Global

In 2023 alone, millions of people were displaced or died due to extreme weather events. Women and girls in climate hotspots disproportionally suffer the effects of climate impacts, pushing more girls out of school and placing them at greater risk of child marriage, violence, and exploitation. Climate-related disasters disrupt the education of  40…, Making education systems climate-resilient: Global progress , Governments worldwide are taking action to make sure that children have access to climate education, that teachers are supported to teach about climate and sustainability, and that climate-related events do not disrupt children’s education. However, a rapid survey of UNICEF offices in 94 low- and middle-income countries shows inconsistent progress…, Young people: Not just victims but climate action leaders, Children and young people are investing their time and energy in taking climate action to make our world greener and more sustainable. Let us take inspiration from these children and young people who are championing our planet every day.  , Francisco Vera, Portrait of Francisco Vera, 14, UNICEF Youth Advocate from Colombia, made on 5 December 2023 during the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) at Expo City Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I am 14 years old, and I was born in Colombia. I live in Spain and I am an activist and defender of the human right to a healthy, clean, and dignified…, Tina, My name is Tina from Egypt, and if you're reading this, you're probably as eco-curious as I am! I am part of a youth collective. We wanted to do more than just catch people's attention. We wanted to change our mindsets. So, we brainstormed and launched "Us and Climate Change." The plan was to equip teachers to be climate mentors, giving them the…, Afroza, Afroza, Bangladesh I am an 18-year-old youth leader from Bangladesh. In our community people face a lot of problems like floods and storms, losing their homes and livelihoods. I am actively involved in youth development and community engagement. I collaborate with fellow youths to develop their skills and tackle pressing issues such as climate…

Ezekial Jacobs, a 33-year-old school teacher from Nigeria is no stranger to crisis. Civil armed conflict and violence has gripped Ezekial’s home in the North-East region since 2009, forcing more than 1 million children out of school , damaging over 400 schools and resulting in the deaths of over 2,295 teachers. With the region gradually recovering…

NEW YORK, 3 April 2024 - "Madam President, Excellencies, Colleagues, "Thank you to Malta and her Excellency Vanessa Frazier for arranging this critical briefing on children and armed conflict. "Around the world, as conflicts proliferate, grave violations against children continue. The denial of humanitarian access is a particularly pervasive,…

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…

NEW YORK, 6 February 2024 – “Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues, good morning, and welcome to the first regular session of the UNICEF Executive Board for 2024. Thank you to Ambassador Rwamucyo, President of the Board. Thank you to the Bureau and our Executive Board members. Your support is invaluable to our organization and the…

At the start of 2024, we stand at a critical juncture: Geopolitical tensions are escalating, economic integration is unravelling, and multilateral cooperation is faltering. This global fragmentation threatens to undermine decades of progress made for children worldwide. The choices we make today – whether to continue on this path or whether we…

NEW YORK, 12 December 2023 - "Excellencies, partners, friends and supporters of UNICEF, "Thank you so much for joining us today as we launch our 2024 Humanitarian Action for Children appeal. "This appeal comes, as you know, at an especially critical time, with children facing a broad array of intensifying and converging crises … and with global…

I'm from Argentina, a country that has had many economic problems for as long as I can remember. According to a UNICEF Argentina study, two out of every three children in Argentina are poor or deprived of basic rights, which means there is many people living in low-income neighborhoods who cannot cope with heat waves or floods. Clearly, the…

There’s no greater threat to humanity than the delusional belief that the climate crisis will spare the privileged few. The most humbling and terrifying thing about the climate catastrophe is that it does not discriminate – it will get to all of us eventually. The climate movement begs for an intergenerational consensus on acknowledging the…

NEW YORK, 30 October 2023 - "Excellencies. Thank you to Ambassador Nusseibeh and Ambassador França Danese for convening this meeting, and to Members of the Security Council, for this opportunity to speak with you about the humanitarian situation in the State of Palestine and Israel.  "At UNICEF, we firmly believe that the true cost of this latest…

BERLIN, 17 October 2023 – "Excellencies, colleagues, distinguished guests, it is my privilege to welcome you here for the launch of the Community Health Delivery Partnership. "Thank you, Margaret, for sharing your story. It is because of the selfless commitment, compassion, and heroic service of you, and the millions of other community health…

NEW YORK, 11 October 2023 – "Good afternoon, it is good to be with you for this exciting announcement. "Polio eradication is finally within reach, thanks to the tremendous generosity of our partners and their support for the heroic efforts of health workers and community influencers in communities around the world.   "But the progress we have made…