
Mothers and children hit hard by nutrition crisis in Somalia
MOGADISHU, Somalia, 13 September 2007 – Following a recent nutrition survey, UNICEF and its partners estimate that 83,000 children in central and southern Somalia suffer from malnutrition – 13,500 of whom are severely malnourished and at risk of dying.
Hurricane Felix: Nicaragua bears the brunt and Honduras endures heavy rains
NEW YORK, USA, 5 September 2007 – The eye of Hurricane Felix touched down in the northeastern town of Sandy Bay on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua early yesterday morning, blowing the roofs off 90 per cent of homes and knocking out electricity over a wide area. An estimated 30,000 people have been affected by the disaster.
Women and children still suffering the effects of monsoon floods
SIRAJGANJ DISTRICT, Bangladesh, 4 September 2007 – Last month, 45-year-old Amena awoke to discover that monsoon-related flooding was filling her home with rushing water. As if in a dream, she felt the strong pull of a hand as she was taken to the safety of a nearby embankment.
Summer camps for Lebanese children help to heal the scars of war
AITA AL SHAEB, Lebanon, 30 August 2007 – Hearing the children of Aita el Shaeb sing and dance, it is difficult to believe that just one year ago this village in the south of Lebanon was suffering from the effects of conflict. The children are participating in a new UNICEF-supported summer camp programme, which is helping war-affected youths to heal through play.
After devastating quake, getting Peruvian children back to school is a priority
PISCO, Peru, 30 August 2007 – More than 220,000 children in southern Peru are waiting to return to school after the devastating earthquake of 15 August. Getting back to school is one of the most effective ways for children to resume a sense of normalcy in their lives after a traumatic event.
Families in need of aid as Portland Cottage is once again devastated by a hurricane
PORTLAND COTTAGE, Jamaica, 23 August, 2007 – Amid the rubble of clothes spread out to dry on fallen tree branches, water soaked mattresses and swollen pieces of furniture, the children of Portland Cottage cling shyly to their mothers for safety. For the second time in three years, this small fishing community has experienced the fury of a hurricane.
Women and children bear the brunt of flood effects in Bihar
BIHAR, India, 23 August 2007 – Three days after giving birth to her son, Subhagi Devi, 30, had to make a midnight escape from the floods that have submerged her village in East Champaran, Bihar state.
One week on, more aid needed to meet Peru quake survivors’ critical needs
NEW YORK, USA, 22 August 2007 – “I was watching TV in my room when suddenly the power went out,” recalled Peruvian earthquake survivor Ivan, 11.
As Hurricane Dean moves on, storm-affected communities pick up the pieces
NEW YORK, USA, 22 August 2007 – UNICEF and its humanitarian partners in the Caribbean region are taking action to protect children and families from the after-effects of Hurricane Dean in Jamaica, Mexico's Yucatan peninsula and other areas battered by the storm in recent days.
UNICEF and partners respond as Hurricane Dean batters Jamaica
NEW YORK, USA, 20 August 2007 – UNICEF and other UN and humanitarian agencies took action to help the authorities respond to the emergency needs of children and families in Jamaica as Hurricane Dean, a dangerous Category 4 storm, battered the southern coast of the Caribbean island nation yesterday.
Providing aid to children and families affected by severe floods in DPR Korea
NEW YORK, USA, 16 August 2007 – Many children may have drowned and many more are seriously affected by severe flooding in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Mobile medical camps treat children and families displaced by floods in Bihar
BIHAR, India, 16 August 2007 – At a UNICEF medical camp, Kusum, 4, has been vaccinated against measles as a part of the effort to save lives after the recent monsoon floods here.
UNICEF galvanizes partners for flood relief to children and families in Uttar Pradesh
SILAUTA VILLAGE, Uttar Pradesh, India, 15 August 2007 – It is a wet August morning and Kishori, 4, is playing with her friends on a narrow, kilometre-long embankment.
Insecurity has not dampened children’s aspirations in Central African Republic
EN ROUTE TO PAOUA, Central African Republic, July 2007 – Our convoy stopped on the dirt road intersecting the northwestern village of Nana Barya. Climbing out of the car, we were confronted by the burnt ruins of a village. In the entrance of one house lay a tiny child’s sandal, left behind in the fracas of flight.
Communities struggle to cope with monsoon flooding in Nepal
JALESHWAR, Nepal, 9 August 2007 – A week ago, when it rained as if would never stop, 80 per cent of Mahottari District in the central Terai plains of Nepal was underwater. Floods had inundated 56 of the district’s 76 villages, displacing half the population of 600,000.
More aid needed for tens of millions affected by severe monsoon floods in India
NEW YORK, USA, 6 August 2007 – For the past two weeks, South Asia has seen some of the worst monsoon flooding in living memory. Across northern India, Bangladesh and Nepal, villages have been completely marooned, leaving tens of millions displaced and stranded.
Peace One Day ambassador Jude Law’s ‘secret’ mission to Afghanistan
NEW YORK, USA, 18 July 2007 – Oscar-nominated actor and movie star Jude Law has completed a ‘secret’ mission to Afghanistan to film UNICEF’s preparations for marking the 2007 UN International Day of Peace.
With help from the Government of Japan, Southern Sudan rebuilds its schools
NEW YORK, USA, 17 July 2007 – Japan has contributed $8.6 million to Southern Sudan, aiding the region’s school-rebuilding efforts following two decades of civil war that devastated the education system there.
UNICEF supplies arrive in Thandwe to help Myanmar flood victims
YANGON, Myanmar, 12 July 2007 – UNICEF emergency supplies have arrived in Thandwe township in Myanmar’s Rakhine State to help families affected by the recent floods there.
Najma’s ordeal: Surviving the floods in southwest Pakistan
SINDH PROVINCE, Pakistan, 10 July 2007 – The first thing that Najma remembers from the night of the floods was a voice shouting in panic: “Water, water!” It was midnight when the 14-year-old and her five siblings stumbled through the darkness and finally managed to reach the main road.
Relief efforts begin to reach flood-affected children and families in Pakistan
NEW YORK, USA, 5 July 2007 – Hampered by flash floods and blocked roads, relief efforts have started reaching the most vulnerable since Cyclone Yemyin struck Pakistan last week.
Malnutrition afflicts displaced children in camps in eastern Chad
KOUBIGOU CAMP, Chad, 5 July 2007 – The numbers keep growing, and growing fast. In 2004 there were 130,000; today, 240,000 Sudanese are in neighbouring Chad, having fled the fighting in the Darfur region of Sudan.
Cyclone floods in Pakistan leave thousands displaced and desperate
NEW YORK, USA, 3 July 2007 – Wading through waist-high water, families in Pakistan’s Sindh and Balochistan Provinces are looking for remnants of their homes and belongings – and sometimes for their lost loved ones.
Child-friendly journalism gives young people a voice in Iraq
AMMAN, Jordan, 29 June 2007 – Mohammad’s TV show, ‘Sabah El Kheir Mosul’ (Good Morning Mosul), is different than most Iraqi news programmes. To balance the grim daily reports of bombings and violence, Mohammad, 28, is trying a new focus – the lives of children.
Displaced by conflict at northern Lebanon refugee camp, children look to the future
BEDDAWI CAMP, Lebanon, 20 June 2007 – Leaving their homes between bouts of gunfire, an estimated 21,000 Palestinian refugees have fled the fighting at Nahr El Bared camp in northern Lebanon in recent weeks.
Months after an earthquake and tsunami, Solomon Islands struggle to recover
WESTERN PROVINCE, Solomon Islands, 20 June 2007 – Life in Gizo, the small administrative centre of Western Province in the Solomon Islands, is slowly returning to normal two and a half months after a massive undersea earthquake triggered a tsunami here.
Palestinian child health still suffers despite end of eight-month strike at clinics
NABLUS, Occupied Palestinian Territory, 19 June 2007 – Palestinian children’s access to health services is regularly jeopardized. The current intra-Palestinian conflict and Israeli military incursions place their physical and mental well-being at risk, even as they suffer from the effects of an eight-month health workers’ strike.
Recent violence in Gaza leaves many young people shaken
NEW YORK, USA, 19 June 2007 – The recent intra-Palestinian violence in the Gaza Strip left many young people traumatized and unable to carry out their daily activities. Last week’s clashes between Hamas and Fatah killed more than 110 people and injured another 500.
UNICEF Ambassador Lucy Liu visits families displaced by violence in DR Congo
NORTH KIVU, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 18 June 2007 – UNICEF Ambassador Lucy Liu has just returned from a trip to war-torn eastern DR Congo, where she witnessed the dire situation of displaced women and children.
Supplementary feeding centres boost nutrition in Pakistan quake zone
NORTH WEST FRONTIER PROVINCE, Pakistan, 12 June 2007 – At the brand new supplementary feeding centre in Attarshesha, Salma, 22, checks Usman’s weight and height. The four-year-old boy stares at the ‘Lady Health Visitor’, his eyes wide open.
