JANUARY 2003
A Study on Children in Institutions
These findings are part of an evaluation of childcare institutions and juvenile rehabilitation centres in
The report aimed to explore to which extent these centres were meeting the developmental needs of the child particularly the psychological and educational aspects with respect to each centre's mandate, building facilities, programmes and activities.
The sample of the study covered 26 centres: 21 childcare institutions (four governmental and 17 private) and five delinquent rehabilitation centres. It was found that most childcare and juvenile rehabilitation centres in the Kingdom do not appear to have clear and specific objectives that reflect the functions and programmes that they are supposed to offer.
According to the study, children in childcare institutions are not mainstreamed into programmes, which help them prepare for their adolescent life on leaving these centres.
As for juvenile rehabilitation centres, the report notes that there is a clear absence of appropriate activities that cater for a child's psychological, educational and recreational needs, thus defying the aim for the existence of such institutions. In addition, a formal relationship exists between a child and the workers in these centres which is characterized by the lack of love, affection, and respect with tension and threats.
UNICEF 's responsibility towards these children stems from the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the World Fit for Children declaration: Both documents clearly state the need to adopt and implement policies for the prevention, protection, rehabilitation and reintegration, as appropriate, of children living in disadvantaged social situations and who are at risk.
UNICEF conducted this evaluation in response to His Majesty King Abdullah's call for the need to re-examine the Country's regulations for the care of orphans and children abandoned by their parents and to draw up a new system that caters to their requirements and enables them to be integrated in their communities. His Majesty has noted that such care should be temporary, and that the relatives of these children are supposed to shoulder their responsibility after a certain stage.
Centre directors and key decision makers in the field will be attending a one-day workshop following the morning launch of the study. A roundtable meeting for decision makers will take place on Monday. The objective is to develop plans of action based on the findings of this evaluation to improve the lives of children deprived of parental care.
This study calls on the Ministry of Social Development and civil society to discontinue putting children in these institutions and instead focus on promoting family and community based solutions whenever possible. Another recommendation made is for the improvement in the conditions of these centres, making them child-friendly and appropriate for the development of the child. There is a clear call for the establishment of operational standards and a code of conduct for all institutions in the Country.
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FEBRUARY 2003
None Issued!
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MARCH 2003
The Situation of
Despite Efforts to Strengthen Them, UNICEF Says the Outlook Is Difficult
A day after UN international staff left
"We delivered therapeutic food for more than 400,000 malnourished children," Bellamy said. "But there are more than 1 million malnourished children in
Bellamy said there was no way of knowing how many children might perish during war or its aftermath. She said that would depend on how long a war lasts and how it affects civilian infrastructure. But she said the days and weeks ahead would be difficult for children.
"Conflict could very well have disastrous consequences for Iraqi children,"Bellamy said. "Malnourished children, children who have not been immunized, children who are displaced from their homes - all these children are at very high risk." She noted that children make up half the population of the country.
"Much has been done to boost the resilience of the most vulnerable children. But still the questions remains, will they be strong enough to survive?"
With one-quarter of children under the age of five chronically malnourished, and some 60 per cent of the population dependent on government food rations, UNICEF has been supporting major efforts to bolster children's health and well-being.
Water Works
In recent weeks, 1000 metric tonnes of high-protein biscuits and therapeutic milk has been distributed across the country to hundreds of thousands of malnourished children. Four million children were vaccinated against polio in February, and half a million children under fivewere immunised against measles.
UNICEF also worked with the Government to overhaul back-up generators at water and sewage treatment plants to ensure that safe water will continue to flow even if primary power is knocked out. About a third of the water supply network in
UNICEF also said it had positioned thousands of tonnes of emergency supplies in
Despite all this, Bellamy warned that Iraqi children will remain highly vulnerable during a war and its immediate aftermath. "Children will die in this war. That's a fact. The question is how many children we can protect. That has got to be a priority for all of us now."
Looking Ahead
Following the withdrawal of UN internationals from
Arriving in
De Rooy also emphasized the long-term impact that conflict has on children's psycho-social health and on their education. "We know from long experience how damaging war is for children's emotional well-being, their sense of confidence and trust. This trauma is amplified when children are forced from school. So we're very concerned about these longer-term issues, as well as their immediate safety."
For now, De Rooy will coordinate UNICEF relief operations from the UNICEF office in
"Right now the best we can do is keep a close eye," De Rooy said. "And be ready to respond."
For more on UNICEF's work in Iraq, visit the Iraq Press Room online at:
http://www.unicef.org/media/iraqpressroom.htm
Sheraton Amman Hotel & UNICEF support community based rehabilitation programme in East Amman
(Amman-19 March 2003) - The staff of the Sheraton Amman Al Nabil Hotel & Towers have raised funds for a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) supported Community Based Rehabilitation programme for physically and mentally challenged children in Al-Nasser area in East Amman. This effort is part of the "Give Us A Push" global fundraising campaign between Starwood Hotels and UNICEF.
The involvement of the private sector in such issues clearly demonstrates that the well being of children is everybody's business. In this context it is crucial to expand and strengthen ties with the private sector in ways that are commensurate with the challenges faced by societies.
