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Nairobi, 22 August 2024, – Children and vulnerable communities are at the sharp end of an expanding outbreak of mpox in Eastern and Southern Africa. More than 200 confirmed cases have been detected across five countries (Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa), UNICEF reported today.  The new variant of the mpox virus (clade Ib) has been identified in all affected…, UNICEF is responding to the Mpox outbreak alongside WHO and Africa CDC, as part of government response plans with local partners., For example, UNICEF is supporting local communities to intensify risk communication and community engagement through local media and awareness interventions. This includes prioritizing care and proper personal hygiene as an effective infection prevention and control measure. UNICEF is currently appealing for an urgent $16.5 million to scale up the…, NOTE TO EDITORS:, WHO has determined that the upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).  UNICEF’s response in Burundi In Burundi, UNICEF is partnering with the Government in implementing the Mpox national response plan and…

Nairobi, 30 July 2024, – On this World Day Against Trafficking in Persons with the theme ‘Leave No Child Behind in the Fight Against Human Trafficking’’, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Save The Children (SC) and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) are highlighting the plight of boys and girls who are trafficked within their countries, in the…, . , According to data from the Counter-Trafficking Data Collaborative from 2002-2022, in the East and Horn of Africa region children make up 12 per cent of persons trafficked from the region. Between 2018-2022, IOM in the region assisted over 4,000 survivors of trafficking, 12 per cent of whom were children. The majority of child survivors are…

NAIROBI/NEW YORK, 25 July 2024 – , The severe drought that has impacted large swathes of Southern Africa is threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of children in the six worst-affected countries, UNICEF said today. This includes more than 270,000 children who are expected to suffer from life-threatening severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in 2024. El Niño-related weather…, NOTE TO EDITORS:, Spokespeople based in-country and at the regional office in Nairobi are available for interviews. Multimedia materials available here . Country-focused updates: In Lesotho, approximately 700,000 people are reported to be food vulnerable. In Malawi, where an estimated 5.7 million people are expected to experience high levels of acute food…

On World Youth Skills Day, UNICEF calls on stakeholders and partners to join hands and invest in equipping youth with the skills and tools they need to thrive and create change for a more prosperous, peaceful and sustainable future. This Day is celebrated by youth, education institutions, employers, policymakers and development partners to…, Youth are not only facing a challenging present, but also an uncertain future:, By one estimate, 85 per cent of the jobs that today’s learners will be doing in 2030 have not yet been invented, putting immense pressure on all stakeholders, including youth, to think creatively to acquire a different set of skills and competencies to secure the jobs of the future. Unless there is a radical transformation of  engagement, learning…, Promoting/creating relevant, flexible, credited learning opportunities, (with 21st century knowledge and skills) through multiple pathways (from formal education to non-formal and community settings to the world of work)., Accelerating alternative learning to earning opportunities and transitions into work, Leveraging technology, innovations and new strategic partnerships, Adolescents and youth’s learning and skills development, especially for the most marginalized, is a priority for the organization’s efforts around the second decade and links directly to the achievement of SDG targets, including ending poverty, enhancing education and life learning opportunities, promoting employment and decent work for all.   , Partnerships and joint actions are key to advance skills development at scale., Partnerships and joint actions are key to advance skills development at scale., Skilling young people alone will not create jobs; strategic partnerships are required to influence the ‘demand side’ of the labour market by promoting/offering opportunities such as internships, apprenticeships and mentorships, and by connecting the ‘supply side’ to the ‘demand side’.   Through partnership platforms such as Generation Unlimited,…, UNICEF making strides in bridging the skills gap for young people across Eastern and Southern Africa, Burundi, In Burundi, UNICEF and its partners has been implementing a comprehensive skills-building programme dedicated to empowering adolescents and youth. Since its launch in 2019, the programme has reached over 300,000 adolescents, with 50% girls, through community initiatives that promote social cohesion, economic empowerment and self-reliance via…, Kenya, Through joint actions of UNICEF, UNHCR and partners, more than 20,000 young people from refugee camps and host communities in Northern Kenya were empowered with integrated skills-building programmes, on the job training, mentorship and career guidance sessions, bootcamps and school clubs, enhancing employability, gender inclusivity and social…, Eswatini, Youth unemployment rate in Eswatini remains high, estimated at 58.2 per cent among youth aged 15-25 years, with a disproportionate impact on adolescents and youth residing in rural areas (65.9 Per cent). Through a partnership with Junior Achievement Eswatini, UNICEF supports secondary schools reaching over 3000 adolescents to deliver a Financial…, Learn more about the programme here: , Lifelong learning protection and development (LLPD) | UNICEF Eswatini, Voices from the field, Out of school Adolescents gain life skills, technical skills, and entrepreneurship skills through IPOSA in Tanzania.  Anastahili's path to empowerment   From the battlefield to a transformative journey on life skills and technical skills in Somalia. Adan’s path to reintegration   Life skills boost confidence of children with disabilities in…