Palestinian refugees in northern Lebanon displaced and in need
NEW YORK, 1 June 2007 – As problems persist for Palestinian refugees in the north of Lebanon – displaced as a result of armed conflict in the El Bared camp near Tripoli – UNICEF continues to respond to the crisis in close coordination with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and other partners.
Youth in Gaza and Sderot, Israel face daily violence
NEW YORK, 22 May 2007 – Julie is 17 years old and lives in Gaza in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt). Violence has been an ongoing part of her world for her whole life, off and on, but in the last week there’s been an increase in the level of unrest in her community, both between the internal Palestinian factions of Hamas and Fatah, and in the form of air strikes from the Israeli Air Force.
Worst floods in 50 years displace thousands in Uruguay
NEW YORK, USA, 22 May 2007 – Unusually heavy rains in Uruguay have caused the worst flooding to hit the country in 50 years. Since 8 May, more than 110,000 people have been affected by the emergency, most of them children, women and elderly living in poor communities.
UNICEF Sri Lanka reaches out to children and families displaced by escalating conflict
NEW YORK, USA, 16 May 2007 – UNICEF is playing an increasing role in addressing the psychosocial needs of children affected by ongoing violence in Sri Lanka.
Transitional schools keep children learning in earthquake-affected areas of Pakistan
PAKISTAN-ADMINISTERED KASHMIR, 15 May 2007 – At 1 p.m., 54 students are actively participating in a mathematics class at Sarikala Government Girls’ Primary School in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. They frown and concentrate on the blackboard but smile mischievously from time to time.
UNICEF and ECHO reintegrate child soldiers in Côte d’Ivoire, and Béoué is ready for success
BÉOUÉ VILLAGE, Côte d’Ivoire, 15 May 2007 – Béoué, 18, is slender and looks rather small for his age. When he is carrying the mud for the chicken coop that he and his friends are building, it becomes clear how strong he actually is. He is obviously used to organizing activities and delegating responsibility, so the coop is built quickly.
Nutrition crisis undermines child survival in southern Madagascar
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar, 14 May 2007 – Dr. Ranto Andriantsara hurried to his office when told that the team had just driven into the dusty compound that houses the Amboasary hospital. He looked startled, not quite expecting his visitors that early in the morning. Graciously, he ushered them in.
UNICEF and Government of Chad reach accord raising hopes for children in armed conflict
NEW YORK, 11 May 2007 – UNICEF and the Government of Chad signed an accord this week to work to demobilize child soldiers throughout the country.
UNICEF supports improved sanitation in the rebuilt homes of Aceh and Nias
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, 9 May 2007 – Ibu Nuria is not happy. Even though she likes her newly built house in Klieng Cot Arun village, Banda Aceh, the facilities are incomplete. “There is no drainage system in place,” she says. “It concerns us.”
‘Days of Peace’ promote child survival and development in Philippines conflict areas
NEW YORK, USA, 9 May 2007 – For decades, an often violent battle between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has raged in the picturesque countryside of the southern Philippines. The conflict has devastated thousands of villages, leaving children without access to essential services.
UNICEF provides school supplies to 60,000 children in flood-affected areas of Zambia
LUSAKA, Zambia, 8 May 2007 – To help respond to humanitarian needs in flood-affected areas of Zambia, UNICEF has turned over 640 ‘School-in-a-Box’ kits to the country’s Ministry of Education. The kits will provide educational supplies to more than 60,000 children and 1,000 teachers in six provinces.
Learning takes centre stage for displaced adults and adolescents in Timor-Leste
METINARO, Timor-Leste, 8 May 2007 – The Metinaro camp for displaced persons is 30 km east of Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste. When widespread violence broke out in Dili in 2006, Metinaro was lined with tents sheltering thousands who had lost their homes or were afraid to return.
A post-tsunami milestone: 100 new schools built or under construction in Aceh and Nias
ACEH AND NIAS, Indonesia, 7 May 2007 – The mayor of Banda Aceh, Mawardi Nurdin, recently opened SDN 96 Primary School in the community of Neusu Aceh, Baiturrahman – thereby reaching a milestone of 100 new schools either completed or under construction since the December 2004 tsunami devasted the education infrastructure in this region.
A Darfur village turns its back on conflict, opting instead for child-centred development
SOUTH DARFUR, Sudan, 4 May 2007 – In the village of Yara, one finds a surprisingly different aspect of Darfur. In a region that has been portrayed as ripped apart by ethnic differences and tribal tensions, residents of the local Fur tribe and Arab nomadic families live side by side, working together on improvements to their community.
Despite dangers, measles vaccinators fan out across Iraq
AMMAN, Jordan, 26 April 2007 – In one of the biggest humanitarian operations in Iraq in the last two years, 8,000 vaccinators are working to prevent a possible outbreak of measles among children, many of whom have not received routine immunization due to violence and conflict.
UNICEF Somalia relief efforts hindered by lack of access to conflict-affected areas
NEW YORK, USA, 25 April 2007 – Somalia’s security situation has been in a steady decline since the beginning of 2007 – along with all the consequent health and protection issues for children and families.
After devastating cyclones, Madagascar rebuilds its shattered schools
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar, 23 April 2007 – Florine, 8, was unaware of the extent of cyclone damage to her village in Ambanja, northeastern Madagascar, until she climbed to the roof of her partially destroyed house.
Mine awareness campaign aims to save lives and limbs in Nepal
KAVRE, Nepal, 13 April 2007 – An innocent game of football turned deadly when three young boys accidentally set off an explosive device buried in the ground.
After devastating cyclones, UNICEF and partners step in to help Madagascar
NEW YORK, USA, 10 April 2007 – The island nation of Madagascar has seen more than its fair share of nature’s destructive capacity recently. Since December it has been hit by six cyclones or tropical storms – including tropical storm Jaya, which struck last week – affecting more than 450,000 people.
More aid needed to help children and women affected by Cyclone Indlala
ANTSOHIHY, Madagascar, 30 March 2007 – “It was incredible. In just a few minutes the heavy floods washed out our house,” Véronique Miadana said with tears in her eyes. Living with her five children in the suburbs of Antsohihy, north of Sofia in northern Madagascar, Ms. Miadana and her family were among the first victims of Cyclone Indlala, which struck northern Madagascar on 15 March.
In conflict-affected eastern Sri Lanka, aid for a population on the move
BATTICALOA, Sri Lanka, 28 March 2007 – “By foot, by ferry, by bike, by tractor, by tuk-tuk, people are pouring in,” says UNICEF Emergency Officer Donna Carter.
Despite dangers, an Iraqi mother is determined to educate herself and her children
NEW YORK, USA, 28 March 2007 – Nada, 40, lives in Baghdad with her husband and four children – two boys and two girls, all school age. “Our life is a hard life,” Nada (not her real name) told UNICEF Radio in a telephone interview.
Lack of safe water endangers the health of Baghdad’s most deprived children
AMMAN, Jordan, 21 March 2007 – For thousands of Iraqis living in crudely built cabins in the Baghdad slums of Sab’ Qsoor, a safe drink of water used to be almost impossible to find. The area has only a few pipes to supply municipal water, and many of them are broken or contaminated.
Ecuador’s active Tungurahua volcano continues to affect nearby communities
QUITO, Ecuador, 20 March 2007 – The Tungurahua volcano in the central Ecuadorian Andes erupted again earlier this month, making worse the already vulnerable situation of the nearby population.
Children in Madagascar suffer in yet another flood caused by latest cyclone
NEW YORK, USA, 19 March 2007 – The rain is coming down in sheets over the capital city of Madagascar, Antananarivo, in the aftermath of Indlala, the latest cyclone to hit the island nation.
Displaced with her family in northern Iraq, a girl dreams of education
NEW YORK, USA, 19 March 2007 – Sheelan, 14, has never gone to school. Neither have any of her seven older sisters. Her family is Kurdish and has been displaced for two decades, ever since the Iran-Iraq War.
Theatre groups spread health messages among Mozambique’s flood victims
SOFALA PROVINCE, Mozambique, 16 March 2007 – There are few sights more pleasing than seeing 100 children’s faces light up with laughter. That the source of their joy is a message of good health and hygiene, dressed up as theatre, only adds to the moment.
UNICEF Sudan Representative sees hopeful opportunities amid chaos in Darfur
NEW YORK, USA, 14 March 2007 – UNICEF Representative in Sudan Ted Chaiban recently returned from that country’s Darfur region, where he saw firsthand the realities in the camps for displaced children and families who cannot return to their homes because of the violent conflict that continues there.
UNICEF Sri Lanka tests pioneering new tool for use in emergencies
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, 14 March 2007 – UNICEF is pioneering a new system in Sri Lanka that promises some hope of improving the efficiency of humanitarian crisis response.
Bolivia’s worst floods in decades displace families and disrupt children’s lives
NEW YORK, USA, 12 March 2007 – Much of Bolivia’s department of Beni today lies underwater. Since December, heavy rains have caused major rivers to overflow in the area, destroying crops, drowning cattle and isolating communities.