To see the results of just what sort of fruits are reaped between a partnership with the private sector, a filed trip has been organised to Al-Nasser Wednesday (19 March, 2003) for the management of Sheraton Hotels and the media to see for themselves children using the rehabilitative equipment purchased.
"Nothing is more worthwhile than helping children and trying to ensure they grow up in a healthy and stable environment", said General Manager of the Sheraton Amman Al Nabil Hotel & Towers Jan Kirstein.
UNICEF in
"UNICEF is mandated to mobilise material resources through alliances with various partners including the private sector, to build capacities to deliver services for children and their families. We commend the staff of the Sheraton Hotel for their exemplary efforts," said Nasser Moeini UNICEF's Jordan Acting Representative.
"Give Us A Push" was initiated in
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APRIL 2003
Helping Children Cope With War
"Don't you see them shooting the soldiers?" asked 10-year-old Abd Al-Qader from
With a great look of concentration on his little brown face, the boy studiously continued to colour his drawing, careful to include minute details in the background including the respective flags and uniforms of the warring parties.
Abd Al-Qader proudly announced "I am responsible for all the kids here in this camp. I clean and take care of all the toys." With a twinkle in his dark brown eyes he pointed a little finger towards the toys being used by children in the large tent provided by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in
This tent serves as a school for primary school students, and gives refugee children the opportunity to play in a safe environment. The tent meets the educational, psychosocial and recreational needs of the children living at the TCN camp.
"With all the activities provided in this tent, and the new friends I have made, I have not been bored or had time to think of what has happened," said Asma (13) from
"The response (from the children) has been overwhelming. They are very eager to participate in all activities," said Maha Homsi, UNICEF's Protection / ECD Officer.
Each of the 6 tents provided by UNICEF, for both the TCN and the Iraqi refugee camp, is 72 square meters large with a capacity to serve 1,000 children every day. In the Iraqi refugee camp, UNICEF has pre-positioned three tents for grades 1-3 and two for grades 4-6-the Ministry of Education is UNICEF's main partner in the education intervention.
These education tents are fully equipped with furniture and supplies such as Arabic, science, maths and English textbooks as well as stationary and bags for children between the ages of 6-13 years-teaching aids and equipment are also provided for. UNICEF still needs $659,530 to order education supplies for the management and administration of pre- and primary schooling and for the non-formal education of youths.
"The purpose of these UNICEF interventions is to give children the opportunity for self-expression through drama, play-acting and drawing," said Homsi. The ultimate aim is to bring a sense of routine and normalcy back in the lives of these children.
Presently, there are some 300 refugees at the TCN camp largely comprising nationals from
Abd Al-Qader was born in
After the initial few days of recreation and building trust between UNICEF staff and children, the Organisation and its main partners, from the Ministries of Social Development and Education, and concerned non-governmental organisations, has begun to counsel and address children's fears. One nine-year-old boy living in the TCN camp has so far been identified as suffering from difficulties: He has witnessed first hand the devastating effects of bombing and is already suffering from bedwetting.
UNICEF Jordan is providing psychosocial support to children who need it, and has trained Jordanian 25 teachers and 15 counsellors to this end. The Children's organisation has rented two houses 16 kilometres from the camps for the teachers and counsellors. As additional support for parents and professionals, simple information leaflets have been produced about the early detection of a psychosocial trauma.
A psychosocial tent will be erected by UNICEF in the Iraqi refugee camp. In the afternoons plans are for it to be used by adolescents for non-formal education on healthy life skills.
Health, hygiene and sanitation are other fields UNICEF supports in partnership with the Ministry of Health, WHO and UNFPA. UNICEF has already set up one tent functioning as a health clinic fully equipped with basic drugs and equipment in the Iraqi refugee camp. UNICEF Jordan has provided hygiene kits for women and infants and simple information leaflets on water, hygiene and sanitation for parents.
Still more funds ($ 262,708) are needed to support another 9 tents for psychosocial services, training, and the required materials to support these interventions.
UNICEF staff say the organisation is committed to helping every child for as long as there are children in the refugee camps. UNICEF began its cooperation programmes in
A Workshop to Launch the Development of
the Jordanian National Plan of Action for Children
Amman (28 April, 2003)- Under the patronage of the Ministry of Planning, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is organising a workshop to launch the development of the Jordanian National Plan of Action in cooperation with the National Council for Family Affairs, Ministry of Planning, and the Ministry of Social Development.
With the aim of taking concrete action to turn commitments made by
The United Nations Special Session on Children was held almost one year ago, whereby world leaders and decision makers gathered to renew their commitment to children more than ten years after the famous World Declaration on the survival, protection, and development of children agreed to at the World Summit for Children in September 1990.
In 1990, all the world gathered and agreed on a plan of action to ensure the rights of every child. And in May 2002, the world gathered once again, to take stock of the achievements made, lessons learnt, and identify the future course of action to be taken to make the world a world fit for children.
Known for its commitment to children,
In 2000,
Also parallel to this, the Arab League drafted a plan of action for the Arab Child.
The workshop's presentations will share with all the participants all information on the process of developing a national plan of action, it will mark the beginning of a very important process which is likely to continue till the end of this year.
Participants are expected to review very critically the process and the suggested groups. Their input will help improve the process and ensure that in the end a plan of action will be developed and implemented by all partners.
