News and stories

In the mountainous Thaba-Tseka District of Lesotho lies Chaena village, a resilient community that has long faced challenges in accessing clean water. For decades, Chaena’s 269 residents and 160 households relied on a failing water system that provided only murky, red-tinted water in small amounts, often after hours of waiting at communal taps.…

NEW YORK, 11 December 2024, — Over 500 million – or close to 8 in 10 - children under five have had their births registered in the last five years, reflecting notable strides in securing legal identity worldwide, according to a new UNICEF report released today. The Right Start in Life: Global levels and trends in birth registration, 2024 update – released on UNICEF’s 78 th…, Register every child at birth, as the foundation of a lifecycle approach to legal identity., Streamline registration processes, to enhance service delivery and drive digital transformation., Leverage health, social protection, and education programmes , to boost birth registration., Implement key legal reforms, for inclusive and equitable civil registration and vital statistics systems., Empower communities, to demand civil registration services as a right. “Despite progress, too many children remain uncounted and unaccounted for—effectively invisible in the eyes of the government or the law,” said Russell. “Every child has the right to be registered and provided with a birth certificate so that they are recognized, protected, and supported.” ###…

Nairobi, 5 December 2024,  – At least 51 million children across Eastern and Southern Africa are at the epicenter of multiple crises, including relentless climate shocks, public health emergencies, conflict, and economic impacts. This is a sharp increase of 6 million children in need compared to the previous year, signaling a further deterioration of the humanitarian…, Regional and country-based spokespeople are available for interviews in the areas of Health, Climate, Protection, Nutrition, Education, Water and Sanitation, and more., Notable regional results in 2024 include:, -, 135 million children screened for wasting. - Over 15 million children received access to essential health services including 5.2 million vaccinated against measles and 11.25 million vaccinated against polio. - More than 6.3 million people, including 3.2 million children received access to safe water. - Approximately 2 million children have been…

Garowe, Puntland, Somalia, Amina Mohamed Nuur has known loss in her life. The Somali mother of 7, looks down as she recalls the 4 children she previously lost. That pain, prompted her to swiftly take action when her youngest, Saleebaan Abdi Aadam aged 17 months fell sick. “He hasn’t been eating or sleeping well,” Amina said, “so I brought him here straightaway.” Amina is…

NEW YORK, JOHANNESBURG, 20 November 2024 –, Children in sub-Saharan Africa are at heightened risk in a rapidly changing world affected by extreme climate crises, shifting population dynamics, and widening technological gaps, according to UNICEF’s flagship report released on World Children’s Day. The State of the World’s Children 2024: The Future of Childhood in a Changing World projects…, Notes to editors:, Download multimedia content . Access the SOWC Statistical Compendium . Drawing on the megatrends and many other socioeconomic indicators, UNICEF commissioned the Wittgenstein Centre for Demography and Global Human Capital to analyse scenarios modeling how the world might look for children in 2050. The scenarios are possible outcomes, not…

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, – On World Children’s Day 2024, children across southern Africa came together to demand a better future., Access their Call for Action, here., Set against the majestic backdrop of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, this year’s commemorations were a striking reminder of the power of collective action. Illuminated in UNICEF blue, the iconic Victoria Falls Bridge became a beacon of progress and a symbol of the region’s commitment to children’s rights. Children from seven nations—Botswana, Malawi,…

VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE, 19 November 2024, – Children from seven countries in Southern Africa met their leaders in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe this weekend to call for improved conditions in education and better protection when schools become unsafe due to conflict or extreme weather. The more than 7,000 children met with Presidents from Botswana and Zimbabwe as well as high level officials…, Children’s Unified Call-to-Action: A Vision for Education and Rights, Ahead of the 2024 Regional World Children’s Day commemorations in Victoria Falls, children from the seven countries united to issue a  Regional Call-to-Action , highlighting their shared vision for a brighter future. Recognizing education as a cornerstone for empowerment, prosperity, and equality, the children called on their leaders to ensure…, High-Level Engagement, The 2024 World Children’s Day celebrations emphasized children’s participation in shaping policies that impact their lives and engaging with high-level decision makers. Children from Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe shared their views on education, climate change, violence, and mental health before meeting…, Challenges to Children’s Rights, Children in Southern Africa face significant barriers to realizing their rights. Climate change, economic pressures, and growing debt burdens exacerbate these challenges, leading to deficits in education and well-being. A recent UNICEF survey of over 5,000 children revealed that while 87 per cent of respondents are aware of their rights, barriers…, Progress Towards Solutions, Since the first regional World Children’s Day in 2021 in Botswana - there has been significant progress on education and child rights in participating countries., Zimbabwe, recently passed the Education Act, prohibiting corporal punishment, guaranteeing retention of pregnant girls in school and providing sanitary ware for girls. In, Botswana, , government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting children's rights by establishing a new Ministry of Child Welfare and Basic Education. The Ministry will oversee comprehensive programs for children across the country and provide strategic direction for the child rights agenda., Namibia, is making schools more inclusive and, Zambia, is putting efforts into reducing the pupil-teacher ratio with the recruitment of 4,200 teachers and has approved the National Social Protection Policy, expanding support across the country.   , Malawi, will be starting pre-primary classes for children across the country from 2025., South Africa, has adopted a multi-year curriculum recovery plan to make up for learning losses during COVID-19. And, Mozambique, has tripled school attendance since 2000 through a combination of extending mandatory term to 9 years and increasing inclusivity for children with special needs and disabilities.  These efforts show that when leaders listen to children and act, they can make a difference. Ropafadzo Mutsago, 16, from Zimbabwe stressed the responsibilities of…, Notes to editors: , Download  multimedia content  from the event in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. A young person poses for a photo, during the 2024 World Children's Day celebration in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. UNICEF/UNI684723/Tinago