UNICEF supplies reach West Sumatra quake survivors
NEW YORK, USA, 12 March 2007 – UNICEF emergency supplies have reached the Indonesian province of West Sumatra, where two major earthquakes last week killed dozens of people and injured nearly 1,000 more.
For a young Iraqi woman, a second chance to learn and grow
WASSIT, Iraq, 9 March 2007 - In a small classroom in southern Iraq, Reem (not her real name), 22, is bent over her books. The stifling air is making it hard to concentrate, but she is determined to finish the lesson. She knows the few hours she spends here could determine the course of the rest of her life.
UN Executive Boards complete mission to post-war Liberia
MONROVIA, Liberia, 7 March 2007 – After more than 14 years of civil conflict, Liberia is moving forward on the road to recovery.
Emergency aid sent to quake survivors in West Sumatra, Indonesia
JAKARTA, Indonesia, 7 March 2007 – UNICEF is sending in truckloads of emergency supplies to victims of Tuesday’s quake in the Indonesian province of West Sumatra.
On International Women’s Day, an Iraqi mother and daughter stay focused on education
NEW YORK, USA, 7 March 2007 – As the 51st Session of the Commission on the Status of Women comes to close at the United Nations on 8 March, International Women’s Day, women and girls around the world struggle to make ends meet, get an education and stay safe. One of the places where these challenges are most acute is Iraq, where ongoing violence has become the norm.
Civil unrest in Guinea leads to rapes of women and children
CONAKRY, Guinea, 5 March 2007 – When Adelaid’s mother had to leave Conakry last month to forage for kola nuts, she left her in the care of an uncle to protect her from the violence that had overtaken Guinea’s capital city.
UNICEF provides emergency relief after cyclones and flooding hit Madagascar
ANTANAVARIVO, Madagascar, 2 March 2007 – Voahangisoa Nirina and her husband built a house when they got married 13 years ago and have since raised a family of five children there. But six weeks ago, Cyclone Bondo destroyed everything they had.
Two displaced Afghan children voice hopes for the future after returning to school
NEW YORK, USA, Afghanistan, 1 March 2007 - Despite the successful efforts of UNICEF and other humanitarian organizations in Afghanistan, some of the country’s children and young people – especially those living in camps for the displaced – still lack access to adequate education, nutrition and health care.
Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow highlights plight of CAR and Chad
NEW YORK, USA, 28 February 2006 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow was at United Nations headquarters in New York yesterday to draw attention to the plight of children and families displaced by conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) and Chad.
Coastal town in Mozambique reeling but on the move after Cyclone Favio
VILANCULOS, Mozambique, 28 February 2007 – Just 48 hours after Tropical Cyclone Favio almost flattened chunks of this tranquil Mozambican coastal town, the people of Vilanculos were on the move – mending roofs, fixing broken power lines, cutting up fallen trees, carting off corrugated roofing and sweeping up debris.
Mia Farrow witnesses dire effects of conflict in eastern Chad
DJORLA, Chad, 22 February 2007 – The militia attacked the village of Djorla in eastern Chad before dawn. They torched the huts and ransacked the food stores. Unlike many villagers under similar attack in this area, the people of Djorla fought back, and paid a heavy price.
UNICEF Executive Director inaugurates Ethiopia’s first Plumpy’nut factory
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, 21 February 2007 - UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman inaugurated Ethiopia’s first Plumpy’nut therapeutic food factory in Addis Ababa yesterday.
Immunization drive for flood-affected children in Jakarta, Indonesia
JAKARTA, Indonesia, 21 February 2007 – Upon hearing that a free immunization drive was under way, Linda, 27, a mother of two, did not think twice before bringing her young daughters to an emergency health centre in central Jakarta.
Syria tightens entry requirements for Iraqi refugees as population pressure builds
NEW YORK, USA, 21 February 2007 – As Syria tightens entry regulations for refugees crossing the border from Iraq, UNICEF and its partners continue to advocate for humanitarian exceptions to the rules.
Thousands displaced in the Central African Republic struggle to survive
NEW YORK, USA, 20 February 2007 – Over the last year, brutal attacks on villages in the northwestern Central African Republic (CAR) have displaced thousands of people.
Protecting and educating children affected by floods in Mozambique
SOFALA PROVINCE, Mozambique, 20 February 2007 – Orlando and his family were among the first to arrive at Chupanga Camp, near the town of Caia in Mozambique’s Sofala Province, after the recent floods began.
Uganda launches education campaign for war-affected children
NEW YORK, USA, 15 February 2007 – UNICEF Uganda and its partners have put education in the spotlight this week with the launch of their ‘Go to school, back to school, stay in school’ campaign to help 1.3 million children get primary education in the country’s conflict-affected north and northeast.
School restoration campaign builds hubs of stability in Iraq
NEW YORK, USA, 15 February 2007 – Schools are becoming critical hubs of stability within Iraq, thanks to a UNICEF-supported restoration programme designed to stem school closures and growing drop-out rates.
Mia Farrow visits conflict-afflicted Central African Republic
BANGUI, Central African Republic, 13 February, 2007 – In a rapidly arranged ceremony, President François Bozizé awarded UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow a presidential Medal of Honour in recognition of her services to his nation.
Psychosocial support for children affected by conflict in south Lebanon
AL-KHIAM, Southern Lebanon, 13 February 2007 – Amid the ruins of one of south Lebanon’s more vibrant and well kept towns, children in Al-Khiam laughed as they played in the afternoon sun, almost oblivious to the agony they had suffered in recent months.
UNICEF aid reaches children and families affected by Jakarta floods
JAKARTA, Indonesia, 12 February 2007 – As torrential rains ease off and floodwaters begin to recede, thousands of people in Jakarta and surrounding areas are now returning to their homes.
When learning saves lives: UNICEF supports mine-risk education in south Lebanon
HOUMINE AL-TAHTA, Lebanon, 12 February 2007 – Though he spoke shyly, Hassan, 9, knew very well what unexploded cluster munitions look like.
Palestinian teens speak out on new agreement to end internal violence
NEW YORK, USA 9 February 2007 – After several weeks of internal fighting in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, leaders of the Hamas and Fatah parties yesterday signed an agreement to cease the violence. The agreement, known as the Mecca Accord, followed a two-day summit in Saudi Arabia.
Palestinian child health still faces challenges, despite end of strike at clinics
HEBRON, Occupied Palestinian Territory, 6 February 2007 – Government clinics have resumed routine services following a recent three-month health workers’ strike that began after clinic staff members had not been paid their full salaries for over 10 months.
Five girls killed in mortar attack on school in Baghdad
NEW YORK, USA, 29 January 2007 – At least five schoolgirls were killed in Baghdad yesterday when two mortars hit their high school.
Humanitarian Action Report 2007: Gender bias harms children in times of crisis
NEW YORK/USA, 29 January 2007 – In 2006 natural and man-made disasters continued to cripple the lives of children around the world. Devastating floods swept the Horn of Africa; conflicts continued in Darfur and elsewhere; and in countries such as Haiti, extreme poverty took its toll.
Three years after the quake, UNICEF closes its emergency office in Bam, Iran
BAM, Iran, 26 January 2007 – Three years after a devastating earthquake struck the ancient Iranian city of Bam, development and reconstruction continue apace and UNICEF has closed its emergency office.
Thousands homeless and without food after floods in Burundi
BUJUMBURA, Burundi, 26 January 2007 – Massive flooding hit 13 of Burundi’s 17 provinces last week, leaving thousands of families homeless and without food and drinking water.
No end in sight for Darfur’s humanitarian crisis
NEW YORK, USA, 22 January 2007 – The violence in the Darfur region of western Sudan continues unabated amidst reports over the weekend of villages being heavily bombed in the north. Meanwhile, a joint statement issued on 17 January by a group of United Nations relief agencies, including UNICEF, has put the humanitarian crisis back in the spotlight.
After floods, UNICEF helps children get back to school in southern Malawi
NSANJE, Malawi, 22 January 2007 – More than 1,000 children in southern Malawi are heading back to school – albeit a week late – in the aftermath of flash floods and heavy rains that devastated the area earlier this month.
Requiem for Darfur: A song of solidarity
NEW YORK, USA, 22 January 2007 – More than 100 musicians and 120 singers will join tonight in a song of solidarity for the victims of the ongoing violence in Darfur.
Flooding in Malaysia threatens children’s well-being
NEW YORK, USA, 19 January 2007 – Flooding in Malaysia from unusually high levels of rainfall has resulted in the displacement of thousands of people, many of them children.
Palestinian students return to school despite intense challenges and violence
NEW YORK, USA, 16 January 2007 – Students in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are finally beginning a new semester after violence and teachers’ strikes kept many away from their studies last year.
Afghanistan Representative visits schools and other UNICEF programmes
NEW YORK, USA, 16 January 2007 – In the few weeks since Catherine Mbengue became UNICEF’s Representative in Afghanistan, she has been touring the country to see what UNICEF is doing, particularly with regard to education for girls and women.
