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Press releases and news notes
Millenium Development Goals
Global commitment announced in fight against leading killer of children
NEW YORK/LECCE, ITALY, 12 JUNE 2009 – A new strategy in the fight against pneumonia, the world’s greatest killer of children, was announced today...
India and China hold the key to world meeting MDGs, says UNICEF flagship report
NEW DELHI/BANGKOK, 5 August 2008 – Global achievement of the health related Millenium Development Goals, the MDGs, depends largely on India’s success ...
The European Union, UNICEF and the Djibouti government provide clean water to thousands of rural residents
DJIBOUTI, 2 July 2007 – At least 25,000 of the poorest and most vulnerable rural residents will for the first time be able to access clean drinking water close to their homes through a partnership between the European Union (EU), UNICEF and Djibouti’s Ministry of Agriculture. The step will help contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the quantifiable targets to address issues such as poverty, health and environmental sustainability.
UNICEF Executive Director commends Turkey’s progress towards MDGs
ISTANBUL, June 29 2007- UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman this week concluded a four-day visit to Turkey that included two international conferences, a meeting with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and discussions with Turkish children, parents, academics and NGOs.
UNICEF Deputy Executive Director applauds Viet Nam’s efforts for children
Hanoi, 27 March 2007 -- UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Mr. Kul Gautam has congratulated Viet Nam for its achievements in improving the lives of children.
Children as BioVisionaries: We call on you to join us
LYON, 14 March 2007 – Ten children from developing countries today challenged scientists, business leaders and civil society at the BioVision World Life Sciences Forum to work with...
UNICEF to host two critical conferences on malaria and Millennium Development Goals
NEW YORK, 27 April 2004 - As part of UNICEF's role in gathering global leaders and a broad base of experts to address ambitious agendas, UNICEF is co-sponsoring two separate conferences this week on Promoting Human Rights and Social Policies for Children and Women: Monitoring and Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at The New School (28-30 April), and ACT NOW: An International Symposium on Malaria at Columbia University (29-30 April).
Steady progress being made in achieving the Millennium Development Goals for Ethiopia’s children
ADDIS ABABA/GENEVA/NEW YORK, 24 February 2007 – UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman today highlighted progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Ethiopia...
Zimbabwe launches ground-breaking national girls education strategic plan
HARARE, 18 October 2006 – The United Nations in collaboration with the government and civil society launched a ground-breaking National Girls Education Strategic Plan to increase Zimbabwe’s likelihood of achieving universal primary education and ensuring girls stay in school.
Eighth World Assembly of Religions for Peace endorses declaration on violence against children
KYOTO/JAPAN, 28 August, 2006 – Delegates of the Religions for Peace Eighth World Assembly today endorsed the Declaration on Violence against Children, which commits religious and faith communities to confront violence against children and protect children in their communities.
UNICEF calls on religious leaders to work together for peace and development
KYOTO, 26 August 2006 - UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman today called for greater cooperation among religions to protect children from the threats of poverty, disease and violence.
UNICEF Lauds Progress for Uganda’s Children, Urges More Must be Done
KAMPALA, 12 May 2006 – On the occasion of the inauguration of H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as President of the Republic of Uganda, UNICEF said that the new government had a critical opportunity to renew the commitment of Uganda to fulfil and protect the fundamental right of all its children and women to access health, education, safe water, shelter and other essential services.
UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children Website Wins Webby Award
NEW YORK, 10 May 2006 - The Webby Awards, the leading international honour for Web sites, Tuesday named UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 2006 website the People’s Voice Award winner for non-profit web sites of 2006. Winners will be honoured at The Tenth Annual Webby Awards in New York City on 12 June.
Parliamentarians Should Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS
NEW YORK/NAIROBI, 10 May 2006 – Parliamentarians are uniquely placed to make a profound difference for children affected by HIV/AIDS by breaking the silence about the disease’s impact on children and embracing legislation to defend their rights to healthcare, protection and support according to UNICEF, UNAIDS and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Arab media enthusiasm to promote girls' education enjoys renewed momentum
DUBAI, May 4, 2006 – Media representatives and experts at the Second Arab Regional Media Forum today concluded an extensive review of the situation surrounding Arab girls' access to education and remaining challenges in several countries to ensure sustained enrolment and retention in school.
UNICEF and WFP Executive Directors Make First Joint Visit to Latin America/Caribbean region
PANAMA CITY, 8 May 2006 – On their first joint visit to the region, World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director James T. Morris and UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman will meet in Panama City tomorrow with the heads of their Latin America and Caribbean country offices to intensify common efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals adopted by the international community.
Statement by UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, Kul Gautam, on Child-friendly Strategies to Combat HIV/AIDS and Malaria
ABUJA, 4 May 2006 – My colleagues Dr. Feacham and Dr. Piot have just outlined eloquently what we all need to do to overcome the challenges of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. I have little to add to their wise counsel borne out of their vast experience and expertise.
Second Arab Regional Media Forum on child rights kicks off in Dubai
DUBAI, May 2, 2006 – Arab media professionals, human rights organizations, academia and UN agencies today initiated an in-depth dialogue on the issue of girls' education in the Arab world, with expectations to leverage enhanced commitment from governments, civil society and communities to support girls’ sustained access to quality education.
A Quarter of the World’s Children Seriously Underweight
NEW YORK, 2 May 2006 - More than one quarter of all children under the age of five in developing countries are underweight, many to a life-threatening degree, says a UNICEF report published today. Poor nutrition remains a global epidemic contributing to more than half of all child deaths, about 5.6 million per year.
