West and Central Africa

DAKAR, 11 December 2019 – The number of children whose births are officially registered has increased significantly worldwide, yet 166 million children under-five, or 1 in 4, remain unregistered, according to a new report released by UNICEF today on its own 73 rd birthday. Birth Registration for Every Child by 2030: Are we on track? – which…

Every year, UNICEF and partners generate a wealth of evidence on the situation of children in Africa. Knowledge and evidence are essential to informing the development, implementation, and monitoring of relevant policies and programmes for the realization of children’s rights. To this end, UNICEF Regional Directors in Africa are pleased December…

FREETOWN; 29 November 2019 — Sierra Leone is a step closer to fast and efficient health care delivery of medical supplies, thanks to the drone corridor launched by H.E. President Julius Maada Bio in Njala today.   During the launch, test drones were launched from the 250m runway to demonstrate the capability of drones to travel in a 200km square…

In 2020, 59 million children will require humanitarian assistance – the largest number of children in need since we began keeping records. Across the globe today, one in four children lives in a country affected by conflict or disaster. Conflict remains the major driver of humanitarian need, while extreme weather events related to climate change,…

GENEVA, 4 December 2019 – UNICEF today released its US$ 4.2 billion 2020 emergency appeal to reach 59 million children with life-saving support in 64 countries across the globe. It is its biggest ask of donors yet, representing 3.5 times the funds requested in 2010. “Around the world today, we’re seeing the largest number of children in need of…

A CHANGING WORLD It is twenty years since The State of the World’s Children last examined children’s nutrition, and, in that time, much has changed. We have changed where we live: more families have left behind the countryside and moved to cities. We have changed our roles: women are increasingly joining the formal workforce, balancing work…

Black Star Gate - Accra, GHANA, Hotel Sofitel - Abidjan, CÔTE D'IVOIRE, Mary Slessor Statue , Calabar State - NIGERIA, Mary Slessor , Calabar State - NIGERIA, Palace of Emir, Bauchi State - NIGERIA, Emir House Bauchi, UN House, Abuja - NIGERIA, UN House, IOM Front Yard, N'djamena - CHAD, IOM, IOM Building, N'djamena - CHAD, IOM Building, Red Star, Cotonou - BENIN, Etoile Benin

On 20 November 1989, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the  Convention on the Rights of the Child , a landmark achievement that has since become the world’s most widely ratified human rights treaty. In the 30 years since its adoption, the Convention has helped to transform children’s lives around the world. It inspired changes in laws…,  , Children, heroes of their own rights , The Convention on the Rights of the Child wants all children to enjoy all their rights . ,  , Right to participation, All children and young people have the right to be heard  and participate in decisions that affect them.,  , Right to quality healthcare, All children have the right to quality healthcare.,  , Right to protection against violence, Children have the right to be protected from violence, abuse and neglect by those who look after them.  ,  , Convention on the Rights of the Child in Ghana, This short video from Ghana, the first country in the world to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, explains what the Convention is.,  , Watch this amazing song written by Top Nigerian Artists for Every Child !, "With a little love and the chance, you too can be a star!" Children and young people of #Nigeria , stand up and demand your rights! New #WorldChildrensDay song from some of Nigeria’s brightest music stars.   To learn more about the Global Pledge:  https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention/global-action    , To learn more about CRC@30 celebrations in West and Central Africa, check out our related content section below

NIAMEY (Niger), 18 November 2019 - Ahead of World Children’s Day and the celebration of the 30 th  anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a community of champions raised their voice to support child rights in Niger.  The UNICEF’s “Champions for Children”  are prominent individuals from arts, music, ICT, sports or other fields…

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, 14 November 2019 – Seven out of every 10 babies in West and Central Africa receive liquids and foods in addition to breastmilk during their first six months of life, contributing to child malnutrition, illnesses and even death. The Stronger With Breastmilk Only multi-year campaign launched today by UNICEF and the Alive…

West and Central Africa today is the home of the forgotten girl. She may be Fatima in Western Cameroon, who at 12 years old can be found hiding behind her mother, about to be forcibly married to a 22-year-old man. Or 15-year-old Umu, hiding her pregnancy so she can finish high school in Sierra Leone. Or 10-year-old Sanya in Northern Nigeria,…, The staggering statistics released today in this data brief are sounding a loud cry,  , picto One third of adolescent girls have given birth before the age of 19, and 6% before age 15 — the highest rate in the world. Adolescent birth rates are greatest among the poorest households and adolescent pregnancy is a major cause of death among 15-19-year-old girls. picto With four in ten girls married before age 18, child marriage is one of…, The future doesn’t have to be one of crushed hopes  , The acceleration of gender-responsive and transformative interventions during adolescence can achieve more equitable outcomes that can persist into adulthood. Adolescence provides a second window of opportunity - a chance to catch up and redress earlier negative experiences, as well as to ensure that previous investments are not lost during a time…,  , Reaping the benefits for nations, societies and crucially, for girls themselves,   According to projections, the adolescent girls’ population in West and Central Africa will grow to almost 81 million by 2030. Investments through these six evidence-informed strategies will transform the lives of adolescent girls and allow nations, societies and crucially girls themselves to reap the benefits.   Scale up integrated programming…

West and Central Africa is on the cusp of a population shift that has the potential to transform the region. In 2019, adolescents—persons aged 10-19—constituted 23 per cent of the population in West and Central Africa—the highest proportion of any region in the world alongside Eastern and Southern Africa. According to projections, this population…