Press centre
Press releases and news notes
Infant mortality
Government of Japan provides US$1.604 million to Liberia’s children
MONROVIA/LIBERIA, 13 November 2006 - The Government of Japan has contributed US$1.604 million to UNICEF to support life-saving child immunization coverage.
Nepal a world leader in boosting child survival, despite conflict: UNICEF
KATHMANDU, 18 September 2006 - Nepal is one of only seven countries in the world on track to cut child mortality by two thirds between 1990 and 2015.
African countries partner with Indian scientist to reduce newborn infant deaths
NAIROBI, 21 August 2006 - In an initiative that could herald a reversal in the disproportionately high number of new born babies dying within the first month of birth, seven African countries have partnered with Indian scientist Dr. Abhay Bang to learn about and adopt his home-based approach to caring and treating newborn babies.
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.
Cholera Outbreak Poses Additional Threat to Child Survival in Angola
GENEVA, 12 May 2006 – Faced with one of the highest under-five mortality rates in the world even in the best of times, Angola is struggling to contain the impact of the current cholera outbreak on children. According to preliminary estimates by UNICEF, approximately 35 per cent of cholera victims are children under the age of five.
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.
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.
Viet Nam Eliminates Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus
HANOI/MANILA/BANGKOK, 28 February, 2006 - Viet Nam has eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus as a public health problem, the Ministry of Health of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UNICEF announced today.
Afghanistan's maternal and child mortality rates soar
KABUL, 4 August 2005 - While Afghanistan is progressing from a state of emergency to a focus on development, women and children continue to face an "acute emergency'' because of exceptionally high maternal and child mortality rates. "Infant mortality and under five mortality are very high, girls' enrolment is one of the lowest in the world and malnutrition affects almost half of the country's child population," said Cecilia Lotse, UNICEF’s Regional Director for South Asia, after a a week-long visit to the region.
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.
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.
UNICEF calls for end to compassion fatigue over Ethiopia’s dying children
ADDIS ABABA, 6 July 2005 – Despite the enthusiasm surrounding the Live 8 concerts in the run up to the G8 summit meeting, donors are showing increasingly worrying signs of compassion fatigue over the plight of Ethiopia’s severely malnourished and dying children, UNICEF warned today.
Bellamy remarks at launch of Lancet series on newborns
LONDON, 1 March 2005, I am very pleased to be here representing UNICEF and the committed individuals from across UNICEF who played such a key role in the development of this series. The focus of this series on neonatal deaths is important and timely.
Day of the African Child, 2003: For each child, an identity
NEW YORK, 16 June 2003 - UNICEF offices in dozens of countries are set to celebrate the Day of the African Child today, calling for the need to ensure all children are registered at birth. (Press Release)
UNICEF: Breastfeeding can save over 1 million lives yearly
NEW YORK, 30 July 2004 – On the eve of World Breastfeeding Week UNICEF said that by expanding the number of women who exclusively breastfeed during their child’s first six months, at least 1.3 million infant lives could be saved this year.
