Press Centre
July 1998 - December
1998
Roger Moore wins New Year honour
Thursday, 31 December 1998: UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy
congratulated UNICEF Special Representative for the Film Arts, Roger
Moore, on his being made Commander of the Order of the British Empire
(CBE) for achievements that include his service to UNICEF. The CBE is
one of the highest honours in the New Year's Honours List. The award
was announced today.
Most children in Afghanistan not
in school
Tuesday, 29 December 1998: After 20 years of continuous conflict, Afghanistan's
educational system is in a virtual state of collapse and there is little
indication that improvement is in sight, UNICEF said today. Almost nine
in ten girls and two in three boys are not enrolled in school, the organisation
said in a comment, following its launch earlier this month of State
of the World's Children 1999, an in-depth report on serious obstacles
to children's right to basic education in the developing world.
Natural disasters devastated schools
in 1998
Tuesday, 15 December 1998: Flooding and other natural disasters in 1998
seriously damaged or destroyed tens of thousands of school facilities,
from China to Somalia to Central America, and the implications for millions
of young persons are devastating, according to a recent informal survey
conducted by UNICEF.
Thailand leads SE Asia in ratifying
landmine treaty
Monday, 14 December 1998: UNICEF today congratulated Thailand for being
the first Southeast Asian country to ratify the treaty to ban anti-personnel
landmines, and it urged other nations in the region to follow the Thai
example. The treaty prohibits the use, production, development, acquisition,
sale, stockpiling and transfer of such landmines, which kill and maim
thousands in the region.
Broadcasters set aside a day for
children worldwide
Friday, 11 December 1998: UNICEF's International Children's Day of Broadcasting
on 13 December marks the seventh year of what has become the largest
broadcast media campaign ever for children. It brings together some
of the most powerful and influential broadcasting organizations around
the world in support of children's issues, culminating in a multitude
of broadcasting and televised events on the day. More than 2,000 radio
and television broadcasters in more than 170 countries participate.
UNICEF stresses children's rights
on Declaration's 50th anniversary
Thursday, 10 December 1998: On the occasion of the 50th anniversary
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UNICEF Executive Director
Carol Bellamy said it was significant that activists for women's and
children's rights are among the recipients of the 1998 United Nations
Prizes in the Field of Human Rights, awarded today by United Nations
Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Education crisis poses vast threat,
UNICEF says
Tuesday, 8 December 1998: Denied the right to quality basic education,
hundreds of millions of children are growing up unequipped to make decent
lives for themselves in the 21st Century. Nearly a billion people –
a sixth of humanity – are already classified as functionally illiterate,
unable to read a book or sign their names, much less fill out a simple
application form or operate a computer, UNICEF says in its annual report
entitled The State of the World's Children 1999.
UNICEF congratulates IBFAN on award
Monday, 7 December 1998: UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy today
congratulated the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) on
winning the 1998 Right Livelihood Award, commonly known as the "Alternative
Nobel Prize". IBFAN, an international network of over 140 public
interest groups in 70 developing and industrialized nations, works to
achieve improved infant health and nutrition through the promotion of
breastfeeding and the elimination of inappropriate marketing of infant
foods, bottles and teats.
UNICEF launches appeal for Hurricane Mitch victims
Friday, 4 November 1998: UNICEF launched an appeal yesterday for over
$22 million to fund six months of relief and rebuilding work among children
and families devastated by Hurricane Mitch. "We have a huge task
ahead of us," said UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy, who
recently returned from a visit to Honduras and Nicaragua, the two worst-affected
countries.
Youth hold key to curbing HIV/AIDS,
UNICEF says
Tuesday, 1 December 1998: With HIV/AIDS still spreading like wildfire
in the developing world, governments and communities need to recognize
that young people are the key to containing the disease, UNICEF Executive
Director Carol Bellamy said today -- World AIDS Day. According to statistics
released last week by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS), of the 6 million people infected this year with the virus
that causes AIDS, half are between the ages of 15 and 24 – the
equivalent of nearly five young men and women every minute.
Brazil's TV Cultura wins children
broadcasting prize
Tuesday, 24 November 1998: TV Cultura of Brazil has won the 1998 International
Council/UNICEF award for its outstanding programme presentation for
last year's International Children's Day of Broadcasting, an initiative
that celebrates the huge energy and creative potential of children around
the world.
Ease debt burden for Central America, says
UNICEF
Tuesday, 17 November 1998: Creditor nations must act boldly and quickly
to ease the debt burden on Central American countries crippled by Hurricane
Mitch so that money can be used instead to rebuild devastated communities,
UNICEF said today. "An immediate and sustainable solution to the
debt crisis is the only way Central American countries can get on with
the crucial work of rebuilding its schools and homes, reconstructing
roads and bridges and restoring water supply," UNICEF Executive
Director Carol Bellamy said.
