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In 2022, many children and their families around the world faced multiple emergencies. War, disease outbreaks, natural disasters and other crises meant that by the end of the year 339 million people required life-saving assistance – up 25 per cent on a year earlier. This placed huge demands on global humanitarian supply chains, highlighting that…, Emergency supplies touch down, War in Ukraine:, The war has had a devastating impact on the country’s 7.5 million children, with the fighting sparking displacement on a scale not seen since World War II. The global logistics and transport firms, Kuehne + Nagel, ,, Flexport, and tourism group, TUI, contributed to UNICEF’s emergency response by delivering dignity kits, hygiene supplies, blankets, and water and sanitation items to Ukraine at the beginning of the war. UNICEF has since expanded its operations even further, sending more than 12,500 metric tons of supplies to the country., Flooding in Pakistan:, To reach children and families caught up in Pakistan’s catastrophic monsoon floods,, DP World, funded critical water, sanitation, hygiene and education supplies for children and families in the hardest hit locations. The, UPS Foundation, contributed to UNICEF’s efforts by funding psychosocial and recreation kits to help reduce the effects of flood trauma, while Flexport,, Scan Global, and, IAG Cargo, provided in-kind freight for essential items., Maersk, also made storage space available in Pakistan to enable the quick distribution of goods. , COVID-19 response:, UNICEF worked around the clock to deliver COVID-19 supplies such as vaccines, diagnostics, medicines and personal protective equipment (PPE). In support of this mammoth operation, DP World’s storage hub in Dubai was used by UNICEF to organise the delivery of COVID-19 supplies. This was complemented by staff seconded from, Deutsche Post DHL Group, , who brought extra technical know-how into planning and delivery operations. The UPS Foundation provided funding to UNICEF to boost logistics planning capacity and to purchase refrigerated trucks in Cameroon, enabling access to vaccines in more difficult to reach areas. , Health emergencies: , Newborns and children are often cut off from basic health care during emergencies. The UPS Foundation shipped PPE to Ghana to help tackle a health emergency and oral rehydration salts to Lebanon in response to a cholera outbreak. In the aftermath of an earthquake in Afghanistan, Flexport supported a delivery of water tanks to ensure safe water was…, . USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), also transported water, sanitation and hygiene supplies to Haiti to make sure children had access to proper sanitation., Nutrition crises:, Drought in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa – which was facing its fifth failed rainy season – pushed millions of children to the brink of survival. UNICEF coordinated with Flexport and the UPS Foundation to deliver ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) to Chad and Ethiopia to help severely malnourished children. The, CMA CGM Foundation, supported UNICEF programmes, including nutrition, by offering free-of-charge sea freight for 50 shipments to over 20 countries, harnessing CMA’s global network and capacity to help UNICEF reach children all around the world., Improving supply chains for the future, During emergencies, the pressure on supply chains increases, which can result in delays, rising freight costs and bottlenecks in the transport of supplies. Finding longer-term solutions to overcome these challenges was a key priority for UNICEF in 2022.   In January, a memorandum of understanding was signed with, The Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GATF), to address challenges related to the import of essential supplies. The collaboration between GATF and UNICEF focuses on improving countries’ supply chain systems by digitalizing customs clearances and modernizing border processes, reducing the processing time of deliveries. In Mozambique, for example, the partnership supported improvements to the…, Port of Antwerp-Bruges, in Belgium and, Port of Cotonou, in Benin has made strides in improving supply chains. Through coordination with the logistics sector in West Africa, delivery timelines of essential supplies are being improved and transport costs are being reduced. Working closely with the ports is more important than ever, as insecurity has compromised UNICEF’s regular transport corridors. …, Supply chains: critical to saving lives, UNICEF’s supply chain experiences in 2022 highlighted once more the critical importance of public and private sector partnerships to overcome challenges so that we can reach people in need and strengthen systems for the future. UNICEF will continue to harness partners’ expertise, innovation and leadership to ensure supplies arrive in the hands of…