After Aceh floods, relief efforts help families cope with effects of ‘tsunami from the river’
TAMIANG DISTRICT, Indonesia, 12 January 2007 – After the Tamiang River burst its banks late last month, Rachwaty and her four children spent three days and nights on the roof of a mosque while their village was submerged in floodwaters up to three metres high.
UNICEF mourns the loss of Iraq staff member Janan Jabero, 1954-2007
AMMAN, Jordan, 10 January 2007 – On the last day of 2006, UNICEF staff engineer Janan Jabero, 52, left his house in Baghdad to go see a friend. He never made it. Several days later, his family and colleagues learned that he had been found shot to death in his car.
Relief efforts ‘contain’ effects of flooding on Indonesian children and families
NEW YORK, USA, 3 January 2007 – Following massive flooding that started on 22 December, UNICEF Indonesia and its partners have managed to get many of the disaster’s most serious effects under control.
Flash flooding and landslides bury Indonesian towns and displace 400,000
NEW YORK, USA, 27 December 2006 – The floodwaters have slowly begun to recede in the north, east and central Aceh regions and Sumatra, Indonesia, but a humanitarian crisis remains in their wake.
Young Thai girl finds inspiration through photojournalism project
PHANG NGA, Thailand, December 2006 – Hot and dry wind blows up gritty dust as a team of UNICEF staff approaches a roadside shack in rural Thailand. The dilapidated mixture of peeling wood, grey concrete and corrugated iron has been home to 13-year-old Mod and her 10-year-old brother since their father was killed in a recent motorcycle accident.
Micro-enterprises empower tsunami-affected Malaysian women
LANGKAWI, Malaysia, December 2006 – For the men who cast their nets off the tsunami-affected coast of Langkawi, life is finally returning to normal.
Treating water sources in Maldivian islands hard-hit by the tsunami
MEEDOO, Maldives, December 2006 – Govindarajan Saravanan, a United Nations Office for Project Services engineer working on a UNICEF contract, moves from house to house on the small island of Meedoo checking for groundwater contamination.
Philippines typhoon damage leaves thousands homeless and education at risk
CAMARINES SUR PROVINCE, Philippines, 21 December 2006 – Bato South Central Elementary School, in the province of Camarines Sur, was destroyed by Typhoon Reming – also known as Durian – on 30 November.
Conflict affects 1 million people in Central African Republic
NEW YORK, USA, 21 December 2006 – Nearly 1 million people are being affected by ongoing hostilities in a ‘forgotten emergency’ in northern Central African Republic (CAR).
Frontline diary: Lives uprooted by Somalia floods
ARARE CAMP, Somalia, 21 December 2006 – The broad picture of the torrential rains and floods in Somalia is grim enough – a huge expanse of some 100,000 productive hectares lies submerged after the Shabelle and Juba rivers burst their banks.
Basic school supplies reach children and teachers in post-war Southern Sudan
KWAJOK, Southern Sudan, 20 December 2006 – Angelina Nyanyok, 18, a student at the local primary school, identifies her classroom by the single element that provides any shelter.
School access a challenge for girls at camps in northern Uganda
PABBO CAMP, Acholi Region, Uganda, 19 December 2006 – Christine Lawil remembers vividly the day that the LRA came to her village near Pawel, Uganda. “My husband was working in our garden and the rebels attacked the village,” she says. “They beat him and then killed him.”
Samira’s story: Despite dangers, vaccinators fight to keep Iraq polio-free
BAGHDAD, Iraq, 15 December 2006 – Iraq’s fourth national polio campaign of 2006 is sending thousands of Iraqi vaccinators from house to house, to immunize children at their doorsteps.
UNICEF UK Ambassador Martin Bell witnesses ‘thirst for education’ in Afghanistan
NEW YORK, USA, 13 December 2006 – UNICEF UK Ambassador for Humanitarian Emergencies Martin Bell has returned from a week-long trip to Afghanistan.
Vigil held in memory of boys killed in Gaza
NEW YORK, USA, 12 December 2006 – The killing of three young brothers in Gaza City yesterday has shocked the Palestinian community across the political divide and exposed, once again, the plight of children living in the volatile region.
Rebuilding young quake survivors’ dreams at child centres in Central Java
YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia, 11 December 2006 – Six months ago, Mohammad Hisyan, 9, was left with little more than his guitar. It was one of the few belongings he managed to save when a devastating earthquake struck Central Java.
Somalia floods devastate communities
JOWHAR, Somalia, 6 December 2006 – Central and Southern Somalia have experienced widespread flooding that has affected over 300,000 people in recent weeks.
Emergency aid starts to reach Philippines areas hit by typhoon and mudflows
NEW YORK, USA, 5 December 2006 – In the Philippines, the death toll from Typhoon Reming, also known as Durian, has climbed to more than 570, according to the latest government figures.
Floods bring havoc to Dadaab refugee camp in northeastern Kenya
DADAAB, Kenya, 4 December 2006 – It was early Saturday morning and Kusa Yunis Hassan, 23, a Somali refugee mother of two, emerged from her plastic shelter. Her son Mohammed, 3, was playing outside. There had been a deluge for the past two weeks.
Bill Clinton visits rebuilt school in Aceh on final tour as UN tsunami envoy
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia, 4 December 2006 – Ibu Nurhayati has a big smile on her face. She just met Bill Clinton. The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery has come to her school – SDN 1 Peukan Bada, on the outskirts of Banda Aceh – to take a look at UNICEF’s permanent school reconstruction program.
GEM clubs help more girls get to school in Southern Sudan
JUBA, Southern Sudan, 30 November 2006 – Like children everywhere, students in Southern Sudan spend most of their mornings studying textbooks, reciting lessons and trying to keep still. But for two days recently, 55 students and teachers came together to raise education awareness through an exuberant display of song and dance.
UNICEF officer describes the plight of displaced families in a Darfur camp
NYALA, South Darfur, Sudan, 29 November 2006 – Colourful fabrics strewn across thorn bushes greet us as we drive through. Men and women fasten sticks and twigs into giant, bug-shaped structures, which when completed will be their new homes.
Camps swell as women and children flee fighting in south Darfur
NEW YORK, USA, 16 November 2006 – Thousands of women and children have taken shelter at a camp in south Darfur after a sudden surge in fighting forced them to flee their homes.
Former US President Clinton chairs tsunami recovery meeting at UNICEF
NEW YORK, USA, 15 November 2006 – Former US President Bill Clinton, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, chaired a session at UNICEF headquarters with partner agencies today to assess progress in the massive rebuilding effort.
Severe floods ravage eastern Africa
NEW YORK, USA, 14 November 2006 – Tens of thousands of people in eastern Africa have fled their homes, and many have died, as a result of heavy flooding in recent weeks. Somalia in particular has been severely affected, along with neighbouring Ethiopia and Kenya.
Far-reaching survey assesses learning spaces in post-war Southern Sudan
JUBA, Southern Sudan, 10 November 2006 – For the first time in the history of this war-torn region, a major survey has made it possible to identify the location and conditions of thousands of learning spaces – many of them ‘bush schools’ consisting of little more than a few benches under a tree.
UNICEF appeal cites ‘an emergency within an emergency’ in Afghanistan
New York, 8 November 2006 – UNICEF has issued an urgent appeal for help for the children of Afghanistan, who are suffering from the double tragedy of war and drought.
Renewed violence in Gaza raises serious concerns for children’s safety
NEW YORK, USA, 8 November 2006 – Renewed violence in Gaza is again raising serious concerns about the welfare of civilians, including children. Over the past week, the armed conflict has claimed the lives of an estimated 68 Palestinians – including 18 reportedly killed in shelling as Israeli tanks withdrew from the town of Beit Hanoun before dawn today.
Youth centre helps spread messages of peace in Dili, Timor-Leste
DILI, Timor-Leste, 2 November 2006 – Elio Da Costa, 14, took a few steps back to study his handiwork and then moved forward again to add some finishing touches. He was busy painting messages of peace and non-violence on the walls of St. Joseph Minor Seminary here in the capital of Timor-Leste.
In northern Pakistan, ‘child-friendly spaces’ help young quake survivors heal
NORTH WEST FRONTIER PROVINCE, Pakistan, 1 November 2006 – As Britain's Prince Charles pays a highly publicized visit to earthquake-affected communities of Pakistan-administered Kashmir today, quake survivors there and in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) continue their struggle to resume a normal life.
Nutrition survey checks on health of children affected by conflict in Sri Lanka
MULLAITIVU, Sri Lanka, 1 November 2006 – Three-year-old Kisharthan doesn’t quite know why he’s lying on his back on a wooden board. His father’s hand is on his head and a nurse is holding his feet. He looks alarmed and seems about to cry, but before he can start he is whisked up onto his feet again.
Polio immunization campaign supports recovery in post-war Lebanon
BENT JBAIL, Lebanon, 31 October 2006 – In another key step towards recovery in post-war Lebanon, the first round of an emergency polio immunization campaign began yesterday, targeting all children up to five years of age.