UNICEF Unveils Alarming Trends in Global Child Nutrition
Good nutrition is the platform for all human progress and one of the most fundamental tests of global development. This UNICEF report reveals the results of efforts since 1990 to reduce the proportion of underweight children in the world.
UNICEF Turkmenistan Welcomes Decree Boosting Wheat Flour Fortification
ASHGABAT, 26 April 2006 – President Saparmurat Niyazov issued a decree mandating the fortification of wheat flour with iron and folic acid in Turkmenistan. The decree was signed on 24 April at the Presidential Palace.
‘Education for All’ week in Yemen brings teachers on board
SANA’A, 25 April 2006 – During ‘Education for All’ week, Yemen is stepping up efforts to overcome barriers to universal primary education. This year’s theme ‘Every Child Needs a Teacher’ strikes a major chord in Yemen, where the number of teachers lags far behind the actual requirements. Meeting the looming teacher shortage is one of the greatest barriers to education in Yemen, where the number of female teachers is especially short, particularly in rural areas.
New Malaria Treatment Introduced in Somalia
NAIROBI, 25 April 2006 – A new effective treatment has been introduced in Somalia to curb the incidence of malaria, one of the leading killers of children and women, UNICEF Somalia Representative Christian Balslev-Olesen announced today on the occasion of Africa Malaria Day.
With an Additional US $1 Billion Per Year, Immunization Could Save Ten Million More Lives in a Decade
NEW DELHI, 9 December, 2005 — According to global immunization experts, ten million additional lives could be saved through child and maternal immunization between 2006-2015 at an average annual cost of US $1 billion, according to a new study by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
Wednesday in UNICEF House: Launch of report on children in South Asia
The Report presents the condition of health in South Asia and its link to poverty reduction and economic growth. In-depth analysis of the experience of three South Asian countries: India, Bangladesh and Pakistan is included. The report also focuses on the health situation in all seven South Asian countries: Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
New UNICEF Chief Heads to Kenya, Uganda
GENEVA, 19 July 2005 – UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman travels to Africa this week to spotlight development efforts in Kenya and the plight of Ugandan children caught up in that county's northern conflict.
5,500 children die in Eastern and Southern Africa every day
NAIROBI, 15 July 2005 - A disproportionately heavy burden of child deaths weighs on families in eastern and southern Africa. Every day 5,500 children under the age of five die across the 21 countries of the region and the majority of the deaths are largely preventable.
Make poverty history
DUNBLANE, SCOTLAND, 5 July 2005 - Scottish First Minister, Jack McConnell, today joined young people from both the northern and southern hemispheres to hear their views and receive recommendations on what they think the G8 leaders need to do make child poverty history. On this, the eve of G8, the children made an urgent and united call on the G8 leaders to put children first when making their decisions at the G8.
Children must be at the heart of development efforts
NEW YORK / GENEVA, 7 June 2005 – Children must top the agenda if the world is going to achieve its development goals, UNICEF said today.
Governments welcome new WHO/UNICEF global immunization strategy that aims to avert millions of deaths
GENEVA, 25 May, 2005 - Governments meeting at the World Health Assembly officially committed to adopting an ambitious new global strategy to fight vaccine-preventable diseases, which kill more than two million people every year, two-thirds of whom are young children . The Global Immunization Vision and Strategy (GIVS) was designed by the WHO and UNICEF.
First global report on efforts to roll back malaria highlights progress and challenges
CAIRO/GENEVA/NEW YORK, 3 May 2005 – More people are accessing prevention and treatment services for malaria, sparking hope that the number of people who become sick and die from malaria will begin to decline.
UNICEF hails Clinton Foundation plan for children with AIDS
NEW YORK, 11 April 2004 – UNICEF today praised a Clinton Foundation plan that will significantly increase the number of children receiving life-prolonging antiretroviral (ARV) drugs specifically formulated for them.
Bellamy remarks on UN reform: making it work for children
LONDON, 9 March, 2005 - The issue we are dealing with is one literally of life and death. As we reported in this year’s State of the World’s Children, half of all children in the world today suffer from some form of extreme deprivation.
UNICEF applauds UK pledge of £1.4 billion to educate girls in developing countries
LONDON, 26 January 2005 - UNICEF today thanked the United Kingdom for its visionary commitment to the education of girls in developing countries with its strategy to advance the work that one day will give all children a basic education.
UNICEF, ECLAC step up efforts to promote child rights
PANAMA 24 November 2004.- The UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and UNICEF have agreed to step up collaboration to promote inclusive, universal and efficient public policies for children and adolescents.
UN looks to sports to advance Millennium Development Goals
NEW YORK, 17 September 2003 - The world would be a healthier and less dangerous place if nations invested more seriously in their citizens’ right to participate in sports, according to a report launched today by 10 United Nations agencies.
New child-friendly MDGs launch and youth writer competition
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, 22 October 2004 – As part of the UN week celebration, UNICEF Representative, Bjorn Ljungqvist, today launched UNICEF’s child-friendly version of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and a young artist/writer competition promoting how Ethiopian youth can achieve the MDGs.
Children's rights at heart of Millennium Development Goals
NEW YORK, 20 November 2003 - On the 14th anniversary today of the international adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy called on world leaders to put children at the heart of their development agendas.