UNICEF is dedicated to improving the lives of children around the world. We support our programmes for children with the Construction at UNICEF construction of schools, water and sanitation facilities, health clinics and much more. UNICEF is placing greater emphasis on building infrastructure for children through, for example, an almost 50 per…, Enhanced contracts for improved construction management , UNICEF-supported construction projects have become increasingly complex and, more frequently they require multiyear contracting of engineering and construction resources to plan, manage and build. Standard contracting mechanisms needed to be revised to align with current market practices and take into consideration the financial and other risks…, Empowering UNICEF country offices with construction planning and quality assurance , SD maintains a library of tools, webinars, and guidance for country offices to plan and oversee construction. The standardization of project management resources creates efficiencies and cost savings and increases the quality and scalability of UNICEF construction support to programme countries.  The interactive iframe below cannot be accessed via…, Resource highlight – the Construction Project Management Toolkit , UNICEF’s new Construction Project Management Toolkit allows country offices to manage, control, and monitor construction projects and keep stakeholders informed of progress. It helps UNICEF engineers to identify problems during the early stages of construction design and implementation and proposes solutions to manage even the most complex…, Building capacity and expertise of UNICEF’s construction professionals, UNICEF is committed to professionalism in the construction process by recruiting, developing and retaining its talent pool. A project can be a complex multi-stakeholder venture and UNICEF construction professionals have a crucial role in convening stakeholders and teams, designing infrastructure and overseeing implementation. SD support to country…

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on humanitarian supply chains has been immense, with major disruptions to air- and sea-freight industries. Container shortages, extended shipping timelines and high transport costs are symptoms that continue to persist. At the same time, 2022 bore witness to many other emergencies. The war in Ukraine,…, A changing landscape, The complex nature of protracted humanitarian crises as well as emerging new crises, are posing major challenges for supply chains. “Getting supplies to children and communities has never been as challenging,” said Etleva Kadilli, Director of UNICEF Supply Division. “Multiple and concurrent emergencies, coupled with the current macro-economic…, Looking forward to 2023, With 2023 on the horizon, emergency preparedness continues to be a topic of intense focus, especially as learnings emerge from the pandemic response. As the world faced an emergency of unparalleled levels, so too did UNICEF’s supply efforts. UNICEF delivered COVID-19 vaccines and syringes to the world on behalf of COVAX, while continuing its work…

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015, are 17 interlinked global goals designed as a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and in the future. This vision cannot be achieved without realizing the rights of the child. UNICEF’s work in construction reflects an…, Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, Almost 6 million children under the age of 15 died from preventable causes in 2020, based on estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO). To reduce preventable child deaths and promote the health and development of all children and adolescents, UNICEF works on construction projects that strengthen national healthcare systems, improve rural…, Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, Around the world, there is a learning crisis, with 6 out of 10 children suffering from The global challenge of addressing the learning crisis learning poverty . Access to quality education and lifelong learning is uneven. Through school construction projects, UNICEF focuses on equity and inclusion to provide all children – no matter who they are…, Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, Worldwide, Water and sanitation 844 million people lack even a basic source of drinking water and 2.3 billion do not have access to basic sanitation facilities like latrines. Contaminated water and poor sanitation are among the leading causes of death for children under 5. Without access to clean water and proper sanitation and hygiene facilities…, Read more, At a street, a Palestinian boy holds up an information leaflet detailing how water desalination works. UNICEF’s work in constructing complex infrastructure Three girls are smiling to the camera while holding SDG signs UNICEF and the Sustainable Development Goals

What form does OCV take?, Oral cholera vaccine, as you can guess from the name, is given by mouth. It’s 1.5 ml of liquid (less than half a teaspoonful) that comes in a small plastic tube, that is simply squeezed out into a person’s mouth. It is easier to administer than an injectable product, it does not require ultra-cold storage and can be kept at 2–8 degrees centigrade…

International Day of Persons with Disabilities, celebrated on 3 December, is an opportunity to shine a light on assistive technology, supportive devices like wheelchairs and hearing aids that change the lives of children with disabilities, allowing all children, no matter their disability, to learn, play, participate and become active members of…

Cases of cholera, also known as acute watery diarrhoea (AWD), are surging around the world. Since 2021, many countries that had not reported outbreaks in years have been detecting it in their communities.   Cholera is a waterborne disease, spread by eating food or drinking water that is contaminated with the bacteria. Malnourished children are…, Getting supplies to countries, UNICEF is constantly monitoring outbreaks of cholera around the world, coordinating with governments and the Globa Task Force on Cholera Control Global Task Force on Cholera Control to identify the most urgent supplies required to treat patients and contain the spread of the disease.   UNICEF stocks and delivers two types of AWD kits. two types of…, UNICEF activities on the ground , While the AWD kits can be used to support initial cholera response activities, they are also invaluable in preparation for a potential outbreak. For instance, the kits can be distributed to families ahead of the rainy season so that if flooding restricts their access to clean water, they can take steps to purify any potentially unsafe sources.…