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MAY 2003
The New UNICEF Representative to Jordan
Presents Her Credentials
(Amman- 13/5/2003)- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Jordan Country Office new representative, Ms. Anne Skatvedt presented her credentials to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr. Shaher Bak on Tuesday 13/5/2003 at 12:00 a.m. Ms. Skatvedt's appointment comes in succession to Ms. Misrak Elias who served as UNICEF Representative to Jordan from February 1997 till January 2003.
Ms. Skatvedt, who is a national of
Prior to joining UNICEF, Ms. Skatvedt started her career in 1970 as a journalist for the main daily newspaper of
The New UNICEF Representative to
(Amman- 13/5/2003)- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Jordan Country Office new representative, Ms. Anne Skatvedt presented her credentials to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr. Shaher Bak on
Ms. Skatvedt, who is a national of
Prior to joining UNICEF, Ms. Skatvedt started her career in 1970 as a journalist for the main daily newspaper of
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JUNE 2003
Routine Immunization of Children Re-Established Across Iraq
UNICEF says Iraqi children once again being guarded against preventable childhood diseases after months of no protection
BAGHDAD 16 June 2003 - With support from UNICEF, the Iraqi Ministry of Health has begun the process of immunizing the country's 4.2 million children under the age of five against preventable diseases such as polio, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, measles and tuberculosis. The World Health Organization is also contributing to the reactivation of the
According to UNICEF, no child in
"In the past three months, approximately 210,000 children have been born in
"Parents know how important these immunizations are to their newborn and young children. An infant's immune system is very fragile and vulnerable to contracting disease without these vaccines, and given the current conditions in the country, children are at greater risk than ever if they are not vaccinated right away," added de Rooy.
With the fall of the former regime came the breakdown of much of
The war also affected the country's store of vaccines. The country's vaccines were kept in a building at the Vaccine and Serum Institute of Baghdad. The institute was struck by missiles during the war and all electricity to the store room was cut.
"When the electricity went down, the cold chain system for preserving vaccines was rendered useless," said de Rooy. "More damage was caused when looters tore apart wiring, compressors and circuit boards at the institute making immediate emergency repairs to the cold chain impossible. In the end, all vaccine stocks were spoiled and had to be destroyed," he added.
To overcome this situation, UNICEF has been bringing millions of doses of vaccines into
UNICEF has also been working with health officials to repair
"UNICEF and the Ministry of Health have been focusing our health initiatives on re-establishing the country's routine immunization system. It is our main priority for protecting the health of Iraqi children," said de Rooy. "The size and importance of this endeavour can not be underestimated, and we are extremely pleased that immunization will begin across
With support from UNICEF and the WHO,
Commemoration of World Refugee Day
Amman (18 June, 2003)- Dedicated to millions of young people whose futures have been jeopardised by war, persecution and exile, World Refugee Day will be commemorated this year in Jordan on Thursday (19 June, 2003) by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Care International Jordan, the Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development (ZENID) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Jordan Country Office. The event will take place at Al Hussein Cultural Centre starting from
This year, World Refugee Day falls at a time when there are 2140 refugees recently fled as a result of the recent war against
UNHCR is mandated to provide international protection for refugees especially for young refugees who have special needs and to find solutions for the hardships faced by young refugees which include voluntary repatriation, integration in countries of asylum, or resettlement to third countries. It provides education and the necessary training in skills to prepare youngsters for the future, ensuring proper nutrition and health care, and ensuring that those who are alone get the special help and protection they need.
Along the same lines and within UNHCR's mandate in
To compliment and support the work of these agencies UNICEF Jordan has trained twenty service providers for youth in promoting the rights of youth refugees in development and participation. The Organisation isalso providing educational and psychosocial support to children and adolescents. It has thus trained 25 Jordanian teachers and 15 counselors. As additional support for parents and professionals, simple information leaflets have been produced about how to detect and help children undergoing psychosocial difficulties. UNICEF has also established and equipped a health clinic run by Ministry of Health.
In preparation for World Refugee Day, the Princess Basma Youth Resource Centre which is a part of the Queen Zein Al Sharaf Institute for Development, conducted two one day workshops with young refugees on self expression, communication skills as well as creativity. The youths consequently created a poster and bookmarks which will be distributed and used for this occasion.
Bellamy Urges African Leaders to Use Child Well-Being As Fundamental Measure of Progress
UNICEF Chief Joins High-Level Discussions at Africa Economic Summit
DURBAN / GENEVA, 11 June 2003 - The Executive Director of UNICEF today called on African leaders attending an economic summit here to embrace child-centred standards as the primary measure for gauging progress across their continent.
Arguing that no single measure of development predicts the future as reliably as the well-being of a nation's youngest citizens, UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy urged African nations to focus their limited resources on investments in health, education, equality and protection for children. And she urged them not to be shy about comparing their progress against other nations of similar economic strength.
"We all agree that in order to sustain human progress, a government must invest in its children," Bellamy told leaders attending the Africa Economic Summit. "Doing so is both a moral and an economic imperative. Thus the well-being of your children should become the most important standard for measuring your individual achievement as leaders."
Bellamy's proposal was presented to
Bellamy expressed support for the NEPAD proposal of an annual system of "peer review." She said that UNICEF and other UN agencies stood ready to assist in such reviews by providing the uniform statistical data needed to measure the progress of nations.