JOHANNESBURG, 6 June 2024 , – Around 64 million children in Africa under 5 years of age – or 1 in 3 – are experiencing severe child food poverty, making them up to 50 per cent more likely to experience wasting, a life-threatening form of malnutrition, a new global UNICEF report reveals today. For the first time, Child Food Poverty: Nutrition Deprivation in Early Childhood  …, Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, . “This causes severe disruption in food production, so nutritious foods become less available and more expensive for vulnerable households and parents are unable to feed their children adequately.” The report warns that while countries are still recovering from the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the effects of growing inequities…, Gilles Fagninou, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, . “Together we can transform food systems to make nutritious, diverse, and healthy foods more accessible, affordable and desirable for caregivers to feed young children. Health and protection systems also play an important role to deliver better food and nutrition to vulnerable children and their families.”  To accelerate actions to prevent child…, Notes to editors:, Download, photos and b-roll, ., Download, the full report, ., Categories of child food poverty, If children are fed: 0–2 food groups/day, they are living in severe child food poverty, 3–4 food groups/day, they are living in moderate child food poverty, 5 or more food groups/day, they are not living in child food poverty. A baby has an orange served to her by her grandmother Doris Rufus, 47, UNICEF/UN0728976/Esiebo

Joint statement by Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director, Eastern and Southern Africa, Nisha, UNESCO Regional Director for Southern Africa, and Alexandros K Makarigakis, UNESCO Regional Director for East Africa. An estimated 282 million young people aged 10-24 will reside in Eastern and Southern Africa by 2050. The potential of this population…

AMMAN / DAKAR / JOHANNESBURG / NAIROBI, 13 June 2024 , - In the lead up to Sunday's Day of the African Child, themed this year on “ Education for all children in Africa: the time is now” , UNICEF is releasing new education financing analyses that show most African countries are not meeting their commitments to allocate the 20 per cent of their national budget benchmark on education, as recommended by…, Re-commit to making education a budget priority , and reach the recommended benchmark of 20 per cent,  , annual spending on education by 2025. , Increase budgetary attention to early learning , and commit,  , to allocating at least 10 per cent of education budgets to pre-primary education. , Leverage international public and private resources, , including concessional loans and grants from international financial institutions, innovative financing mechanisms and public-private partnerships. Converting and spending Special Drawing Rights and negotiating for debt relief that directly benefits education or other avenues for restructuring debt could free up large resources for education., Enhance transparency and accountability , in planning, budgeting and management of education systems, ., Enhance the effectiveness of budget allocations , including addressing inefficiencies throughout the spending chain on education., Invest more in teachers , and,  , develop clear,  , plans for funding recruitment, retention and professional development. , Improve equity of education spending and service delivery , and,  , ensure no child is left behind in accessing quality learning. ####   Two learners smile while in class session UNI573125

NEW YORK, 11 June 2024 , — Nearly 400 million children under 5 — or 6 in 10 children within that age group globally — regularly endure psychological aggression or physical punishment at home, according to new UNICEF estimates. Of them, around 330 million are punished by physical means. The findings also emphasize the crucial role of play in children’s development and the…, Protection: , Strengthening legal and policy frameworks that prohibit and end all forms of violence against children in the home;, Parenting support:,  Scaling up evidence-based parenting programmes that promote positive, playful approaches, and prevent family violence;, Playful learning:,  Expanding access to learning and play spaces for children, including preschools, schools, and playgrounds. “On the first International Day of Play, we must unite and recommit to ending violence against children and promoting positive, nurturing, and playful caregiving,” added Russell. #####, Notes to editors:, Explore the data here  and here . Visit UNICEF’s parenting hub here .   On 11 June 2024, UNICEF and partners will mark the first-ever International Day of Play  (IDOP) at the UN Headquarters in New York, featuring a high-level forum, a play installation and experience, and a pre-k classroom learning through play. IDOP underscores the crucial role…