Two girls in Lebanon and Israel discuss post-war concerns
NEW YORK, 30 October, 2006 – During the war between Israel and Hezbollah that ended with a ceasefire in August, young people in both Lebanon and Israel suffered while watching parts of their homelands attacked and people who lived there displaced or killed.
Zakia’s story: Support for education in Pakistan’s earthquake zone
BATTAGRAM, Pakistan, 27 October 2006 – Under the watchful eyes of her mother, Zakia Bibi is getting ready for school, diligently packing her books and folders.
Polio case in Kenya refugee camp raises fears and concerns
NEW YORK, USA, 26 October 2006 – As the escalating conflict in Somalia triggers an influx of refugees into neighbouring Kenya, a child living in a camp along the border has been diagnosed with polio. It is Kenya’s first reported case in 22 years.
Food supplies run low for Sri Lankan families displaced by violence
JAFFNA, Sri Lanka, 26 October 2006 – Sri Lanka’s Jaffna Peninsula has already seen decades of conflict. Now its population of 600,000 is feeling the effects of the recent upsurge in fighting between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and government forces.
Reclaiming normalcy, children in Lebanon return to school at last
ANSARIYYEH, Lebanon, 16 October 2006 – “During the war, I was very scared,” said Fatima Abbas, 10. “Every day, I thought I was going to die. There was so much bombing, and I thought things would never go back to normal again.”
Lebanese children returning to school for the first time since conflict
NEW YORK, USA, 13 October 2006 – Children in southern Lebanon will be headed back to the classroom on Monday, 16 October, as part of the National Back-to-School Campaign initiated by the Ministry of Education with support from UNICEF.
Aid reaches families displaced by conflict in eastern Sri Lanka
VAHARAI, Sri Lanka, 12 October 2006 – Not far from the shoreline, where rows of tents stretch into the distance, a group of children and women gather round a concrete well to wash clothes and dowse themselves in cooling water – a relief from the fierce heat.
Rebuilding lives in the Pakistan earthquake zone, one year later
NEW YORK, USA, 6 October 2006 – It has been an extremely difficult year for children living in the earthquake-affected regions of northern Pakistan.
‘Eye See’ photo project spotlights the views of young earthquake survivors in Pakistan
NEW YORK, USA, 5 October 2006 – To mark the one-year anniversary of northern Pakistan’s devastating earthquake, UNICEF has launched the ‘Eye See II’ photo project, a special initiative to highlight the unique experiences and needs of children in the quake’s aftermath.
European Commission funds support for Palestinian children caught in conflict
NEW YORK, USA, 4 October 2006 – Ninety-one children have been killed already this year in the West Bank and Gaza, almost double the number killed during the whole of 2005. Fear and violence are part of daily life in the occupied Palestinian territory, and children are suffering from increasing levels of stress.
School clubs spread message of hygiene across South Kordofan
SOUTH KORDOFAN, Sudan, 29 September 2006 – The students in the School Hygiene Club at Kagar-Al-Mak School in the Nuba Mountains of northern Sudan are quite busy these days. They are producing drama and songs with key messages on hygiene and sanitation that they will perform for about 600 other pupils and teachers.
Water and hygiene aid helps Lebanese families cope in war’s aftermath
EL KHIAM, Lebanon, 25 September 2006 – This southern Lebanese border town was severely damaged during the recent conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. No building was left untouched. More than 70 per cent of El Khiam’s houses and three of its five schools were destroyed.
Displaced children and families at risk in Jaffna, Sri Lanka
NEW YORK, USA, 20 September 2006 – Despite a ceasefire officially in effect in Sri Lanka, the conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and government forces has brought escalating violence to the Jaffna District on the northern tip of the island nation. Shelling and skirmishes between the two groups are a frequent occurrence there.
Teenage girls in Israel and Lebanon talk about living through war
NEW YORK, USA, 19 September 2006 – Two teenage girls, one from Israel and one from Lebanon, had an opportunity to speak on the phone recently and tell each other about themselves and their experiences in the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Two teenage girls in Israel and Lebanon find common ground
NEW YORK, USA, 14 September 2006 – Two teenage girls, one from Israel and one from Lebanon, had an opportunity to speak on the phone last week and tell each other about themselves and their recent experiences in the war between their two countries.
Lebanese children face post-war challenges
NEW YORK, USA, 14 September 2006 – In the southern Lebanese town of Srifa, older generations have lived through many wars. But the recent, month-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah was the first for for 15-year-old Mariam Kamal El Dine and her younger sisters.
Child health suffers in Gaza and West Bank as government workers’ strike continues
NEW YORK, USA, 12 September 2006 – Thousands of children in the West Bank and Gaza have been without medical care since health workers went on strike earlier this month. Along with other government workers, they have not been paid for several months because of the continuing conflict in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The long road back to school for children in southern Lebanon
SRIFA, Lebanon, 7 September 2006 – Now that the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has ceased, the children of southern Lebanon are trying to return to normal life. But the challenges are enormous. In the village of Srifa, half the buildings have been damaged or destroyed.
Making heroes out of children with a new emergency preparedness programme
KUALA MUDA KEDAH, Malaysia, 1 September 2006 – “I was watching TV when my neighbour came to my house to tell me to look at this long white line in the sea. When I saw the giant waves in the distance I thought to myself, how beautiful! I had never seen anything like it before..."
Students face challenges as new school year begins in Gaza and the West Bank
NEW YORK, 1 September 2006 – Ongoing violence in the West Bank and Gaza is threatening to disrupt the new school term as more than 1.6 million children prepare to return to classes.
Japan donation protects flood-affected children from malaria and polio
ADDIS ABABA, 29 August 2006 – UNICEF has received $4.7 from the Government of Japan for malaria control and polio eradication in Ethiopia.
UNICEF issues urgent appeal as Ethiopia flood toll rises and supplies run low
NEW YORK, 29 August 2006 – Hundreds of people have been killed and tens of thousands more made homeless by floods sweeping across Ethiopia. UNICEF has launched an emergency appeal for $18.35 million to provide food, shelter and medicine to those struggling to survive.
UNICEF provides emergency supplies for flood-stricken families in Nepal
KATHMANDU, Nepal, 29 August 2006 – UNICEF has started distributing supplies to families affected by devastating floods in the Mid-Western and Far-Western Regions of Nepal.
UNICEF and UN partners step up humanitarian aid in southern Lebanon
NEW YORK, USA, 28 August 2006 – As the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah holds in southern Lebanon and UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan makes a diplomatic visit to the region, Lebanese children continue to suffer from inadequate services, water shortages and a lack of basic supplies.
Thousands remain displaced by Ecuador’s Tungurahua volcano
QUITO, Ecuador, August 25, 2006 – Ecuador’s active Tungurahua volcano had its biggest eruption yet last week, leading to the displacement of thousands of children and families who now remain homeless and in need of humanitarian assistance.
In the Philippines, UNICEF gears up response to Mount Mayon eruption threat
MANILA, Philippines, 23 August 2006 – More than a week after a high alert (level 4 out of 5) was declared at Mount Mayon in the Philippines province of Albay, the number of evacuees from the active volcano zone continues to rise.
For Lebanese children, the homefront is a landscape mined with dangers
TYRE, Lebanon, 23 August 2006 – Sikuna Marei, 12, lies in the intensive care unit of Tyre’s Jebel Amel hospital. Even the oxygen mask she’s wearing can’t conceal the pain she suffers from the wound where doctors removed a jagged piece of shrapnel from her liver.
Schools shelter Palestinian families displaced by violence in Gaza
NEW YORK, USA, 22 August 2006 – The Preparatory School for Boys in Rafah, southern Gaza, has become a temporary home for nearly 50 Palestinian families affected by ongoing hostilities.
Uncertain journey for Lebanese refugees returning from Syria
NEW YORK, USA, 18 August 2006 – Thousands of Lebanese refugees who fled to Syria during the month-long conflict between Hezbollah and Israel have been crossing the border again. More than 100,000 have made the journey back to Lebanon since the ceasefire took effect on Monday.
Frontline diary: On an aid convoy to war-torn Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon
BIN JBEIL, Lebanon, 18 August 2006 – It’s 8 a.m. and our convoy of 16 battered trucks is lined up on the Tyre seafront. I am in the rear escort vehicle, an armoured Land Cruiser, in line with the tight security rules that apply to a zone of recent conflict.
Relief for children in southern Lebanon, but danger remains
NEW YORK, 17 August 2006 – UNICEF supplies of water and fuel have arrived in one of the worst hit areas of southern Lebanon. The town of Bint Jbeil was devastated in the month-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, but families are already returning home. As well as trying to rebuild their lives, they now face the threat of unexploded bombs.
Children suffer with no end to violence in Gaza
NEW YORK, USA, 16 August 2006 – As the fragile ceasefire continues to hold in Lebanon, children in Gaza are facing unprecedented levels of violence.