UNICEF in appeal for Central American children
Friday, 13 November 1998: UNICEF appealed today for help in financing
the first phase of an emergency operation to help Central American children
and families left destitute by Hurricane Mitch. UNICEF warned that without
urgent provision of clean safe water, basic hygiene and essential drugs,
killer diseases like cholera, dysentery, malaria, and measles could
soon threaten the lives of thousands of children.
UNICEF gives emergency support to victims of
Hurricane Mitch
Tuesday, 3 November 1998: UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy extended
her profound sympathy for the victims of Hurricane Mitch in Central
America which has left some seven thousand people dead, thousands homeless,
and devastated the countries' infrastructures.
UNICEF welcomes minimum age for UN peacekeepers
Thursday, 29 October 1998: UNICEF wholeheartedly welcomes the Secretary-General's
decision to establish minimum age requirements for UN peace-keepers.
Under this new order, the Secretary General has asked contributing governments
not to send civilian police and military observers under the age of
25 to serve in peace-keeping operations and has asked that national
contingent troops should preferably be 21 years, but not less than 18.
Princess' childrens book benefits environment
and UNICEF
Monday, 26 October 1998: Lulie the Iceberg, a new children's
book by Her Imperial Highness Princess Hisako of Takamado of Japan,
will be launched November 3-4 with a special concert at Carnegie Hall
and the opening of a multi-media exhibit at UNICEF House. Princess Takamado's
second book for children tells the story of a breakaway iceberg's journey
from pole to pole, revealing along the way the migratory routes of birds
and mammals and the patterns of ocean currents. It was inspired by two
recent trips to the Arctic and several years of active involvement with
a number of ocean-related environmental projects.
Even the poorest deserve the basics
Monday, 26 October 1998: UNICEF issued a strong call today for global
reaffirmation of the 20/20 Initiative. The Initiative, whose goal is
achievement of universal and sustained access to good quality basic
social services, will be the subject of an international meeting to
be held in Hanoi 27-29 October. Put forward in the early 1990s, 20/20
proposes a framework for generating the resources needed to achieve
the development goals set by world summits and global conferences, including
the 1990 World Summit for Children.
UNICEF congratulates Nobel Peace Prize winners
Friday, 16 October 1998: Congratulating the winners of the 1998 Nobel
Peace Prize, John Hume and David Tremble, UNICEF Executive Director
Carol Bellamy praised the Nobel Committee for nominating the Colombia
Children's Peace Movement for the prize. She also said the nomination
was a "recognition of the incredible potential of children as peace-makers
in today's world."
Forcing children into armed forces 'a war crime'
Thursday, 8 October 1998: Calling attention to a newly published report
on child soldiers in Colombia, UNICEF today issued a statement saying
children should not be pressed into military service of any kind. The
statement recalled that forcing children to fight or otherwise serve
in armed conflicts is a cardinal violation of human rights and is recognized
as a prosecutable war crime in the statute of the International Criminal
Court.
Youth
continues dialogue on HIV/AIDS
Thursday, 8 October 1998: During this year's World AIDS Campaign with
Young People, Voices of Youth is encouraging young people to join Web
discussions and explore the issues, feelings and facts. Youth to Youth
discussion topics include access to information, what the young can
do to combat HIV/AIDS, gender discrimination, and the regional inequalities
that the epidemic reveals. Youth leaders are online to share their experiences
working for change and to support those who are infected and affected
by the epidemic.
UNICEF issues call for debt relief
Wednesday, 30 September 1998: On the eve of the World Bank and International
Monetary Fund fall meetings, UNICEF released a statement calling for
a durable solution to the debt crisis of the world's poorest countries.
"The perpetuation of the crippling debt burden in the poor nations
is not only international negligence," UNICEF Executive Director
Carol Bellamy said, "it is also a morally indefensible act."
Prolonged cease-fire needed in Sudan
Tuesday, 29 September 1998: UNICEF today released a statement by the
Executive Director Carol Bellamy on the urgent need to extend and broaden
the cease-fire in Sudan. The statement said that a prolonged ceasefire
must include all areas of southern Sudan and be a step toward a permanent
political settlement, so that the civilian population -- particularly
children and women -- can escape a continuation of the famine and war-related
carnage that have ravaged their lives.
UNICEF launches Meena animation series
Tuesday, 22 September 1998: Millions of South Asian children are tuning
in to a new vision of what the world could be like -- all because of
one little girl called Meena, the already-popular heroine of a cartoon
series created by UNICEF and premiering in South Asia today. "Meena
is a true global television heroine of the 21st century," said
UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy. "I hope Meena creates
a global ripple effect and that millions of girls everywhere will catch
her vision and act with her humour and courage."