Innovation is an important part of UNICEF’s mission to realize the rights of every child, especially the most excluded. UNICEF is a powerful force for social transformation and can help address a range of humanitarian challenges, including water and sanitation, health, education and child protection.   Construction at UNICEF UNICEF construction…, Reimagining education systems in Cameroon using digital learning tools, Many construction innovations developed by UNICEF are focused on modernizing or scaling infrastructure for education.   ‘Connect My School’, for example, was launched to provide access to digital learning opportunities and reinforce quality education for children in Cameroon. The initiative supports Cameroon’s national mandate to provide…, Residential solutions to create safe living environments in Mongolia, UNICEF’s construction innovations take many forms and support its programmes for children, including direct support for family housing.   In Mongolia’s extremely harsh winters, coal-fired stoves are used for heating in traditional Mongolian dwellings known locally as gers . Consequently, air pollution in Mongolia is caused mainly by coal burning…, Innovative construction materials address multiple community needs, UNICEF’s innovation initiatives often take system-based approaches to devise solutions to development or humanitarian challenges. For construction, this frequently means the use of innovative materials.   Côte d’Ivoire faces a severe and mounting waste management issue. The province of Abidjan produces 288 tons of plastic waste daily, 90 per cent…, UNICEF construction: essential role in the success of our product innovations, For health systems in many low- and middle-income countries, the COVID-19 pandemic turned an existing oxygen gap into a crisis. The innovative Oxygen Plant-in-a-Box saves the lives of children suffering from pneumonia UNICEF’s Oxygen Plant-in-a-Box is an innovative emergency solution that produces enough medical-grade oxygen to treat up to 50…

Codex guidelines for Saving lives with RUTF (ready-to-use therapeutic food) ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) were adopted at the 45th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission on 21 November and are set to pave the way for new innovative versions of the life-saving product. They will also enable governments to regulate safety effectively as…, Protecting quality and safety, The adoption of the guidelines is the culmination of seven years of hard work, and Alison Fleet describes the development as providing freedom to innovate while protecting quality and safety. “Having these guidelines defines food safety controls and makes it easier for governments to oversee and regulate local producers as they scale up or as new…, Nutritious, delicious and practical, “Milk is an excellent source of protein but there are other sources that can be explored without any compromise on safety or quality,” says Alison Fleet. “Young children in Africa seem to like peanuts, in South Asia many like chickpeas and in Southeast Asia little ones seem to enjoy mung beans. We enjoy a good relationship with suppliers and, with…

The interactive iframe below cannot be accessed via keyboard navigation due to external source limitations., Good in the air, Sudan, – 10-year-old Abdulrazik Adam Abdullah is a fan of Messi and dreams of becoming a football player. He attends primary school and lives with his family in Abu Shok, North Darfur, a camp for internally displaced persons who fled their home due to conflict. The Imagining a better and brighter future families living in Abu Shok had to flee their homes…, Defeating the odds, India, – Nisha Rawat, 15, tries to score a penalty kick during a match in the Makadwali area in the Ajmer district, Rajasthan. In her village, where child marriage persists despite being outlawed, Nisha braved all odds to study and play football and has become an inspiration for many boys and girls. With UNICEF’s support, a local girls’ soccer initiative…, Free to kick, South Sudan , –, Children play as part of a recreational programme organized to help children formerly recruited by armed forces or armed groups in Pibor. Despite their traumatic past experiences, the boys dream about the future and play football with the same enthusiasm as all other children.   With several partners, Stolen childhoods UNICEF keeps psychosocial…, Girl to girl marking, Ghana,  – A player controls the ball at the women's finals of the UNICEF Unified Football for Inclusion tournament at the Akropong School for the Blind in Akropong, Ghana, held in October 2022. To celebrate World Children's Day in Ghana, UNICEF hosted the football event for schoolchildren who are deafblind. Four schools from the northern and southern…, Friendly match, Papua New Guinea,  – Children from the Silku and Kamaneku tribes in Siure, Chimbu play in their neighborhood. The tribes have been in conflict for generations, but attitudes are shifting. A UNICEF-supported programme with participation of parents from both communities has been building relationships between them. The programme includes constructing a joint early…, Tackling the weather, Bangladesh,  – A group of boys play football despite the rain outside a Child-Friendly Space supported by UNICEF in Balukhali, a Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazaar.   About one million Rohingya live in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. Rohingya rely on humanitarian assistance for protection, food, water, shelter and health, and they are living in temporary…, Making a comeback, Ukraine , – A group of children play football in the small village of Serednie, enjoying the opportunity for fun and making new friends.   The sports activity is organized by Football helps Ukrainian children mentally recover after witnessing war psychological support group PORUCH , a joint project run by UNICEF and the Ministry of Education and Science of…, Playing time, Pakistan,  – Boys play football during a pause between classes at a UNICEF-supported temporary learning centre for children in Meenhoon Khani Buldi village, Qambar Shahdadkot, in Sindh province. This camp was set up to support internally displaced persons affected by recent catastrophic flooding. Pakistan has been enduring severe monsoon weather , which has…