Monsoon floods cause widespread damage, affecting millions in India
BHUBANESWAR, India, 15 August 2006 – Lying on the floor of a congested relief camp, women and children wait anxiously for the return of their loved ones. Among them is Pratima Biswal, 32, whose husband Saroj went missing while trying to escape from the raging floodwaters.
As thousands of Lebanese families head home, UNICEF warns of unexploded bomb danger
NEW YORK, USA, 15 August 2006 – UNICEF is warning that thousands of Lebanese children are at risk from unexploded bombs as they return to their homes in the wake of Monday’s ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.
Young people in the Middle East talk about the toll of conflict
NEW YORK, USA, 14 August 2006 – Yasmin, 13, lives in the Gaza Strip. She says her life used to be beautiful, without the fears she has on a daily basis now. “I can’t go swimming, I can’t go anywhere, can’t look at the Internet because of the electricity shortage,” she says. “I can’t even take a bath because of the water shortage.”
Thousands head home following ceasefire in Lebanon
NEW YORK, USA, 14 August 2006 – Tens of thousands of Lebanese families are returning home, just hours after a ceasefire was agreed between Israel and Hezbollah. UNICEF estimates that some 6,000 people an hour are heading back towards the worst hit areas in the south of the country.
Immunization campaign for displaced children in Lebanon gains momentum
BEIRUT, Lebanon, 11 August 2006 – A UNICEF-backed campaign to immunize children displaced by the ongoing conflict in Lebanon against measles and polio is now under way across the country.
UNICEF renews call for cessation of hostilities to assist civilians in Lebanon
NEW YORK, USA, 11 August 2006 – UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman today reiterated her call for a cessation of hostilities in Lebanon to allow humanitarian agencies to deliver emergency aid.
Safe play areas offer some relief for children caught in Gaza conflict zone
NEW YORK, USA, 11 August 2006 – In the Palestinian village of Wadi Al Salqa, children at a playground are busy playing with their friends, just as children do everywhere. But what may look like a perfectly ordinary scene is not so ordinary in Gaza, where children have very few places to play.
The humanitarian challenge in Lebanon
NEW YORK, USA, 9 August 2006 – Nearly a month into the conflict in the Middle East, the challenges faced by Lebanon’s civilian population are unrelenting while the delivery of emergency aid remains almost impossible.
International community condemns killing of aid workers in Sri Lanka
NEW YORK, 9 August 2006 – The recent killing of 17 Sri Lankan aid workers has sent shock waves through the global humanitarian community. UNICEF Representative in Sri Lanka Joanna Van Gerpen called the execution-style killings “unprecedented, and perhaps one of the worst incidents in the history of humanitarian assistance.”
Crisis worsens Gaza’s already severe water shortage
NEW YORK, USA, 8 August 2006 – The water point in the southern Gaza town of Joret al Lout is the only place to get drinkable water for the more than 10,000 people who live there.
Community health workers reach out to quake-affected families in Pakistan
MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan, 18 July 2006 – Firdaus, a 19-year old college student, entered the canvas-and-aluminium shelter of the Akhtar family in the ruins of Chela Bandi village, Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Lebanese families fleeing conflict seek refuge at a camp in Syria
DAMASCUS, SYRIA/NEW YORK, USA, 7 August 2006 – The Zabadani Pioneer Camp near Damascus is one of Syria’s biggest hosting sites for refugees who have fled ongoing hostilities in Lebanon. The former children’s camp has cancelled its summer programme in order to accommodate 1,700 refugees.
Latest violence cuts off most humanitarian access to Lebanon
NEW YORK, USA, 4 August 2006 – Air strikes in northern Lebanon have destroyed the country’s last road links to the outside world, severely restricting humanitarian access.
Protecting the health and well-being of children displaced by conflict in Lebanon
NEW YORK, USA, 3 August 2006 – UNICEF has launched a measles immunization campaign in Lebanon to protect the health of tens of thousands of children forced from their homes by the conflict there.
Children displaced by violence in Timor-Leste face malnutrition and harsh conditions
DILI, Timor-Leste, 3 August 2006 – Little Nevia Nunes huddled close to her mother’s breast, her eyes half-open, her face a picture of exhaustion.
Psychosocial programmes help Palestinian children cope with crisis
NEW YORK, USA, 2 August 2006 – Since there are no places to play in Al Zaytoun, children wander the streets, improvising their own games in the heavily populated area east of Gaza City. Poverty is rife and ongoing hostilities have made matters worse.
Youth in the Middle East tell their stories of conflict... and hopes for peace
NEW YORK, USA, 1 August 2006 – Omer lives in Haifa, in northern Israel. She’s 15 years old. “After the siren we have about a minute to get into shelters. And usually we hear booms and faraway echoes. It’s kind of scary.”
As Middle East crisis continues, supplies reach southern Lebanon
NEW YORK, USA, 31 July 2006 – In the aftermath of Sunday’s attack in Southern Lebanon’s town of Qana — which left nearly 60 people dead including 37 children — UNICEF is calling on all parties to heed the call of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
Violence takes heavy toll on Israeli and Palestinian children
NEW YORK, USA, 28 July 2006 – More than two weeks into the conflict, the ongoing violence between Israel and Hezbollah is taking a heavy toll on children living in the region. While the number of civilian casualties continues to rise, the psychological trauma inflicted on children is difficult to measure.
Escalating death toll for children in Gaza
NEW YORK, USA, 27 July 2006 – While clashes between Israel and Hezbollah intensify in Lebanon, fighting continues on a second front in Gaza in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). And the crisis is taking a heavy toll on children.
Aid appeal launched as UNICEF supplies arrive in southern Lebanon
NEW YORK, USA, 26 July 2006 – The first convoy of humanitarian supplies for children has reached Tyre in southern Lebanon. The joint UN convoy contains 40 tonnes of much-needed emergency supplies destined for the tens of thousands of displaced children affected by the ongoing violence between Israel and Hezbollah.
Palestinian children hit hardest in ongoing Gaza crisis
NEW YORK, USA, 26 July 2006 – While clashes between Israel and Hezbollah intensify in Lebanon, fighting continues on a second front in Gaza in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).
Lebanon aid appeal launched as first UNICEF supplies arrive
NEW YORK, USA, 24 July 2006 – UNICEF is asking for $23.8 million as part of a wider UN appeal of $150 million for emergency aid to Lebanon. Launched simultaneously in Beirut and at United Nations headquarters in New York, the appeal urges the global community to help displaced and refugee children and families in their hour of critical need.
UNICEF supplies are on the way, but access remains a major challenge in Lebanon
NEW YORK, USA, 21 July 2006 – Civilian refugees caught in the conflict in Lebanon and Israel are increasingly imperilled, especially in southern Lebanon, where fighting is expected to intensify. Gaining access to deliver aid to children and families at risk remains a major challenge for UNICEF and other relief agencies.
Aid distributed in communities hit by Java quake and tsunami
NEW YORK, USA, 21 July 2006 – UNICEF emergency supplies are being distributed among communities in Java to help them cope with the aftermath of the tsunami that struck the south coast of the Indonesian island on Monday, killing more than 500 people.
UNICEF prepares emergency aid for children caught in deepening Middle East crisis
NEW YORK, USA, 20 July 2006 – As the humanitarian situation deteriorates further amid continuing conflict in Lebanon and Israel, UNICEF is concerned for the lives, health and well-being of children caught in the crisis.
Supplies reach tsunami-stricken south coast of Indonesia’s Java island
NEW YORK, USA, 19 July 2006 – UNICEF supplies have reached the south coast of Indonesia’s Java island, where an earthquake and tsunami struck on Monday, leaving hundreds of people dead and tens of thousands homeless.
UNICEF and partners respond to escalating crisis in Lebanon and Israel
NEW YORK, USA, 19 July 2006 – With the crisis in Lebanon and Israel entering its second week, UNICEF is seriously concerned for civilians caught in the conflict and is racing to get critical emergency supplies to tens of thousands of children affected by the hostilities.
Summer schedule helps mountain schools in Pakistan's quake zone catch up
JABORI, Pakistan, 12 July 2006 – In the valley communities of northeastern Pakistan devastated by the 8 October 2005 earthquake, thousands of temporary tent schools supported by UNICEF are closed down for the long, hot summer.
Schools outside Timor-Leste capital overcrowded with students fleeing conflict
BAUCAU TOWN, Timor-Leste, 3 July 2006 – Over 700 secondary students fleeing violence in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste, flooded into schools in the eastern district of Baucau last month. Ever since, Baucau Town’s three secondary schools have been struggling to cope with the overflow.
UNICEF youth spokesperson says the world is failing children in Darfur
NEW YORK, USA, 30 June 2006 – UNICEF Spokesperson for Youth Ronan Farrow has returned from a trip to the Darfur region of Sudan saddened by the changes since his last visit in 2004 but motivated to remind young people that they can make a difference.
Singing and sports help Timorese children cope in camps for displaced people
DILI, Timor-Leste, 27 June 2006 – The recent violence in Timor-Leste reopens emotional wounds for many. Forced out of their homes, tens of thousands of Timorese have had no choice but to live in crowded camps.