UNICEF hails milestone on landmines
Wednesday, 16 September 1998: UNICEF Executive Director Carol
Bellamy today hailed the achievement of the 40th ratification of the
treaty to ban anti-personnel landmines, which is the minimum number
required for the treaty to become binding international law. Under the
terms of the treaty, the ban formally goes into effect in March 1999.
"We stand at an historic moment in the struggle to end the anguish
that these weapons have already inflicted on tens of thousands of the
world's children, their families and their communities," Ms. Bellamy
said.
Angolan children and women in desperate need
Tuesday, 15 September 1998: Fatigue over the drawn-out peace process
in Angola should not jeopardize the survival of the millions of children
and women in desperate need of continued humanitarian assistance, said
UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy today. Only 37 per cent of the
Unites Nations appeal for Angola was been funded so far, despite the
displacement of 250,000 people recently.
'Trick-or-Treat' for UNICEF
Thursday, 10 September 1998: If you're in the United States, you can
now order
the famous orange collection boxes online for next month's Halloween
'Trick-or-Treat' campaign by the US Committee for UNICEF. Also available
are classroom kits to help US students learn about children around the
world and to encourage them to raise funds for much needed programmes.
This year's focus is on malnutrition, which contributes to seven million
child deaths a year. You can also call 1-800-FOR-KIDs for the boxes
and kits.
UNICEF mourns staff killed in Swissair crash
Friday, 4 September 1998: UNICEF today mourns the loss of three UNICEF
family members killed in the Swissair crash off the coast of Nova Scotia,
Canada, on Wednesday. A statement attributable to UNICEF Executive Director
Carol Bellamy pays tribute to Yves De Roussan, regional adviser based
in Geneva; Ingrid Acevedo, public relations director of the US Committee
for UNICEF, and Pierce Gerety, a former UNICEF staff member. "Our
hearts and prayers go out to the families and colleagues of all who
were on the flight."
UNICEF hails genocide conviction
Thursday, 3 September 1998: UNICEF has hailed the first international
conviction by a United Nations tribunal for the crime of genocide. The
conviction was announced yesterday in Arusha, Tanzania, by the International
Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. In a statement attributable to its Executive
Director Carol Bellamy, UNICEF said it was particularly gratified at
the Tribunal's ruling that genocide includes crimes of sexual violence
committed in the course of armed conflict.
UNICEF protests rebel looting in Congo
Tuesday, 1 September 1998: UNICEF has strongly protested against widespread
looting over the last month by rebel forces of its offices, warehouses
and homes, primarily in the eastern area of the Democratic Republic
of the Congo (DRC). Among the stolen items, valued at more than $600,000,
were nine tons of nutritional biscuits meant to feed hundreds of malnourished
children
Voices of Youth supports
World Forum participation
Thursday, 20 August 1998: Voices of Youth (VOY) enabled young people
to send messages and take part in discussions from a distance during
the recent World Youth Forum in Portugal. Delegates from 50 countries
sent messages and youth journalists posted daily Web interviews. Questions
were submitted through VOY to a roundtable held by UNESCO and the High
Commission for Human Rights. VOY, together with the UNAIDS/UNICEF Youth
Unit, presented Internet forums on key issues, such as HIV/AIDS, discrimination
and youth activism. Three of the forum keynote speakers and the Minister
of Youth of Portugal all sent messages via VOY.
Child development
centre launches Web
Wednesday, 19 August 1998: The UNICEF International Child Development
Centre (ICDC), an international knowledge base and training centre focusing
on the rights of children, has just launched its own Web. It covers research,
capacity-building, information management and publishing activities and
offers important databases, including TransMONEE 3.0, a socio-economic
indicators database for Central and Eastern European countries and the
Commonwealth of Independent States. Also available is the Innocenti Information
Portfolio, an online database or searchable text-based "folder"
of information gathered from international sources relating to one specific
children's rights issue, currently juvenile justice.
Indonesia faces long-term emergency
Monday, 17 August 1998: UNICEF said today that multiple threats to the
health, well-being and basic education of Indonesia's children constitute
nothing short of an international emergency. Increased humanitarian
aid is urgently needed to meet worsening economic and social conditions
in the world's fourth-largest nation, according to UNICEF Executive
Director Carol Bellamy.
UNICEF says young people have key development
role
Monday, 10 August 1998: UNICEF today challenged international policy
makers to give young people a broad role in decision-making processes.
"Inclusion of children and adolescents in decision making should
not be on merely a token basis," UNICEF Executive Director Carol
Bellamy said. "Young people are demanding to be heard and their
participation is essential for development from now on."