UNICEF’s Supply and Logistics Hub in Copenhagen is the beating heart of the organization's supply chain. With a mission to ensure equitable access to life-saving supplies, it was initially established to pack health kits for maternity clinics and child health services. Over the last 60 years , UNICEF’s supply operations have evolved into a global…, UNICEF Supply Community, UNIPAC staff poses in front of the old warehouse with UNIPAC and UNICEF written on it A group of UNICEF staff wearing blue T-shirts is standing in front of the warehouse The interactive iframe below cannot be accessed via keyboard navigation due to external source limitations. Copy: test arrow UNICEF’s supply operations in Copenhagen started in…, UNICEF Supply Division building, The interactive iframe below cannot be accessed via keyboard navigation due to external source limitations. 1998-2022 UNICEF’s supply facilities in Copenhagen were a gift from the Government of Denmark and they express the country’s commitment to support efforts to achieve results for children. The city was chosen for its access to international…, Storage area, The interactive iframe below cannot be accessed via keyboard navigation due to external source limitations. 1998-2022 The new storage area – the High Bay – is 24 metres high and 150 metres long and can store up to 36,000 pallets of supplies. It is serviced by eight robot cranes controlled by a computer.   The robots do not queue when they pick…, Automated operations, The interactive iframe below cannot be accessed via keyboard navigation due to external source limitations. 1998-2021 A forklift operator picking or putting away pallets full of supplies (left) is no longer seen at the new warehouse storage area. Apart from technicians, nobody else works in the fully automated High Bay area.  In contrast to the…, Packing emergency supplies, The interactive iframe below cannot be accessed via keyboard navigation due to external source limitations. 1998-2021 As was the case 60 years ago, the packing of kits continues to be done manually by UNICEF’s dedicated staff. There are two main packing lines, two pre-pack lines and five individual packing lines for smaller orders where highly…, Forklift operators, The interactive iframe below cannot be accessed via keyboard navigation due to external source limitations. 1998-2016 Some processes at the warehouse such as receiving goods and loading of kits filled with supplies with forklifts remain almost the same. However, today these operations are more optimized thanks to digitalization. For example,…, Palletizing robots, The interactive iframe below cannot be accessed via keyboard navigation due to external source limitations. 1998-2021 In the past, the palletizing (stacking and placing products onto a pallet) was done manually, but today’s warehouse team works alongside automatized tools. Robots manage the palletization, which speeds up the supply operations…

In many countries, the COVID-19 pandemic quickly overwhelmed healthcare systems and left them unable to cope with the sudden surge of critically ill patients. In response to the pandemic, UNICEF launched the most extensive and complex emergency operations in its history which included support in construction of health facilities to help save lives…, Year-round preparedness in construction , UNICEF provides construction solutions that enable governments and communities to repurpose existing spaces or build new temporary facilities to address a health crisis. In past Ebola disease outbreaks, UNICEF supported the building of isolation centres in West Africa that helped contain disease transmission and supported the health workers in…, Bringing COVID-19 resources to hospitals in Burundi , Historically, Burundi’s health system has been very centralized. As a result, populations who live outside major urban centres must travel long distances to access healthcare from district-level hospitals.   As part of the COVID-19 response, UNICEF helped to build triage and isolation blocks at community-level health centres, which in turn helped…, Isolation and treatment centres made from bamboo in Cox’s Bazar Refugee Camp , Located in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, Kutupalong refugee camp is the world’s largest refugee camp, inhabited by Rohingya refugees who brought with them accounts of the unspeakable violence and brutality that had forced them to flee.   Poor sanitation conditions and lack of space for isolation presented a major risk for the Rohingya and host…, Community Care Centres during the Ebola crisis , Between 2014 and 2016, during the unprecedented scale of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the lack of treatment beds for patients required an urgent solution. The construction of Community Care Centres (CCCs) was one of the approaches implemented by UNICEF and its partners to support access to isolation and care at the community level. The CCCs…, Construction innovation for future emergencies, Recent infectious disease outbreaks such as Ebola and COVID-19 have highlighted the urgent need for rapidly deployable surge facilities that enable health workers to screen, isolate, and treat patients. UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) are collaborating with the private sector to develop a modular…