In fact, she mentioned UNICEF's annual "Progress of Nations" report as a template for the peer review and country comparisons being considered under NEPAD.
Through the 1990s, the UNICEF global publication used indicators such as child survival, child nutrition, and primary education attainment levels to measure the relative "progress" of nations.
By comparing the "actual" status of indicators such as child mortality, malnutrition and educational achievement with "expected" levels based on national per capita income, UNICEF's report established national "performance gaps." Bellamy said a similar approach could be used as a prominent part of NEPAD's peer review process.
"This process would enable leaders to review where countries ideally 'should' have reached in terms of human development and would fuel discussion of what steps have to be taken to be successful in relation to the benchmarks," Bellamy said. "There are lots of ways to measure progress, but child-centred measures are most telling," she asserted.
UNICEF pointed out that African countries that are currently in a similar per capita income range of $260 to $300 nonetheless register wide variations in child mortality rates (ranging from 75 deaths per 1,000 live births to 202 per 1,000); the percentage of schoolchildren reaching grade five (ranging from 24% to 84%); and in the percentage of under-fives who are malnourished (from 16% to 33%).
Bellamy observed that countries in this income range sometimes score better on one child-related indicator but less well on another. "But real progress depends not on one or two child indicators alone, but on steady progress across the whole range of child well-being," she said. "That's what African nations should be striving toward; that is the only road to economic development."
The indicators used in the national performance gap analysis developed by UNICEF have the advantage of being good indicators of human development as a whole; of being relatively easily measured; and of being directly related to the global objectives agreed to by the nations of the world at the UN's Millennium Summit in 2000, known as the Millennium Development Goals.
Without progress in Africa, UNICEF said the world cannot reach those goals: Africa accounts for only 12 per cent of the world's population yet is the home of 43 per cent of the world's child deaths, 50 per cent of maternal deaths, 70 per cent of people living with HIV/AIDS, and a staggering 90 percent of the children orphaned by AIDS.
"No continent with such unfavourable indicators of child well-being can achieve real development or stability," Bellamy declared. "Only by improving the immediate prospects of children can we break out of poverty toward true progress for
Some of the fast-track activities that Bellamy said were essential to African progress: Completing the eradication of polio and guinea worm disease;
Increasing the reach of basic immunization programmes;
Rolling back malaria, with particular emphasis on the massive roll-out of insecticide treated bed nets;
Combating micronutrient deficiencies such as anaemia, iodine and vitamin A deficiencies through food fortification and supplementation;
Expansion of safe drinking water and sanitation services, including ensuring that every school in Africa has separate latrines for girls and boys;
Realization of rights of orphans and other vulnerable children to a decent standard of living, health care, schooling and protection from exploitation.
"These may seem like daunting challenges," Bellamy said. "But each of them is being tackled effectively somewhere in
Members of the NEPAD partnership include African Union and the Africa Economic Summit. The African Economic Summit is part of the World Economic Forum.
To End Worst Forms of Child Labour, Nations Must Fight Trafficking of Children, UNICEF Says On World Day Against Child Labour, UNICEF Highlights Link With Child Trafficking
GENEVA / NEW YORK, 12 June 2003 - UNICEF said today that efforts to end the worst forms of child labour would not succeed without effective cooperative efforts to fight the trafficking of children and women within and across national borders. On World Day Against Child Labour, UNICEF pointed to estimates that the global trade in human beings is beginning to rival the illicit trafficking of arms and drugs.
"How can we put an end to the most abhorrent forms of child labour when the trafficking of children and women continues unabated?" asked Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF. "Children are increasingly treated as commodities by organized crime networks, where the profit derives from these children being sold into servitude or forced labour. We can no longer simply look at the worst forms of child labour as a shame. We have to see it as one part of an inhuman and criminal trade that must be stopped."
Trafficking in humans beings is beginning to rival the illegal trade in drugs and arms, with an estimated revenue of $12 billion a year, according to a 2003 International Labour Organization report.
Bellamy said children are seen by traffickers as commodities since they are more easily manipulated, on high demand and can be exploited over a longer period. Hidden from view and often from legal protection, children are lured by promises of a good education or a "better job" and smuggled across borders. Far from home or in a foreign country, trafficked children - disoriented, without papers, and excluded from any protective environment - can be forced to endure prostitution, domestic servitude, early and involuntary marriage, or hazardous and punishing labour.
Although no definitive data exists on child trafficking, some estimate that 1.2 million children are trafficked each year. Girls as young as 13 (mainly from
"Courageous leadership is needed from governments, who are primarily accountable for ensuring that child trafficking is criminalized and children are effectively protected from this form of exploitation." Bellamy noted that no country is free from the trade in human beings, and that efforts to stop it must be also regional and global in nature.
"Many governments are already signatories to the Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Trafficking and Child Pornography" Bellamy observed. "But much more needs to be done to ensure its effective implementation, including ample awareness campaigns, required legal reform, universal birth registration for children and strong international cooperation. Another important measure is granting humanitarian visas or according refugee status to trafficked children. And there is no better time to start making such commitments than today, World Day Against Child Labour."