Scenes from the frontline: Mia Farrow’s Darfur video diary
DARFUR, Sudan, 23 June 2006 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow visited the war-torn Darfur region of Sudan in mid-June to highlight the importance of protecting children affected by the continuing violence there.
Flash floods kill over 200 on Sulawesi island, Indonesia
NEW YORK, USA, 22 June 2006 – More than 200 people have died in flash floods after three days of torrential rains swept through eight districts in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia.
Young quake survivors battle tetanus infection
YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia, 19 June 2006 - Four-year-old Dani lies weak but restless in her hospital bed. She’s been here for four days with her mother, Ibu Gini.
UNICEF helps Dili residents made homeless by ethnic violence
DILI, Timor-Leste, 16 June 2006 - It seems like a different era, but just two months ago Don Bosco was simply a college. Today, the school and the grounds surrounding it have become one of the largest camps for people displaced by the ethnic violence in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste.
In Ethiopia, better education for a better future
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, 15 June 2006 – As countries around the world commemorate the Day of the African Child tomorrow – the anniversary of a historic child-led protest for access to basic quality education in Soweto, South Africa – the day also marks a milestone for children in Ethiopia.
On Darfur visit, Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow appeals for international aid
NEW YORK, USA, 15 June 2006 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow has just completed a one-week visit to Sudan to highlight the need for further international aid in war-torn Darfur.
Mothers hit hard by drought in Horn of Africa
GARISSA, Kenya, 13 June 2006 – Signs of death litter the Horn of Africa, stark reminders of a fragile landscape deprived of sufficient water for years on end.
Education, water and sanitation at forefront of UNICEF quake relief in Indonesia
NEW YORK, USA, 12 June 2006 – While communities pull together in Central Java, Indonesia, gradually clearing buildings destroyed by the 27 May earthquake, UNICEF is putting education, water and sanitation at the forefront of its ongoing relief efforts there.
Puppet theatre welcomes children back to school in Pakistan earthquake zone
BALAKOT, Pakistan, 12 June 2006 – Schoolgirls topple over each other in a fit of giggles as they watch a puppet show performed by the Dosti Welfare Organization, a UNICEF local partner in Pakistan.
Amid conflict in Timor-Leste, a teacher cares for families displaced by violence
DILI, Timor-Leste, 9 June 2006 – Taking care of some 2,000 men, women and children means getting up at 4 a.m. and working until midnight for Antonio Soares, a volunteer coordinator at a camp for displaced people in Comoro Has-Lara, Timor-Leste.
In Java quake’s aftermath, UNICEF expands relief efforts and monitors volcano threat
NEW YORK, USA, 8 June 2006 – Nearly two weeks after the devastating earthquake in Central Java, Indonesia, UNICEF is concentrating its relief efforts on providing survivors with safe water and adequate sanitation, and has just launched a massive immunization campaign.
UNICEF helps displaced children and families survive in Chad’s desert
GOZ BEIDA, Chad, 6 June 2006 – “They came again and again, taking our things, killing and burning our villages,” says Fatime, a Chadian mother of five. “We had to leave our village near the border of Sudan because of the Janjaweed militia.”
Life after the earthquake in a village in Central Java, Indonesia
NOGOSARI, Indonesia, 6 June 2006 – A string of brick houses along a lush green hillside comprise the quaint village of Nogosari in Central Java, Indonesia. But at 5:55 a.m. on 27 May, Nogosari’s tranquillity was suddenly punctured. The 6.2 Richter-scale earthquake, its epicentre just a few km away, violently lifted up this village before setting it back down again as little more than a pile of rubble.
In Angola, fresh water saves many threatened by cholera outbreak
LUANDA, Angola, 1 June 2006 – Surrounded by buckets, cans and plastic basins, Susana Neto and Catarina Figueiredo can hardly keep up with the demand at a roadside water distribution point in Boa Vista, one of Luanda’s shantytowns.
UNICEF opens first child protection centre in Indonesia quake zone
NEW YORK, USA, 31 May 2006 – Just three days after a devastating earthquake struck Central Java in Indonesia, UNICEF has opened the first child protection centre in the quake zone.
UNICEF emergency supplies reaching thousands affected by Indonesia quake
NEW YORK, USA 30 May 2006 – UNICEF emergency supplies are flowing into Central Java, Indonesia, to assist thousands of victims of Saturday’s earthquake.
Relief supplies arrive to help survivors cope with Indonesia quake impact
YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia, 28 May 2006 – In the early hours of the day yesterday, a powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale struck just south of Indonesia’s art and culture capital of Yogyakarta, Central Java. The quake left more than 4,600 people dead, mainly in the rural district of Bantul, situated between Yogyakarta city and the southern coast of Java.
Thousands reported killed in central Java earthquake; UNICEF responds
27 May 2006 – Almost 3,000 people have been killed in an earthquake that struck central Java, Indonesia, at 5:55 local time this morning, according to the provincial government’s Emergency Coordinating Agency.
UNICEF urges more international help to improve security for children in Chad
NEW YORK, USA, 23 May 2006 – UNICEF humanitarian workers have returned to their posts in eastern Chad after being evacuated for security reasons during the country’s recent presidential election.
In Ethiopia’s troubled Gambella region, a master plan to get children back to school
GAMBELLA, Ethiopia, 17 May 2006 – During a visit to western Gambella, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Rima Salah laid out a master plan to get more children back to school in one of Ethiopia's most strife-torn regions.
On Indonesia’s Nias Island, UNICEF helps rebuild the lives of quake-affected children
GUNUNGSITOLI, Indonesia, 10 May 2006 – Well over a year since a violent earthquake shook the island of Nias in Indonesia, killing 800 people and destroying 90 per cent of the infrastructure, UNICEF continues to offer vital protection for children.
Health and nutrition survey provides vital information on Pakistan earthquake survivors
NEW YORK, USA, 9 May 2006 – Seven months after the terrible earthquake that devastated Pakistan in October, malnutrition persists as one of the major problems for children under the age of five in the affected areas. But the situation is gradually improving, thanks in part to an ambitious survey of the condition of earthquake survivors.
Goodwill Ambassador Johann Koss sees effects of war in Southern Sudan
Southern Sudan, 5 May 2006 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Johann Koss has just completed a visit to Southern Sudan to highlight both the challenges and opportunities for children here after 21 years of war.
Goodwill Ambassador Johann Koss visits camps for displaced families in Sudan
EL FATEH CAMP, Sudan, 2 May 2006 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and Olympic speed-skating champion Johann Koss is visiting Sudan to highlight the difficult situation of children living in camps for displaced families.
Frontline Diary
GOMA, DR Congo, 27 April 2006 – Over the course of five days earlier this month, our small group travelled through eastern DR Congo, visiting Bunia, Beni and finally Goma, the largest town in the Ituri region. It was clear that UNICEF is providing truly lifesaving emergency interventions on the ground in these war-torn areas. But any hope of moving from humanitarian aid to long-term development will depend on achieving peace here.
Goodwill Ambassador Angélique Kidjo witnesses devastation of drought in Kenya
NEW YORK, USA, 26 April 2006 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and Oxfam campaigner Angélique Kidjo visited the drought-affected Wajir district in northern Kenya this week to raise awareness about the severe crisis that has devastated the Horn of Africa.
UN appeal seeks $426 million for Horn of Africa drought relief
NAIROBI, Kenya, 10 April 2006 – The United Nations regional appeal for the Horn of Africa was launched Friday at a standing-room-only event here. Out of the total appeal for $426 million, UNICEF is asking donors for $97.7 million.
Six months after Pakistan quake, child nutrition and health care are key concerns
MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan, 6 April 2006 – Six months after the earthquake that devastated this area in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, UNICEF is helping Pakistan’s Ministry of Health operate a therapeutic feeding centre for undernourished children in Muzaffarabad and extend health care to village communities where there was none before. These activities are intended to safeguard children’s health as the emergency phase of the quake relief effort changes to return, reconstruction and rehabilitation.
With the Horn of Africa on the brink of famine, need for drought relief grows
NEW YORK USA, 6 April 2006 – The need for humanitarian aid is growing in parts of the Horn of Africa where more than 15 million people – including 2.7 million children under the age of five – are affected by the worst drought to hit the region in decades. Aid will be even more vital to save children’s lives if the rains fail again this month the region, which includes Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.
Children among the most vulnerable from quake and aftershocks in Lorestan, Iran
LORESTAN, Iran, 5 April 2006 – UNICEF is at the front lines of the emergency relief effort in the aftermath of the 31 March earthquake and aftershocks in Lorestan, Iran. UNICEF’s Representative in Iran, Christian Salazar, spent time over the last few days in the city of Boroujerd, one of the hardest-hit areas. “It’s like a ghost town,” he said. “Ten thousand houses and all the schools are destroyed.”
International Day for Mine Awareness: A landmine-free world within reach
NEW YORK, USA, 4 April 2006 – Children could be free from the threat of landmines and other explosive remnants of war much sooner than previously thought. According to the ‘Landmine Monitor Report 2005’, between 15,000 and 20,000 people – at least 20 per cent of them children – are killed or maimed by these devices each year. But that number has been decreasing over the last decade.
