Overview
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© UNICEF/Ethiopia/Harboe |
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Three-year-old Shamil Said with her mother Zahra Yimam at the health post in Kombolcha, South Wollo, Amhara Region waiting to receive her vaccination against measles and her drop of vitamin A supplementation. |
UNICEF Ethiopia
Children and women in Ethiopia face complex and interwoven social and economic problems. This make the realisation of children rights and well-being a challenging task. UNICEF in collaboration with the government of Ethiopia and other partners work closely to address problems that affect children and women. UNICEF is one of the United Nations agencies functioning in Ethiopia since 1952.
The overall goal of the UNICEF Ethiopia country programme is to support the national and regional efforts towards the realization of the rights of the child to survival, development, protection and participation with the following priority areas:
• Girls education
• Integrated policies for early childhood development
• Immunization and supplementation
• HIV/AIDS prevention among children
And to the six interrelated programmes: Health and Nutrition, Basic Education, HIV/AIDS, Water and Environmental Sanitation, Gender and Child Protection, Capacity Building Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation.
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© UNICEF/Ethiopia/Getachew |
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Farmer Nuriye Kedir with his wife Irko and three children, Shumbe Nuriye, 13, Husseun Nuriye, 2, Zeynebe Nuriye, 8 from a village called Jedo, 50 kms from Zway |
Current Situation
Ethiopia is a land of great physical diversity, with altitudes ranging from 116 meters below sea level, in the Danakil Depression, to 4,620 meters at the Africa’s fourth highest peak, Ras Dashen.
• Ethiopia ranks 30th in the world in under-five mortality rate
• One third of the population survive on less that 1 USD a day
• Ethiopia is a country of many ethnic groups speaking different languages or dialects
• The population is close to 70 million
• Children in Ethiopia are orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS. This has increased the number of child-household family and the burden of the elderly particularly the grandparents and community. Ethiopia has the largest HIV/AIDS infected population in the world.
• Children working and living on the street are vulnerable to the danger of contracting diseases like sexual transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS and other acute and chronic health problems. Girls are even at a greater risk, they are exposed to rape, sexual assault, pregnancy and prostitution
• Children are also victims of harmful practices such as circumcision, abduction and early marriage, physical punishment and labor exploitation.
• Access to basic and quality education and educational materials in Ethiopia is generally low. This affects the cognitive development of the child in the early years of life and beyond. Female enrollment/attendance compared to male is low. This hinders the development and life style of the child and the youth in particular, the family and the society at large forming a vicious circle of ignorance and stagnation.
• Children in Ethiopia die from childhood diseases that could easily be prevented through immunization and basic health services.
• Access to clean water and sanitation facilities are inadequate.
• Malnutrition affects a large portion of the population. Children in particular are highly affected by malnutrition.