UNICEF is committed to preventing and eliminating child trafficking. Its approach focuses on helping countries to build a protective environment for children - one which safeguards them from exploitation and abuse before it happens. Such a "protective environment" is based on eight common sense actions:
Governments need to show a strong political commitment to combat child trafficking: This includes ensuring that the necessary legislation is in place to outlaw trafficking and punish traffickers. Necessary resources need to be made available to ensure effective action is always guided by the best interests of the child.
Laws need to be rigorously and reliably enforced, including international agreements to help prevent trafficking and facilitate the safe return of trafficked children.
Attitudes and practices need to change: Getting and keeping all children in school -especially girls - would dramatically improve their protection, but 120 million children still never go to school, the majority of them girls. Awareness campaigns need to empower communities, families and children themselves to prevent trafficking.
Children need to be aware of the dangers of trafficking so that they can protect themselves: Children are often lured with promises of money and a 'better life.' To counter this, at-risk children need to be given practical skills that allow them to avoid being ensnared. This could include vocational training or income-generating activities at the community level to keep them from falling prey to false offers from traffickers.
All those who interact and spend time with children need to be able to recognize the risks of trafficking and respond accordingly: Teachers need to recognize the warning signs of a troubled home. Police raiding brothels need to know to search for girls who have come from other countries and avoid stigmatizing and victimizing them further. A border guard with limited awareness of trafficking may not react when seeing young children crossing a border without their parents.
Media attention is a crucial advocacy and awareness element in the fight against trafficking and in calling for the effective and systematic protection of the child victim.
Reintegration and rehabilitation for victims of trafficking: Children who have been trafficked need services to help them escape their situation, and to return home to a safe environment. Services for child victims of trafficking need to be guided by the best interests of the child, including the child's return to a safe environment.
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JULY 2003
Workshop Preparing for Jordan’s Third Report to the Child’s Rights Committee
UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, foundations, businesses, and governments. Contributions to UNICEF's ongoing support for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative can be made at http://www.supportunicef.org/
UNICEF Opens Summer Camps for Palestinian Children
"This is a much needed opportunity for Palestinian children," said David Bassiouni, UNICEF's Special Representative to the
Among other things, the camps supported by UNICEF will teach young people - especially adolescents - to cope with stress and anxiety and help improve self-esteem, problem-solving skills, and decision-making. Due to the loss of school days during the 2002-2003 school year, some of the camps will provide remedial classes for children aged 6-9 years old. This will contribute to strengthening numeracy and literacy skills of this age group and will allow them to compensate for the lost school days.
Since September 2000, almost all children have witnessed traumatic events. More than 550 children have been killed since September 2000 - 459 Palestinian children and 92 Israelis below the age of 18. Others have witnessed the death and injury of family members and friends. Frequent exposure to such events can cause a significant decline in children's confidence in the adults around them. UNICEF believes that the camps offer some peace and a vision of hope for the future.
"The psycho-social activities the camps will provide for children are very important," said Bassiouni. "More and more Palestinian children are in despair and losing hope. These young people are looking for constructive ways to continue to cope with the situation, and the summer camps offer a crucial opportunity for children to express their fears freely and deal with the ongoing crisis in peaceful and non-violent ways. We must colectively cultivate the culture of non-violence in children. "
UNICEF says that its successful support of 180 camps in the summer of 2002 led to a major expansion of the programme, which this year will include support to more than 311 summer camps. The camps will cater to nearly 30,000 children between the ages of 6 and 12, and to some 16,000 between the ages of 12 and 18.
The summer camps - which run anywhere from two to four weeks - are administered by the Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Palestinian Ministry of Youth & Sports, and Palestinian NGOs with the support of UNICEF, and are being run in accordance with the National Summer Camp Declaration adopted by the PA and many other groups in 2002, which emphasizes care, protection, freedom of expression, respect and peaceful participation.
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AUGUST 2003
UNICEF Repairs Pipelined Damaged by Explosion
UNICEF today restored water services to hundreds of thousands of Baghdadis after a rocket propelled grenade ripped through one of the capital's major water distribution pipes
A major water pipeline in Baghdad that was blown up yesterday cutting off vital water supplies to over 300,000 people has been repaired by UNICEF just 24 hours after it was damaged.
An explosion left a huge hole in the side of the pipeline more than 1.5 metres across, and hundreds of thousands of litres of water came gushing out flooding motorways," said Sa'eed Hameed, UNICEF Water Engineer. "This deprived many residents of water during the hottest month of the year. It was critical that services were restored quickly."
UNICEF staff and contractors responded to the site of the explosion and began coordinating with the Baghdad Water Authorities.
For repairs to begin, the 7 Nissan Water Treatment Plant, the largest in
"As soon as the pipeline could be isolated and shut down, the 7 Nissan plant was reactivated," said Sa'eed. "However, that still left hundreds of thousands of people in desperate need of water."
UNICEF contractors worked up to the
UNICEF Mourns Loss of Staff Member in
The UNICEF Programme Coordinator in
"The people of
UNICEF said that with the tragic exception of Mr. Klein-Beekman, all other UNICEF staff are safe and accounted for.
UNICEF, which has had a permanent presence in
Mr. Klein-Beekman, a national of
Mr. Klein-Beekman was previously a UNICEF Program Officer in Kosovo and before that in
"This is a tragic day for the entire United Nations family," Bellamy said. "But for the families of those lost and injured, it is even more tragic. Our hearts go out to them."
