http://www.unicef.org/ News from UNICEF, Press releases, News notes, Media advisories, Statements en-us Copyright 2007, UNICEF Wed, 16 May 2012 21:10:45 GMT Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rss/ http://www.unicef.org/images/unicef_aqua.gif http://www.unicef.org/ http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/sri_lanka_62449.rhtml TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka, 15 May 2012 – It’s the morning rounds of the village mothers’ support group. Today, they’re visiting one of the poorest families in this remote village in eastern Sri Lanka. Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/ghana_62444.rhtml TAMALE, Ghana, 14 May 2012 – Midwife Doris Azuma Bugri was sitting on the veranda of the Moglaa clinic, in northern Ghana, when she saw a pregnant woman walk into a compound across the street. Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/madagascar_62445.rhtml ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar, 14 May 2012 - Fanomezanjanahary Lantoniaina sits in the training room of the Antananarivo-based French Institute of Madagascar. Born and raised at the outskirts of Madagascar’s capital city, she eagerly awaits the start of UNICEF’s OneMinutesJr. video workshop. Mon, 14 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/nepal_62435.rhtml KATHMANDU, Nepal, 11 May 2012 – Fifty journalists in Nepal have been awarded for highlighting the harsh realities facing the country’s children and women. Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/spain_62436.rhtml BARCELONA, Spain, 11 May 2012 – In an event held yesterday at Camp Nou, the stadium of legendary football team FC Barcelona (FCB), the FC Barcelona Foundation and UNICEF reaffirmed their promise to work together to improve the lives of millions of children through sports and education. Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/niger_62434.rhtml NIAMEY, Niger, 11 May 2012 – Chronic food insecurity and malnutrition are mainstays of everyday life for thousands of families in Niger. Following the failed rains and poor harvests of 2011, the country is now in the midst of its third nutrition crisis since 2005. Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/Turkey_62432.rhtml HATAY, Turkey, 10 May 2012 – In a quiet house outside Antakya in southern Turkey, parents fleeing 14 months of violence in Syria have set up a makeshift school for their children. The sounds of lessons in maths, English, Turkish and the Koran ring through the living rooms and bedrooms, and the garden has become a lively playground. Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/ghana_62425.rhtml TAMALE, Ghana, 10 May 2012 – Azara Abukari once prayed she would never again have to serve her family the brew of hot water, salt and pepper that had become their standby meal. Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/ethiopia_62418.rhtml HARAMAYA, Ethiopia, 9 May 2012 – At one month old, Hannan Mohammed Ibrahim lost her twin sister. Soon after, their mother, Sephora Adem, fell seriously ill. Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/pakistan_62416.rhtml NAWAY KALAY, Swat Valley, Pakistan, 9 May 2012 – Students of the Naway Kalay Government Boys’ School wore crisp uniforms and carried shiny blue school bags. Their faces glowed with excitement at meeting the special guests who were coming to their school. Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/ghana_62417.rhtml TAMALE, Ghana, 9 May 2012 – One morning about 10 years ago, Afakiba Azure’s daughter, Ndepoka, started vomiting. She did not stop for three days. On the fourth day, Ms. Azure strapped the 10-year-old girl to her back and walked 10 hours to the nearest hospital. But in spite of the nurses’ efforts, Ndepoka died. Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/chad_62410.rhtml N’DJAMENA, Chad, 8 May 2012 – “It was a night in April,” explained Annour. “Our child began to vomit and have diarrhoea repeatedly. We gave him water, thinking that it would pass, but it went on. No one in the village health centre knew what it was, so we decided the next morning to take him to the hospital in N'Djamena – but he died on the way.” Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/uganda_62409.rhtml KAMPALA, Uganda, 8 May 2012 – It all began at the age of 15, after winning the title of ‘best debater’ in an inter-school debating competition. After winning the award, I received a call from UNICEF informing me that I had been selected to represent Ugandan children at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Children in New York in 2002. This marked the beginning of my journey as an advocate for the rights of children, youth and women. Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/angola_62407.rhtml LUBANGO, Angola, 8 May 2012 – Anton*, 15, helps take care of Fernando Sozinho, an elderly disabled man at a retirement home in Lubango, in the province of Huíla, in southern Angola. Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/bulgaria_62408.rhtml SOFIA, Bulgaria, 8 May 2012 – UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Martin Mogwanja visited children in institutional and residential care in Bulgaria, learning more about the needs of the most vulnerable children, challenges to providing them with suitable care, and efforts to improve the systems that support them. Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/policyanalysis/index_62398.rhtml NEW YORK, USA, 7 May 2012 – This week, UNICEF commemorates the 10-year anniversary of the adoption of ‘A World Fit for Children’, a United Nations document committing the world’s nations to advancing the rights, welfare and dignity of children everywhere. Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/lebanon_62396.rhtml AL FAQIHA, Lebanon, 7 May 2012 – The little hilltop town of Al Faqiha is located in one of the more remote corners of the Bekaa Valley, a fertile swath of land along Lebanon’s eastern frontier. It’s also the region closest to Syria, Lebanon’s troubled neighbour, making it a natural refuge for Syrian families seeking sanctuary from the unrest in their homeland. Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/china_62387.rhtml BEIJING, China, 4 May 2012 – When Xiaoyu Su, from Fujian Province, tried to convince her parents that her newborn daughter should be fed breastmilk and nothing else, she was criticized for being stubborn. Nevertheless, Ms. Su is proud that she managed to exclusively breastfeed her daughter for the first 6 months of life. Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/drcongo_62383.rhtml LUBUMBASHI, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 4 May 2012 – “I am grateful for the miracle that happened to us,” said Mariam. Three weeks ago, she arrived at the therapeutic feeding unit in Camp Vangu, in Lumumbashi, carrying her 11-month-old daughter, Elaine. The little girl was too weak to even open her eyes. Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/bangladesh_62375.rhtml DHAKA, Bangladesh, 3 May 2012 – For Laila Bagge, the Swedish singer and songwriter, visiting the residents of T and T colony, a slum in Dhaka, was a life-changing experience. During her three-day trip, Ms. Bagge also visited a UNICEF-supported child-friendly space, a place for children to play and learn, and she spoke to children about their experiences growing up in urban poverty. Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/sahel_62374.rhtml NEW YORK, USA, 3 May 2012 – Poor harvests, drought and high food prices, combined with increasing insecurity, have pushed the Sahel region into a malnutrition crisis. Some 15 million people in the region are directly affected, including over one million children under age 5 who are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition, a life-threatening condition, this year. Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/southafrica_62328.rhtml PRETORIA, South Africa, 2 May 2012 – UNICEF is calling on all South Africans to unite behind the goal of reducing violence against children to zero. Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/southsudan_62343.rhtml TORIT, South Sudan, 2 May 2012 – There was only sorghum for lunch, but it didn’t make the preparation any simpler. In Illeu, a small town in Eastern Equatoria State, Anorina Kabaka first had to bring a bucket full of sorghum grain to be ground into flour. While waiting for the sorghum to be ground, she plucked tamarind nuts, which she would soak in water to flavour the meal. Once she had returned home, she lit a fire, set a pot of water to boil, and mixed the flour into a thick porridge. Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/pakistan_62340.rhtml NOWSHERA, Pakistan, 2 May 2012 – Safe now at a camp for displaced people, Jan Bibi recalls the horrific events that led her family to flee for their lives earlier this year. Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/niger_62326.rhtml AGUIE, Niger, 1 May 2012 – Two-and-half year old Oumarou Seydou sat motionless in his mother’s arms. He was not smiling or crying. He did not move. Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/sahel_62323.rhtml NEW YORK, USA, 1 May 2012 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow has issued an urgent appeal on behalf of a million children in the Sahel whose lives are threatened by severe acute malnutrition Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/vietnam_62324.rhtml DA NANG, Viet Nam, 1 May 2012 – In a record move to protect the breastfeeding rights of women and children, UNICEF and the National Assembly’s Institute of Legislative Studies have concluded a series of high-level consultative meetings in Viet Nam’s coastal city of Da Nang. Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/mauritania_62321.rhtml NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania, 30 April 2012 – In the world of nutrition, Professor Michael Golden is something of a celebrity. Mr. Golden is famous for his work in developing Formula 100 (F-100), the basis for therapeutic foods that treat malnutrition. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/pakistan_62319.rhtml NOWSHERA, Pakistan, 30 April 2012 – Seven-year-old Rizwana has seen things that no child should ever have to experience. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/oPt_62318.rhtml EAST JERUSALEM, Occupied Palestinian Territory, 30 April 2012 – The winding lanes of Silwan are among the most ancient and picturesque in East Jerusalem. But Silwan is also one of the most densely populated Palestinian neighbourhoods, where poverty and violence are part of daily life. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/pakistan_62313.rhtml BADIN DISTRICT, Pakistan, 27 April 2012 – Thousands of flood-affected children and families have learned new life skills and enjoyed a much-needed reprieve from the stresses of post-flood life at a series of UNICEF-supported Children’s Fairs taking place in some of the worst flood-affected districts of Sindh province. Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/ghana_62314.rhtml ACCRA, Ghana, 27 April 2012 – Alimatu Mohammed drove for three hours on a rattling minibus to get her son treated for severe diarrhoea at a hospital this week. Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/guinea_62316.rhtml CONAKRY, Guinea, 27 April 2012 – The plains of Boffa are a sea of green – and yet there is no drinkable water here. Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/education/bege_62303.rhtml NEW YORK, USA, 27 April 2012 – Sixty-four years ago, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, education was declared a basic human right for everyone, no matter their circumstances, gender, location, religion, language, ethnicity or socio-economic background. Yet, according to UNESCO, 67 million children of primary school age are out of school and being denied the opportunity to fully reach their potential. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/guinea_62302.rhtml CONAKRY, Guinea, 26 April 2012 – At a new school in the town of Pamelap, students are benefiting from the ‘Learning Along Borders’ project. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/namibia_62301.rhtml OSHIKANGO, Namibia, 26 April 2012 – The Namibian-Angolan border post at Oshikango is hectic on a normal afternoon. Since the conflict in Angola ended, trade between Namibia and Angola has flourished. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/immunization/index_62289.rhtml NEW YORK, USA, 25 April 2012 – This week, UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake, alongside partners in the newly renamed Measles and Rubella Initiative, launched a new global strategy aimed at reducing measles deaths and congenital rubella syndrome to zero. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/southsudan_62287.rhtml TORIT, South Sudan, 25 April 2012 – After sweeping the yard, washing up the latrine, and taking out the garbage, 12-year-old Klementina Arakajilo joined the rest of her family for a break. As they chatted, Klementina shared important messages about hygiene and health. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/angola_62286.rhtml LUANDA, Angola, 25 April 2012 – Today, 25 April, is World Malaria Day, an event that calls attention to the critical need bring malaria under control. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/drcongo_62290.rhtml LUBUMBASHI, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 25 April 2012 – Today, on World Malaria Day 2012, a new mass campaign was launched, aiming to distribute 13.7 million long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) to help protect people against malaria. Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/drcongo_62284.rhtml BAS-CONGO, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 24 April 2012 – Roger Vuanda Movita was only 2 years old when polio took away his ability to walk. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/lebanon_62283.rhtml RAMEH, Lebanon, 24 April 2012 – With a sigh, Siham* glances around the small room that is now home to her, her husband and their five children. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/adolescence/index_62281.rhtml NEW YORK, USA, 24 April 2012 – UNICEF has appealed for more to be done to protect the world’s adolescents from violence, disease and illiteracy. Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/car_62240.rhtml BANGUI, Central African Republic, 20 April 2012 – At 7 a.m. one Sunday, the Mamadou-Mbaiki Heath Centre is buzzing with activity. Insulated boxes are being filled with cooling packs and polio vaccines. Vaccination teams – consisting of a vaccinator, a social mobilization specialist and a volunteer – are preparing to depart, getting an early start to the third day of the three-day National Polio Vaccination campaign. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/pakistan_62246.rhtml PESHAWAR, Pakistan, 20 April 2012 – A sermon by an imam is all it takes to change misconceptions about the polio vaccines in some communities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, in northwest Pakistan. A brief talk by the religious leader reassures everyone that no harm – medical, social or religious – comes from the life-saving vaccine. Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/education/bege_62266.rhtml NEW YORK, USA, 23 April 2012 – Every year, more than 200 million children under age 5 are not able to reach their full potential in cognitive development potential due to poverty, conflict, malnutrition, inadequate care and lack of educational opportunities. Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/mauritania_62271.rhtml Nouakchott, Mauritania, 23 April 2012 – At 10:40 Sunday morning, a UPS flight carrying 46,000 kg of live-saving UNICEF supplies touched down in Nouakchott, Mauritania. It was the first dedicated cargo flight of UNICEF supplies shipped to Mauritania, donated by UPS in cooperation with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Mon, 23 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/niger_62254.rhtml NIAMEY, Niger, 20 April 2012 – Only a few months ago, 12-year-old Oumar Soumana was happily living with his family in Damana, in south-western Niger. But when the village’s food stocks were depleted – a result of the massive food crisis occurring throughout the Sahel region of Africa – he was forced to leave home and travel to the capital in search of work. Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.unicef.org/rsstracker/news/infobycountry/sahel_62228.rhtml NEW YORK, USA, 19 April 2012 – Actress, recording artist, designer and UNICEF Ambassador Selena Gomez is lending her star power to UNICEF’s campaign to save lives in the Sahel region of West and Central Africa. Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT