Global

Drawing from the priorities of young people across the world for promoting adolescent girls’ rights, this brief sets out five solutions rooted in partnerships that provide a clear pathway to transforming girls’ lives and safeguarding their futures. They include programmes to promote adolescent girls’ health, nutrition, learning, and skills-…

There is a dearth of data on the nature, dynamics and magnitude of Gender Based Violence (GBV) against girls in the first decade (age 0-11) globally, and even less in humanitarian settings. What we do know about violence against girls globally suggests that girls in this age range are experiencing and are at risk of sexual violence- including…

Climate change is disrupting weather patterns, leading to more frequent and more intense extreme weather events, unpredictable water availability, exacerbating water scarcity and contaminating water supplies. Such impacts can drastically affect the quantity and quality of water that children need to survive. Today, a change in climate is felt…

The world’s most marginalised children are already suffering the unavoidable impacts of climate change – death, displacement, malnutrition, the loss of education, and the destruction of traditional ways of life. These consequences are collectively known as climate-related loss and damage.  Since children have their whole lives ahead of them, such…, The case for a child-centred Loss and Damage Fund, Children’s first-hand accounts corroborate that climate-related loss and damage is part of their everyday realities. In a new report, Loss and Damage Finance for Children , 55 children, aged between 11 and 18, from diverse geographies share their experiences of loss and damage and recount memories of missing out on schooling, the loss or damage to…, The state of climate finance, While the COP28 decision to launch the new L&D Fund recognizes youth as key stakeholders to participate in and shape the design, development and implementation of activities financed by the Fund, it only mentions children twice. To date, less than 2.4 per cent of climate finance has gone towards projects incorporating activities responsive to…, A chance for children, The L&D Fund is a chance to ensure that present and future generations of children can thrive and fully exercise their rights. But this requires: recognizing children’s unique needs and vulnerabilities; facilitating their participation in decisions about the allocation and use of funding; ensuring the equitable distribution of loss and damage…

Climate change is raising global temperatures and causing historic heat waves. More countries are facing hotter days more frequently, with more intensity and for longer periods. The heat stress caused by exposure to heat waves can negatively affect health and well-being, especially for infants and young children. A third of the world’s children…, Heat waves: Fast facts, What is a heat wave?, A heat wave is any period of three days or more during which the maximum temperature is higher than normal (in the top 10 per cent of the local 15-day average. Humidity can add to the temperature causing it to feel much hotter., What is heat stress?, Heat stress is the stress caused to the body when it is unable to remove excess heat. Exposure to high temperatures and humidity, which when intensified by physical exertion, overwhelms the body’s ability to cool itself. This can lead to heat-related illnesses which can range from mild, like heat rashes in infants, to more serious life-threatening…, Why are children more at risk?, Children are more vulnerable to the short- and long-term effects of heat stress. Children sweat less per kilogram than adults and have a higher metabolism, which means they get hot quicker. They also spend more time outdoors than adults for play, sports and other activities, putting them at greater risk for heat exposure and injury. While playing…, How do heat waves impact infants and babies?, Infants and young children cannot regulate their body temperature as well as adults because their bodies have more internal heat to begin with and absorb more heat from the environment. Babies’ immune systems are still developing, making them less capable of fighting off the symptoms of heat stress. Heat stress in pregnancy can put the baby at…, How extreme heat affects children, Extreme heat poses unique risks at different stages of childhood. For example, babies and young children under age 5 are the most at risk of increased heat-related mortality and morbidity, while adolescents are more likely to experience exertional heat-related injuries. Extreme heat can have serious effects on children’s health, mental well-being…, Health, Heat stress can lead to heat strokes and diarrhoea caused by dehydration. It can lead to an increased risk of chronic respiratory conditions, organ dysfunction like kidney failure, and chronic issues due to congenital defects., Nutrition, Heat waves make droughts worse, adding to crop failure and threatening children’s access to food and water. Food insecurity caused by heat waves has severe impacts on child nutrition., Education, Heat waves are linked to lower school attendance. High air temperatures and lower hydration are known to affect children’s ability to concentrate. These can impact overall school achievements., Mental health, High temperatures are linked to increases in mental health problems in children and adolescents. Heat can lead to high stress and poor sleep. These in turn can make episodes of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder more likely to occur. >> For parents: how to talk to your child about mental health Back to menu>>, How to keep children safe from heat stress, Recognizing early signs of heat-related illness and prevention are key Here are some ways to keep children safe and comfortable during a heat wave: Keep a close eye on their activities even if they are playing indoors. Monitor for early signs and symptoms of heat illness. Avoid the outdoors during the hot midday and afternoon hours. Help them to…, What needs to happen, UNICEF calls on governments and partners to take urgent action Mara, 5, is having her daily shower after school, in Bateay, Cambodia. As heat waves become more frequent and last longer, the need for urgent action grows stronger. Preparedness can protect vulnerable populations, especially children. UNICEF and partners are calling on governments to…