Situation in Kosovo a humanitarian crisis,
UNICEF says
Thursday, 6 August 1998: UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy said
today that the situation in Kosovo has deteriorated significantly and
can now only be described as a humanitarian disaster. The principal
victims of the escalating violence are children and women. If concerted
and effective international initiative is not taken, Ms. Bellamy said,
world leaders risk seeing the situation in Kosovo escalate to grotesque
levels of violence and brutality.
Take part in World Youth
Forum online
Monday, 27 July 1998: Discussions at the World Youth Forum, taking place
in Braga, Portugal, 2-7 August 1998, will affect millions of young people,
but only a handful of them can be there in person. Voices of Youth,
the UNICEF Internet initiative, makes it possible for young people to
communicate with youth leaders at the Forum. Delegates and a multinational
team of young journalists will report on the major issues and respond
to online questions and comments from young people around the world.
Key themes include discrimination on the basis of HIV/AIDS, gender,
disability and ethnicity.
Only peace will save Sudan's children,
UNICEF says
Thursday, 23 July 1998: UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy said
today in Nairobi that if mass starvation of children and women is to
be averted in the southern Sudan, the ceasefire must be adhered to and
expanded to ensure that urgent humanitarian relief can reach people
most in need. "The suffering I witnessed in these famine-stricken
areas was horrific. Children, who should be running and playing have
become mere skeletal figures, too weak to stand and barely able to feed
themselves" said Ms. Bellamy.
Chat on the Web with Carol Bellamy
Monday, 20 July 1998: UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy will take
part in a worldwide Internet chat on Ladies' Home Journal Online (www.LHJ.com)
Monday, July 27 at 10:30 a.m., eastern time. Ms. Bellamy, who is part
of a feature entitled "Women of the World" in the August issue
of Ladies' Home Journal, will discuss the problems and issues facing
women and children today. She will have just returned from Sudan, where
she visited UNICEF projects to help malnourished children.
UNICEF hails move to establish world
criminal court
Saturday, 18 July 1998: UNICEF saluted the work of the Diplomatic Conference
for the Establishment of an International Criminal Court (ICC), which
concluded in Rome, but expressed serious reservations on elements of
the final statute that it said could deny or delay justice for many
children and women.
Carol Bellamy will visit several
locales in Sudan
Friday, 17 July 1998: UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy leaves
for Sudan tomorrow. She will go to Khartoum to meet with Government
officials and then visit destinations in the south which are under the
control of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). The UNICEF
chief will arrive in Khartoum on Monday for meetings with Government
official, and proceed from there to visit feeding centres in Bahr el
Ghazal in the South. She will also the Government-controlled town of
Wau and SPLM-controlled areas in the region.
Youth leaders from 36 nations discuss
global issues
Friday, 17 July 1998: Youth leaders from 36 countries today concluded
two days of serious discussion of issues ranging from the exploitation
of children for military purposes to female genital mutilation at a
forum sponsored by Time Warner and UNICEF. The young persons, aged from
13 to 17, ended their discussion with an hour-long session with UNICEF's
Executive Director, Carol Bellamy.
UNICEF mourns Mahbub ul Haq
Friday, 17 July 1998: The sudden death of Mahbub ul Haq of Pakistan
is an incalculable loss to the cause of human development, UNICEF Executive
Director Carol Bellamy said today. "Mahbub ul Haq was one of the
century's most passionately original development thinkers and we are
all of us the poorer for his passing," Ms. Bellamy said. "On
behalf of the United Nations Children's Fund, I extend our deepest condolences
to Mahbub ul Haq's wife and family for their loss. It is one in which
the whole world shares."
Child malnutrition growing in southern
Sudan
Monday, 13 July 1998: Despite the on-going massive relief operation
in the southern Sudan, the situation in the famine-hit Bahr el Ghazal
region is continuing to deteriorate. A recent set of surveys conducted
by UNICEF in 12 locations found that on average, 50.9 per cent of the
children were malnourished. In response, Operation Lifeline Sudan (OLS),
which coordinates aid agencies' efforts in thesouthern Sudan, is preparing
to double the number of children in its feeding programmes to 38,000.
A third of newborns unregistered
and at risk
Wednesday, 8 July 1998: Forty million children born each year are at
risk because they are not registered at birth, according to The Progress of Nations 1998, a yearly report by UNICEF.
"Lack of a valid birth certificate threatens a child fundamentally.
Whether seeking health care or immunization, entering school or proving
one is too young for military service or to work in hazardous industries,
a birth certificate is a necessity," UNICEF Executive Director
Carol Bellamy said at the report's launch in London today. The publication
also examines the issues of immunization, adolescence, and homelessness.
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