UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Office 2023 Annual Report
For every child, every right
Highlights
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is a region of contrasts. It is home to a culturally diverse group of low, middle-, and high-income countries. Child poverty remains high in most countries, ranging from 16 percent in Egypt to 76 percent in Yemen. Less than half of the children have access to social protection, hindered by low public financing for such programs. Inequalities between and within countries are substantial, and this gap is widening.
In 2023, some MENA countries flourished while others experienced complex humanitarian crises that took a terrible toll on the lives of children and families. There were devastating earthquakes in Syria and Morocco, floods in Libya, the large-scale conflict across all of Sudan, creating the world’s largest child internal displacement crisis, and the ongoing tragic situation in Israel and the State of Palestine.
Country offices and the regional office in Amman had to respond to the needs of children in very varied contexts. This required a high degree of program flexibility, solid contingency planning and preparedness, and a high level of attention to the duty of care for staff. The scope of such crises has inevitably impacted UNICEF’s work and the region’s progress toward child-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Through it all, the UNICEF MENA Regional Office (MENARO) and 16 country offices continued to deliver results for children. In 2023, UNICEF, along with its partners, met most of the immediate needs of the most vulnerable children while delivering programmes, advocacy, and support to defend the rights of children and young people in varying circumstances and help them fulfill their potential. The dedication of country and regional office staff was outstanding, with teams delivering results in unimaginably challenging conditions, more particularly in Sudan, the State of Palestine, and Yemen, involving the loss of family members, multiple relocations, and evacuations. For MENARO, protecting staff security and well-being was a significant focus and achievement.