UNICEF Ambassador Jessica Lange shocked and deeply moved by systematic rape of women and children in eastern DRC
Amman, 11 August 2003 - Shocked and deeply moved by the brutal and sometimes systematic rape of women and children in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Jessica Lange said today that the world can no longer ignore the atrocities that are being committed daily against the women and children of DRC.
"Of the women and children who survive the stunning brutality, the physical, emotional and psychological damage will last a lifetime. The world must stop the horror and help the survivors. And those responsible must be brought to justice" said Ms. Lange on her return from DRC as UNICEF's newly appointed Goodwill Ambassador.
Combatants of all armed groups in DRC have committed rape and other forms of sexual violence. These abuses are widespread and systematic in eastern
Women and girls are often attacked while engaged in everyday activities - including cultivating fields, collecting firewood or walking to the market. Boys are not immune to rape. In fact, sexual violence against boys and the elderly appear to be on the increase.
"It is overwhelming to witness their tremendous humanity in the face of such unspeakable brutality and the courage and strength with which they are facing the future" said Lange.
"Rape is an affront to human rights, human decency and human dignity" said UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy. "The world cannot be silent as rape is used as a weapon of war in eastern DRC. Children as young as five and women as old as 80 are among the victims of this extraordinary cruelty. Those who commit these horrendous crimes must never forget that they are accountable."
Closely connected to the horror of rape is the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The lethal combination of high rates of HIV rates among soldiers and the massive rape in eastern
The factors fuelling the spread of HIV include sexual violence, the movement of large numbers of displaced people, the breakdown of normal protective structures, the widespread presence of soldiers (especially from countries with relatively high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates such as Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe) and the absence of health care.
The rape of women and children has a devastating impact on entire communities. Children have lost all aspects of their protective environment - with many schools closed, health care facilities non-existent, family members killed before their eyes, siblings forcibly recruited in the armed forces, entire families displaced and communities broken up. Many young children have lost years of schooling, are raised in camps for displaced people, are living on the streets or have been recruited by armed groups.
The conflict in DRC has shattered the lives of countless children and their families. Tens of thousands of children have been recruited and are used as combatants, sex slaves, porters and cooks by all parties to the conflict. In some cases, children make up an estimated 35 per cent of the troops sent to the front lines. The conflict has also caused a massive breakdown in the economy - causing families to live in conditions of extreme poverty. Seventy per cent of the population, for example, does not have access to formal health care either because they are too poor to pay for services or because they are unable to access facilities.
Rape as a tactic of war was not invented in eastern DRC. Between one quarter and one half million women are estimated to have been raped during the 1994 genocide in
"Rape and sexual violence are not collateral damage. Nor are they inevitable in war time: they are war crimes and perpetrators must be held accountable - by their communities, by the Transitional Government and by the international community through the International Criminal Court" said Bellamy.
Background information on DRC:
The conflict in DRC is one of the world's worst humanitarian crisis and the most deadly war ever documented in
More people have been killed in this conflict than in most other conflicts since WWII.
Children account for 55 per cent of the total population.
Over 12 per cent of children do not reach their first birthday.
One in eight households in eastern DRC has experienced a violent death since the start of the war in 1998.
Many children who do survive are traumatized by memories of the horrendous acts of violence against their own families and friends.
Pregnant women appear two to three times more likely than other women to die a violent death. Lack of transport and drugs as well as poor health services contribute to the problem.
DRC is the most expensive country to deliver aid to in the world (due to security, poor transport and the sheer size of the country.)
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SEPTEMBER 2003
"Mechanisms to Protect the Family Unity from Divorce”
UNICEF Organises Roundtable for Islamic Leaders, Experts, Civil Society and NGOs
Amman (30 September 2003)- The Chief of Islamic Justice and Special Advisor to His Majesty King Abdullah II, Sheikh Izzidin Khatib Tamimi, today called for the establishment of a specialised division for family guidance and counseling in local law courts. At a one-day roundtable discussion on ”Mechanisms to Protect Family Unity from Divorce”, Tamimi emphasized the importance of reaching family reconciliation through counseling before reverting to the courts.
At the meeting, participants from the Ministry of Social Development, members of both the Lower and Upper Houses of Parliament, the National Council for Family Affairs, judges and non-governmental organisations focused on the importance of ensuring family unity through the implementation of mediation programmes.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Jordan Country Office, organizing this event in cooperation with Mawada for Family, mediation programmes are effective in resolving family disputes. However, and if divorce is the outcome, then mediation can help the child enjoy harmonious and continued family relations with both parents.
“It has been proven that children coming from broken families are faced with many social and psychosocial problems among which are low educational achievement, the risk of delinquency, and premature entry into the labour force,” said Anne Skatvedt, UNICEF Representative in
Parents and States share the responsibility of ensuring the best interests of the child in terms of upbringing and development and finding the proper support mechanisms to do so.
“Article 27 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child states that parents have the primary responsibility for securing the best conditions for the child’s optimal development and it is the duty of the state to help them realize this,” said Skatvedt.
During the course of the meeting, Abdul Salam Darwesh, Head of Family Guidance and Reformation from the Courts Department in Dubai, presented successful case studies of preserving the family unity through counseling, preventive measures and mediation. He said that such programmes have succeeded in reducing divorce rates from 36% to 21% in less than three years in the UAE.
