Climate change

"Good morning - Good afternoon "Thank you for joining us today. Before I introduce our amazing panel of young leaders, let me briefly speak to the findings of the new UNICEF climate report we are launching today: “ The Coldest Year Of The Rest Of Their Lives. Protecting Children From The Escalating Impacts Of Heatwaves .” "This year – all over the…

LONDON/NEW YORK, 25 October, 2022 – 559 million children are currently exposed to high heatwave frequency*, according to new research from UNICEF. Further, 624 million children are exposed to one of three other high heat measures - high heatwave duration, high heatwave severity or extreme high temperatures. During a year in which heatwaves in both…

ISLAMABAD, 21 October 2022 — In the aftermath of the devastating floods in Pakistan, health facilities are reporting alarming levels of severe acute malnutrition among children in affected areas, UNICEF warned today. More than 1 in 9 children under five admitted to health facilities in flood-affected areas of Sindh and Balochistan were found to be…

What’s happening in the Horn of Africa?, A prolonged drought across large swathes of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya has unleashed hunger, thirst, displacement and death on already vulnerable communities as crops fail and livestock die. Communities have been forced to take extreme measures to survive, with thousands of children and families leaving their homes out of pure desperation in…, Recent news and features, How are children affected?, Consecutive seasons of poor rainfall has killed crops, animals and livestock, resulting in the loss of nutritious food. This, coupled with poor access to safe water and sanitation, has left many children at a high risk of malnutrition. As a result, the number of children in the Horn of Africa region who are suffering from severe acute malnutrition…, Learn about UNICEF’s work in the Horn of Africa, Djibouti, Find out more, Eritrea, Find out more, Ethiopia, Find out more, Kenya, Find out more, Somalia, Find out more, Eastern and Southern Africa, Find out more, How is UNICEF responding to climate crises in the region?, UNICEF is working to ensure that drought-affected children and families can receive the lifesaving support they so urgently need, while also supporting their recovery and building resilience against future shocks. Somalia. A mobile health and nutrition team provides treatment for internally displaced persons at a camp in Mogadishu. A mobile health…, UNICEF is working with partners to:, Provide access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene. This includes emergency water trucking, urgent rehabilitation and repairs of water supply systems, drilling new boreholes, and hygiene promotion activities. Ensure access to nutritional support. This includes increasing procurement of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and expanding the…, What next?, In July 2022, UNICEF  launched a regional call to action to address the drought crisis. Thanks to early and rapid interventions by partners and donors in 2022, UNICEF provided lifesaving aid to children and communities across the region.  But food insecurity and other needs remain high due to the sheer magnitude of the crisis and the years of…

The climate crisis is rapidly accelerating and with it, heatwaves are becoming longer, stronger, more widespread and more frequent. Already, around 559 million children are exposed to high heatwave frequency and around 624 million children are exposed to one of three other high heat measures - high heatwave duration, high heatwave severity or…

JAFARABAD, Pakistan – From a distance, the scene looks harmless. We’re driving along an elevated road through Jafarabad, a district in Balochistan, in the southwest of Pakistan, that is surrounded by water that stretches as far as the eye can see. But these waters shouldn’t be here, and beneath their stagnant surface lay the remains of homes and…

GENEVA/ISLAMABAD, 7 October 2022 – “Pakistan’s catastrophic floods have already claimed the lives of 615 children. Right now, almost 10 million children are now in need of immediate, lifesaving support. It is a staggering number; indeed the scale of need is daunting. And with a heavy heart, I must state that more children will die in the coming…

The scale of the devastation caused by historic monsoon rains in Pakistan is difficult to comprehend. Around 33 million people have been impacted by the ‘super floods’ – the worst flooding in more than a century – which have left at least 3.4 million children in need of life-saving support.   Young children are living in temporary shelters or out…, 1. Delivering safe water and hygiene supplies , The second wave of the disaster is already hitting hard with outbreaks of watery diarrhoea, typhoid and malaria now increasing rapidly as millions of people sleep in temporary shelters or in the open near stagnating water. Many people are forced to drink contaminated water and practice open defecation. The dangers of mosquitoes, snakebites, skin,…, 2. Supporting good nutrition , The floods impacted parts of Pakistan where children already suffered some of the highest rates of chronic and acute malnutrition. In some areas 40 per cent of children already suffered from stunting, caused by chronic undernutrition, before the floods hit. Increases in diarrhoea and decreased access to food following the floods are compounding…, 3. Helping children access learning , Thousands of schools across the country have been damaged or destroyed due to the floods, compounding the disruption to learning many children experienced during COVID-19 pandemic school closures.  Pakistan. Children walk past their damaged school in Balochistan Province, Pakistan. Children walk past their damaged school in Balochistan Province,…, 4. Providing psychosocial support , Any emergency on this scale increases risks for children, undermining their resilience and psychosocial wellbeing and leaving many in shock and experiencing severe distress from having witnessed the devastation, lost their loved ones, their homes, and cherished possessions.  Pakistan. A man uses a satellite dish to move children across a flooded…

NEW YORK, 15 September 2022 - "Good afternoon and welcome. "Every now and then, the world encounters a person with the credibility and influence to change the course of a conversation. Today I have the pleasure of introducing Vanessa Nakate, who I believe is one of those people. "As many of you already know, Vanessa is a climate justice activist…

NEW YORK, 15 September 2022 – "Thank you, Executive Director Russell. "It is a huge honour for me to be appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. "For a long time, I have known about the good work UNICEF does for children around the world, including in my home country of Uganda. Work on education, child protection, gender equality – all things I too…

NEW YORK, 15 September 2022 – 25-year-old Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate has been appointed as the newest UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, affirming her collaboration with the organisation and recognising her outstanding global advocacy for climate justice for current and future generations. Nakate travelled last week with UNICEF to Turkana…

ISLAMABAD, 4 September 2022 – UNICEF today delivered 32 metric tons of life-saving medical and other emergency supplies to support children and women affected by devastating floods across Pakistan. The shipment arrived in Karachi from UNICEF’s Supply Division in Copenhagen. The shipment includes medicines, medical supplies, water purifying tablets…