UNICEF helps to launch ‘Go to School’ initiative in post-war Southern Sudan
JUBA, Southern Sudan, 3 April 2006 – Getting the kids ready for a new school term can be a hectic and expensive affair, most parents would agree. But it pales in comparison with buying, shipping and packing school supplies for 1.6 million Southern Sudanese children – a process that demands a forklift for the pencil sharpeners alone.
Schools reopen in Bel Air, bringing hope and stability to Haitian children scarred by violence
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, 31 March 2006 – Sitting in rows of four on benches newly provided by UNICEF, young girls and boys fill classrooms in the schools of Port-au-Prince’s rundown suburb of Bel Air. And you can read the joy and excitement on their faces.
12-14 March 2006: UNICEF UK’s David Bull reports from drought-stricken Kenya
LOKICHOGIO, Kenya, 12 March 2006 – Imagine walking through the dusty semi-desert of northern Kenya, where the temperature is in the upper thirties Celsius day after day. Your whole community has lost all the cattle, goats and donkeys that provided the only livelihood in this parched landscape, where even the usual meagre rains have been largely absent for the last two years or more.
UNICEF Pakistan supports services for women and children disabled by earthquake injuries
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, 24 March 2006 – Among the most vulnerable of the thousands injured in last October’s earthquake are those who suffered severe spinal injuries. In a society where disability is not easily addressed, UNICEF is providing support by helping Pakistan’s National Institute of the Handicapped to establish a special ward for injured women and children.
On Afghanistan visit, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director stresses need for education for all
BAMYAN, Afghanistan, 22 March 2006 – In the shadow of a huge sandstone arch that housed one of the famous Bamyan Buddhas in central Afghanistan prior to its destruction by the Taliban, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Rima Salah today urged all Afghan families to give priority to education for the sake of long-term progress.
As drought lingers, Kenya’s nomadic Turkana tribes are among the worst affected
NEW YORK, USA, 21 March 2006 – The nomadic Turkana tribes of northeastern Kenya have been especially vulnerable to the severe year-long drought afflicting the Horn of Africa.
Haiti’s children still struggling for survival
NEW YORK, USA, 21 March 2006 – Haiti’s children are facing a continuing struggle for survival, with one in eight likely to die before the age of five. A lack of basic services such as water, health care and education are compounded by poverty and violence, locking children into a cycle of deprivation and abuse.
UNICEF Representative sees opportunities in Southern Sudan and urgent need in Darfur
NEW YORK, USA, 16 March 2006 – UNICEF’s Representative in Sudan, Ted Chaiban, is in Washington, D.C. today, meeting with U.S. Government officials about the critical situation in Darfur and Southern Sudan. In particular, Mr. Chaiban is emphasizing the urgent need for greater awareness and funds to help millions of people – most of them children and women – affected by conflict throughout Sudan. After his meetings on Capitol Hill, he will head to London and Berlin for further discussions with governments and donors.
Rescue teams continue search for survivors of mudslide
ST. BERNARD, Philippines, 22 February 2006 – Although time is running out, rescue teams in the Philippines have continued to dig in hopes of finding more survivors from last Friday’s deadly mudslide.
Coping with severe drought in Ethiopia's southern Moyale district
MOYALE DISTRICT, Southern Ethiopia, 20 February 2006 – More than 100 men, women and children crowd around the edge of a rough-cast well in Ethiopia's southern Moyale district – held back by a single man carrying a whip fashioned out of a broken branch.
Relief arriving for survivors of mudslide tragedy
ST. BERNARD, Philippines, 20 February 2006 – International aid has begun to pour in for the survivors of Friday’s mudslide in the Philippines. The first shipments of UNICEF supplies – including essential drugs, medical equipment and water purification tablets – arrived the next day. Relief efforts are being coordinated with the Philippines Armed Forces and the Red Cross.
UNICEF launches relief appeal as severe drought threatens Ethiopia
GODE, Ethiopia, 26 January 2006 – Two tiny babies lie cradled in the arms of their mother and older sister in Gode Hospital, near the southernmost edge of Ethiopia's remote, drought-stricken Somali region. At first glance you would never know that they were twins.
UNICEF launches Humanitarian Action Report 2006 with an appeal for more than $805 million for emergency relief in 29 countries
NEW YORK, USA, 23 January 2006 – Appealing to donors for more than $805 million for emergency relief in 29 countries, UNICEF has launched its annual Humanitarian Action Report. The Report outlines the organization’s work in emergency situations and the funding requirements for 2006.
‘Carol Bellamy Operations Centre’ unveiled
NEW YORK, USA, 18 January 2006 – In honour of former UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy’s extraordinary contribution to the initial creation and nurturing of the organization’s emergency programming focus, UNICEF today unveiled a new, completely renovated communication facility, renaming it the ‘Carol Bellamy Operations Centre’.
UN Delegations Women’s Club raises $120,000 for schools in Darfur
NEW YORK, USA, 27 October 2005 – UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman today accepted a cheque for $120,000 from the United Nations Delegations Women’s Club, for the construction of schools in Sudan’s conflict-ridden region of Darfur. The Club raised the money through an international bazaar held earlier in the year that featured raffles, food and hand crafted items from five continents.
Executive Director Ann M. Veneman: Supplies are critical to relief efforts
COPENHAGEN, 19 October 2005 – UNICEF’s Supply Division, based in this European city, has been key to the organization’s ability to respond to the devastating earthquake in South Asia. UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman is in Copenhagen today to review operations.
Katrina: UNICEF kits helping displaced children
MERIDIAN, Mississippi, 13 September 2005 – Having fled their New Orleans home after Hurricane Katrina struck, nine-year-old Tinitra Corely and her family are living at the United Methodist Central Church in Meridian, Mississippi. UNICEF ‘School-in-a-Box’ and recreation kits have now arrived in Meridian, and Tinitra and other children like her are putting them to good use.
Katrina: Children helping children
REDFIELD, Arkansas, 12 September 2005 – The United Pentecostal Church campground in this town is now a temporary home to roughly three hundred people displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The first people arrived from New Orleans a week ago.
'SMART Methodology Version 1' expected to save lives in humanitarian emergencies
NEW YORK, 23 June 2005 – UNICEF and its partners have launched a new computer-based system that is expected to save lives in complex humanitarian emergencies.
Day of the African Child 2005: An opportunity to reflect
NEW YORK, 15 June 2005 – Countries across Africa are set to observe the ‘Day of the African Child’, 16 June 2005 – an annual celebration and an opportunity to reflect on progress towards to health, education, equality and protection for all the continent’s children.
UNICEF Executive Director and UN leaders call for action in southern Africa
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 25 May 2005 -- Three United Nations leaders called for the world to focus on the chronic problems and humanitarian needs of millions of people in southern Africa, especially children.
UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman heads to southern Africa
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 20 May 2005 – UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman’s first field visit, to the southern Africa region, comes at a time of crisis – a quiet, unseen crisis away from the media spotlight.
UNICEF behind major campaign to fight Marburg outbreak
UIGE, Angola, 12 April 2005 – Following the deadly Marburg outbreak in Angola and recent attacks on World Health Organization (WHO) surveillance teams in the Northern Province of Uige, UNICEF is supporting the Ministry of Health and WHO in a major multi-media campaign designed to provide targeted and accurate information about the disease.
Learning lessons from tsunami response
NEW YORK, 7 April 2005 – Three and a half months after the tsunami devastated south-east Asia, UNICEF’s emergency response team is beginning to evaluate the lessons learned during the humanitarian response. Claudia Hudspeth, who is UNICEF’s Senior Coordinator for Emergency Operations (EMOPS), recently returned from a three-month posting to Aceh, Indonesia, where she helped organize aid efforts.
Darfur: situation could deteriorate
NEW YORK, 7 April 2005 - Unless peace can be achieved on the ground in Darfur in the coming months, the situation for women and children is likely to get worse. Over two million people have been affected by the crisis, and with the conflict deteriorating and a severe drought looming, UNICEF Special Representative Keith McKenzie says people in Darfur are going to require continued assistance in the months ahead.
Launch of Arabic version of Humanitarian Action Report 2005
Dubai, 5 April 2005 – UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Rima Salah today launched the Arabic version of the Humanitarian Action Report 2005 and called for international donors and humanitarian agencies to renew their commitment and support for countries in crisis.
UNICEF seeks $763 million for ‘forgotten emergencies’
NEW YORK, 26 January 2005 - UNICEF is appealing to the ‘tsunami spirit’ for more than $750 million for emergencies out of the spotlight.
Coordinating UNICEF’s relief efforts
NEW YORK, 5 January 2005 – The staff at UNICEF’s Operation Centre (OPSCEN), located at the organisation’s headquarters in New York City, have been working around the clock in order to coordinate the unprecedented relief efforts for survivors of the Indian Ocean tsunami.