UNICEF chief urges United Nations General Assembly to focus on children and young people in deliberations on HIV/AIDS
Progress on meeting HIV/AIDS goals to be focus of full-day debate; in areas relating to children and young people, the international community gets low marks
NEW YORK, 29 September 2003 – UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy said that when the UN General Assembly met on 22 September, to review the international community’s performance in crafting and financing the global response to the HIV/AIDS crisis, one thing should focus people’s minds: “We are not reaching the two billion children and young people who will determine the future course of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.”
AIDS has killed 28 million people, and an estimated 42 million are living with HIV and AIDS. Many children and young people now watching their most critical adult caregivers succumb to the disease are those at greatest risk of becoming infected, Bellamy said. Every day, 6,000 young people between the ages of 15 and 24 become HIV-positive.
Girls are being hardest hit.
The lives of infants and young children are also enormously threatened. Two thousand children below the age of 15 become HIV-positive every day. Nine out of 10 infections occur during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding, and are largely preventable. Many of these children will die before their fifth birthday.
Less headline-grabbing but perhaps more worrisome, Bellamy said, are the millions of children and adolescents who have been orphaned due to AIDS and the millions more growing up in households struggling with the severe emotional, financial and social trauma of AIDS-related sickness.
The full-day General Assembly gathering marked the first of three time-bound benchmarks set out in the Declaration of Commitment, the international community’s agreed-upon blueprint for reversing the spread of infection, and caring for those already infected.
The goal for 2003: to have set in place the policies and funding for a massively accelerated response. A progress report issued in July by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, based primarily on responses by 100 Member States, will frame the discussion.
“The findings show impressive movement on policy,” Bellamy said, “but the vast majority of children and young people are more vulnerable than ever.”
According to the Secretary-General’s report, 88 countries have adopted strategies to promote reproductive and sexual health for young people; 80 countries report national policies to prevent parent-to-child transmissions; and only 60 countries have policies addressing the needs of children orphaned by the disease.
“What everyone at the table can agree on,” Bellamy said, “is that young people are at the centre of the AIDS crisis, and what happens to them will determine the future of the epidemic.”
The Secretary-General’s report notes that in
Least attention had been paid to who have been left vulnerable by the disease - particularly those forced to drop out of school to care for sick family members or to supplement household incomes, Bellamy said. The orphan crisis – particularly in sub-Saharan
“Children orphaned by AIDS go through extreme stress. They are affected by actions over which they have no control and in which they had no part. They deal with the most trauma, face the most dangerous threats and have the least protections,” Bellamy said.
“Families and communities have shouldered the burden of caring, but far too many can’t cope any more and are breaking up. They need immediate help if they are to continue to care for these already vulnerable children. The fact that some of the most heavily-affected countries don’t already have plans in place to support and protect vulnerable children spells out uncertain, unstable and insecure futures for these children and their societies,” Bellamy said.
Also according to the UN report:
Prevention programmes reach a mere fraction of out-of-school youth – an estimated eight percent in sub-Saharan
Less than one in four people at risk of infection are able to obtain basic information on HIV/AIDS, and only one in nine people seeking to know their HIV serostatus have access to voluntary counselling and testing services.
Access to services that help parents prevent transmitting HIV to their children is extremely limited. In sub-Saharan
Bellamy said the global funding picture was bleak. While funding for developing countries has increased significantly, from less than $300 million in 1996 to approximately $4.7 billion in 2003, the amount still falls far short of the $10.5 billion required annually by 2005. “The shortfall will be paid for in human lives and suffering,” she added.
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OCTOBER 2003
None Issued!
NOVEMBER 2003
None Issued!
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DECEMBER 2003
State of the World’s Children 2004 Launch Report in Jordan
“It was hard, very hard, but after a lot of going backwards and forwards we finally managed to get a class established for our daughters to continue their education,” said Um Hisham at the launch of State of the World’s Children 2004 report in Jordan on Sunday (14 December, 2003).
With determination shinning from her kohl-rimmed eyes, this woman told her story to some 40 people encompassing decisions makers, the Minister of Education, patronizing this event, the media, and the UN.
Three females from the remote village of Al-Rashedieh in
“We don’t know how to read and write ourselves, but we sure wanted our daughters to,” said Um Issa, wearing a long robe and black headscarf.
The women spoke about how girls’ education became a reality in their village :”We were empowered through the UNICEF-supported community development project to set our priorities and try to find ways of accomplishing them. Our priority was to have secondary classes for our daughters,” explained Um Hisham.
The State of the World’s Children 2004 report features the story of Al-Rashedieh village. It is an example of how simple strategies involving local communities can make “a dream come true.” The dream in this case was to enable the girls of this community of 4,000 inhabitants to continue their education.
“This was not only my dream, but the dream of the majority of girls in our village. Even though I was able to continue my education and now am a second year university student, I feel sad for the other girls that did not have the chance before me,” an emotionally charged Amsa’ Hassanat said.
In his speech, the Minister of Education said that the Kingdom’s education policy was focusing on girls ,particularly females in rural areas ,and on the quality of education they were receiving.