After a thorough evaluation, an independent Polio Outbreak Response Assessment Team (OBRA), which rigorously assessed various facets of the polio outbreak response, has concluded that there is no evidence of ongoing wild polio transmission in Mozambique and Malawi. , Brazzaville, May 14, 2024, – Following thorough assessments in Malawi and Mozambique, an independent Polio Outbreak Response Assessment Team (OBRA) today recommended the closure of the wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) outbreak in Malawi and Mozambique, marking a significant milestone in the fight against polio in the African region.  The last WPV1 case in the African Region,…, Note to editors: , The notification of imported wild poliovirus in 2022 did not alter the certification of the African region as free of indigenous wild polio in August 2020, as the strain that was confirmed in southern Africa was imported.  Polio has no cure and can cause irreversible paralysis. However, the disease can be prevented and eradicated through…

Nairobi, 9 May 2024, – Flooding and landslides in Eastern Africa are affecting almost a million people in Burundi, Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania. As unusually heavy rains have pounded the region, exacerbated by the 2023-24 El Niño climate phenomenon, hundreds of lives have been lost, highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian assistance. Large numbers of people have…, Note to Editors:, Regional and country-based spokespeople are available for media interviews on the situation of children in the region, including on specific areas such as Nutrition; Water, Sanitation & Hygiene; Education; Health and more., Multimedia content:, Floods in East and Southern Africa:   https://weshare.unicef.org/package/2am408uxwu9b https://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AM408UXWU9B, Social media:, @UNICEFKenya / @UNICEF_Burundi / @UNICEFTanzania / @UNICEFSomalia, Country-focused updates:, In Burundi, , the government has reported that 306,000 individuals are at imminent risk due to ongoing floods and landslides, exacerbated by the El Niño phenomenon, which is generating above-average rainfall. Since the onset of the crisis, there are around 227,000 affected people and almost 95,000 displaced persons, and vital infrastructure, including nearly…, In Kenya, , 41 out of 47 counties (87 per cent) are affected by heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides including the capital, Nairobi.  293, 661 people are affected by the floods, with 54, 837 households displaced across the country. The floods have resulted in loss of livestock and thousands of acres of destroyed croplands. Schools, health facilities,…, Somalia - , More than 160,000 people have been affected by the latest flooding,, two-thirds of whom are children, . In the worst affected regions of Hirshabelle, the Southwest State, and Jubaland, the floods have wrought damage to infrastructure and cut off delivery of much-needed humanitarian supplies to affected districts. Rising water levels are posing a serious threat to towns like Beletweyne and Jowhar in the Hirshabelle state. UNICEF is working with the…, In Tanzania, , 210,000 people have been affected by floods, 250 people have been injured and 161 people have lost their lives.  Severe floods and mudslides have affected Pwani Region (Rufiji and Kibiti). Over 200,000 acres of farmland have been affected. About 5,000 people are still hosted in temporary camps in Pwani Region. The recent Tropical Cyclone Hidaya…

In Eastern and Southern Africa, adolescent girls are being disproportionately held back by three interconnected issues: Early pregnancy, HIV, and gender-based violence. With 20 per cent of babies born to mothers below age 20, the region has some of the world’s highest rates of adolescent pregnancy [1] and remains the epicentre of the HIV crisis.…, ,, Executive Director of AYARHEP (Ambassador for Youth Reproductive Health programme) said: “Young women may want children but need accurate information so they can exercise their right to decide freely and access options for deciding when. We need better education about sexual and reproductive health and rights, accessible contraception and stigma…

Namibia has become the first country in Africa – and the first high-burden country in the world - to reach a significant milestone on the path towards eliminating vertical mother-to-child transmission of both HIV and,  , viral,  , hepatitis B. Eastern and Southern Africa is home to more than half the world’s HIV burden and Africa accounts for two thirds of new hepatitis B infections globally. Namibia is home to more than 200,000 people living with HIV and new infections disproportionately impact females. Progress is possible. Globally, 2.5 million children have avoided…