UNICEF’s mandate is to uphold the rights of all children, focusing on those left furthest behind. This means working to ensure that the most marginalized and vulnerable children can enjoy their rights and have a fair chance to realize their full potential, including children and young people with disabilities. This brief describes how children,…

Nutritious diets and sustainable food systems have the potential to nourish children and nurture child and planetary wellbeing. Yet, in many parts of the world, poor diets and unsustainable food systems are driving child malnutrition, environmental degradation, and climate change. At the same time, the climate crisis is slowing, and at times…

The "Guidance for Implementing GBVIMS+ for Government Actors" is a live resource designed to assist governments in implementing the Gender-Based Violence Information Management System plus (GBVIMS+). It offers detailed, actionable guidance based on successful implementations in Sierra Leone, and other contexts. This initiative, supported by the…

Climate change exposes children to risk in different ways. Rising temperatures and other environmental changes can make diseases more dangerous, droughts more common and can significantly impact children’s growth and development. Almost all the world’s children are facing at least one environmental risk whether air pollution, heatwaves, floods,…, 1. Climate change makes diseases more dangerous, Rising temperatures and other environmental changes worsen the effects of diseases on children and increase their chances of exposure. For example, the habitat for mosquitoes transmitting malaria, dengue fever and yellow fever is projected to expand, putting new communities at risk. In Indonesia, a shift in rainfall patterns has seen the mosquito…, 2. Climate change makes droughts more common and leads to hunger, As water dries up and food runs out, children are hit hardest. In regions prone to droughts, climate change is making water shortages more severe and more frequent, causing major crop failures. Madagascar is one such country where severe droughts are leaving families struggling to feed their children. Severely malnourished children often develop…, 3. Climate change worsens children’s health and development, When extreme heat meets air pollution and wildfires, infants and children are at a high risk of developing chronic illnesses and even dying.  In extreme heat, children are more prone to heat stroke that can cause organ and brain damage. Children are also at greater risk of asthma and pneumonia when exposed to air pollution, which inflame young…

UNICEF, in collaboration with key partners, has pioneered the development of two groundbreaking digital products – Laaha, a Virtual Safe Space (VSS) platform, and the eRPW app for GBV referrals – to address the unique challenges faced by women and girls in humanitarian crises. This working paper, authored by experts in GBV and technology, delves…

The climate crisis is a child rights crisis – jeopardizing every child’s fundamental right to a clean, safe and healthy environment. And 1 billion children - nearly half of the world's 2.2 billion children - face extreme risks to their ability to survive, grow and thrive. Climate change is decimating the very foundations of what it means to be a…

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 21 November 2023 - Pregnant women, babies and children face extreme health risks from climate catastrophes that warrant urgent attention, according to a Call for Action released today by United Nations (UN) agencies ahead of the global Conference of the Parties (COP28) negotiations on climate change in Dubai. According to the…