UNICEF Representative in Jordan ,Anne Skatvedt, highlighted the main findings of the report through a PowerPoint presentation. Tying girls’ education with what was taking place in Jordan she said “In Jordan, investment in the country’s human resources has paid off with a highly educated population; the country has impressive enrolment rates as nearly all girls and boys are currently enrolled in basic education,” she said adding “that despite favourable indicators in girls’ education at the national level there is a need for more data at the sub-national level to ensure that disparities do not exist at the community level.” The Minister of Education and UNICEF staff then proceeded to answer questions from the floor.
The International Children’s Day of Broadcasting Children Speak Out
“If we continue to cover up such issues, we will just end up making them worse,” said Shifa’ Abu Lail (17) as she discussed child labour and verbal abuse over the airwaves with a fellow youth from a neighbouring Arab country.
Communication and negotiation skills, were put to the test as children discussed their issues during UNICEF’s International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) celebrated in
Whether they were anchors, producers, DJ’s, or hosting shows, young people from all parts of the Kingdom spoke out on the airwaves of the Jordan Radio and Television Corporation, and the Ammannet internet radio station: Randomly selected groups had the chance to explain about the valuable work they have being doing in their communities as well as talk about individual accomplishments under this year’s theme of “We can be heroes.”
“I want to launch the show,” said Alia Mada’in (13) as she insisted on anchoring for the local “Yis’id Sabhak” live television show five minutes before the programme was broadcast. She managed to convince her colleague, Ahmad Abu Mohammad, from Hittin Refugee camp, that they could do it-and they did.
After much hesitation on the part of the producer, young kids took over the show. Once they were on the programme, there was no stopping them: They interviewed airline staff celebrating the 40th anniversary of the local airline carrier, Royal Jordanian, a poet, and winners of a local song festival.
Children and young people alike started this year’s ICDB by making their way to the radio and television station in the cold and early hours of the morning. The news of eminent snow only made them more determined to be there: Those who lived far away ensured that they would not get stuck in a possible snow storm by staying the night before with relatives living close to the capital city
“Nothing would have made us miss this opportunity, we would have done anything to be on this show,” said an energetic Alia to an audience of 18 million people.
Other youngsters made their contributions behind the mikes of the Arabic and English radio services: In one instance, kids took total control of the show as the sound man and the DJ walked out of the studio for a break.
“I would love to do this all the time,” said Mohannad Shahwan (17) as he handled the sound system of the English Radio Service transmitting live. He transferred incoming calls to the children in the studios, broadcast music when they asked for dedications, and worked as though he had been a technician for some time.
On the radio, children interviewed parents, ministers and even the public relations manager of the Future Arabic satellite channel about the famous Superstar show. One group interviewed a member of the Family Protection Project on domestic violence and child abuse in specific.
Twelve hours of intensive debates, entertainment ,fun and music were wrapped up with a televised report on the day’s activities compiled by the young people themselves: Farah Sahrif (16) anchored for the English News At Ten as she presented the report.
SOWC 2003 Report
* Location: Zara Auditorium
* Duration: 12:00 –1:00 (actual event 30 minutes)
* Key Speakers and High-profile Participants: Child participants from the intergenerational group and ICDB
* Number of Participants: 100 (300 invited)
Programme Outline:
Young people spoke about their various experiences in child participation
A documentary about UNICEF’s Adolescents Project was shown for the first time highlighting the report’s theme of participation
UNICEF Representative gave a speech underlying the importance of child participation in decision making
*Media and Press Coverage: Please look at attachment
*Assessment of Local Reaction: Great appreciation of the young participants and of the documentary
*Estimated Cost of Launch: $1,232
Lessons Learned:
Use a space that can easily be changed to accommodate varying numbers of guests
Try to choose a more original location next time for the launch of such reports-Maybe at a youth center, etc…
Other Useful Information:
Guest turn-out was not as expected as agreement was reached on the actual text of the invitation quite late-this meant that invitations could not be printed and they had to be sent out by fax.
International Children’s Day of Broadcasting
Amman (18 December, 2003)-Children and youths from all over the Kingdom will be taking over the airwaves of Jordan Radio and Television Corporations this Friday: Young people will be participating in UNICEF’s International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) under the banner of “We can be heroes.”
Every year since 1992, children all over the world are given the chance to be producers, announcers and anchors through this special day. In
Teenagers from the Shira’ Cultural and Social Group will voice their thoughts about who they believe is a role model and explain more about the website they have developed for young people. This talented group of girls and boys has also produced leaflets on “knowing your country” and have many interesting ideas to share. Children from the Youth Initiatives Team will discuss what it has been doing to promote youth issues in
Other groups will make their way to the Arabic and English studios of Radio Jordan and host shows, and interview children and adults alike from other parts of the region. The Jordanian Youth Group will give details about the awareness raising it has been doing in Ajloun and Irbid on children labour. The group will also illustrate how they have worked on dramatic sketches to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS in
Youths from the Children’s Parliament will be speaking about their issue on the Internet radio, Ammannet. Simultaneously, their young colleagues from the Community Action Service team will be stressing the importance of community work and role models.
Sports, art, music, human rights, will all be covered throughout the day and until late in the evening. Children will conclude with a special report which they will produce and broadcast on the English News at Ten.
With all these children from diverse backgrounds and experiences, this year’s ICDB will surely prove to be fresh and full of energy giving children and adults alike the chance to “tune in to kids.”
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