By 2030, Africa's child population is projected to reach 750 million, and by 2055, the continent will be home to 1 billion children, almost 40 per cent of the world’s girls and boys.  Amidst growth, the continent is grappling with a poly-crisis driven by climate change, conflict, health emergencies and displacement, whose elements interact to…, On behalf of: , Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children  Etleva Kadilli, Regional Director, UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa  Gilles Fagninou, Regional Director, UNICEF West and Central Africa  Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director, WHO Africa  Faustina Fynn-Nyame, Executive Director, Africa,…

By the end of the century, nearly half of the worlds children will be in Africa. While the world’s child population (aged 0-17 years) reached its peak in 2022 and is expected to decrease from now on, Africa will continue to increase its child population. The Eastern and Southern Africa region will more than triple its working-age population (20-64…, Key takeaways, Countries in Eastern and Southern Africa need to accelerate investments in all social sectors to improve outcomes and to accommodate the growing child population with a long-term horizon. In the next 10 years, 45 million children will be added to ESA child population. Education systems need to be adapted to provide children and young people with…

Addis Ababa/Geneva/New York/Oslo, 5 November 2024, – The Access and Allocation Mechanism for mpox (AAM) has allocated an initial 899,000 vaccine doses for nine countries across the African region that are hit hard by the current mpox surge. In collaboration with affected countries and donors, this decision aims to ensure that the limited doses are used effectively and fairly, with the overall…, Key points of the vaccination approach under the global and continental strategic preparedness and response plans:, Vaccine Availability: Over 5.85 million vaccine doses are expected to be available to the Mpox Vaccines AAM by the end of 2024, including the nearly 900 000 allocated doses. The supply includes contributions from multiple nations and organizations, including 1.85 million dose donations of MVA-BN from the European Union, United States, and Canada,…,  , Implementing targeted vaccination approaches can reduce transmission by focusing on those at the highest risk of infection. This vaccination strategy prioritizes individuals at substantially higher risk of exposure, including close contacts—such as household members and sexual partners—of confirmed cases. A combination of prevention and control…

To foster stronger youth engagement and deepen the impact of the Youth Power Hub initiative, UNICEF, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and local partners – including Skillshare Lesotho, Development for Peace Education, and Democracy Works Foundation – have launched a series of sensitization campaigns and dialogues across all ten…

NEW YORK, 24 October 2024 —, Of the 541 children affected by polio globally in 2023, 85 per cent live in the 31 fragile, conflict-affected, and vulnerable countries, according to a new UNICEF analysis on World Polio Day. Polio cases in these settings have more than doubled in the past five years, while routine childhood immunization has dropped from 75 to 70 per cent – well…, Prioritize , vaccination of all children against polio, especially in conflict and humanitarian settings and in countries with low immunization coverage across Africa and parts of Asia.  , Strengthen, immunization systems to ensure all children receive essential, lifesaving vaccines., Protect , humanitarian and healthcare workers delivering vaccines, and respect essential humanitarian pauses needed for campaign success., Provide , critical resources to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to quickly halt outbreaks and ensure children are vaccinated., Elevate, polio eradication on political agendas at all levels, prioritizing innovative solutions and coordinated actions to enhance immunization campaign quality. “The spread of polio not only puts children in affected countries at immediate risk but also poses a growing threat to neighbouring countries,” added Russell. “The final push is the hardest, but…, WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage, 2023 Revision, : Published in 2024, these estimates provide the latest data on global immunization coverage trends and progress., WHO List of Fragile, Conflict-Affected, and Vulnerable (FCV) Countries, : Published in 2024, this list identifies countries facing heightened vulnerability due to humanitarian crises, protracted emergencies, and armed conflicts, and other destabilizing factors., World Bank FY25 List of Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations, : Published in 2024, this list outlines countries experiencing situations of armed conflict and war, and fragility, such social, economic, and political instability., WHO HQ - Weekly GPEI Polio Analysis, : Ongoing weekly analysis from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), providing up-to-date information on global polio trends and eradication efforts. Children receive polio vaccines at health clinic in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. UNICEF/UNI638305/El Baba