Global

Three different families. Three different stories. With one thing in common: Whatever a family’s situation, growing up feeling loved makes a critical difference in a child’s life. A mother hugs her daughter in Bolivia Becoming a single parent in Bolivia has meant a radical change in Sandra’s life. > Read now A man hugs his granddaughter A…, Raising the next generation, “I don’t know yet if I am a good mother, I only know I love my daughter.” Sandra, mother of Nathaly In the northern outskirts of La Paz in Bolivia, many women face the challenge of raising children on their own in an environment marked by economic hardships and patriarchal traditions. For Sandra, who studies law in the morning and designs shawls…, Rebuilding a family, A man hugs his granddaughter. When a devastating earthquake hit Türkiye on 6 February 2023, 10-year-old Sidra and her family's life was changed forever. As Sidra navigates life after the disaster and the death of her father and sister, her grandfather Hassan has stepped in as a pillar of strength and support. A young girls sitting alongside her…, A safe place, A family of three - parents and their son in the middle. In the face of their own mental health challenges, Eleanor, a journalist, and Robin, a major crimes detective, always knew parenting wouldn't be easy. Eleanor, diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder, has been living with these conditions since childhood.…, The power of parenting, Every child deserves to grow up in a loving, nurturing and safe environment. But providing nurturing care takes time and resources – things that many parents and caregivers don’t have.  UNICEF believes every parent and caregiver should receive the support they need to give their children the best possible start in life. Caregivers who receive the…

Climate change threatens the lives, health and well-being of children. They are the most vulnerable to its effects, and those who live in low-income communities are at particularly high risk of harm. To save and protect lives and prevent climate change’s worst impacts on children, we need to act now. There are clear, practical solutions that work…, Paving the way for a climate resilient education system in India, A group of students using polybags from waste and fill them with field soil to grow the saplings for school nursery  during environmental activities session at a school in Maharashtra, India India, 2023. Students use polybags from waste and fill them with field soil to grow saplings for their school nursery as part of an environmental activities…, Early detection of groundwater depletion in Madagascar, The semi-arid southern region of Madagascar has been hit hard by years of severe droughts, which has left more than 4.8 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The region has the country’s lowest water supply coverage, which is further exacerbated by climate change. The lack of rainfall and other environmental factors have also affected…, Innovations in climate risk reduction in Venezuela, A boy, 10, collects safe water at the UNICEF-installed solar-powered water treatment plant in Venezuela Venezuela, 2023. Dahir Franco, 10,collects safe water at the UNICEF-installed solar-powered water treatment plant in San Francisco de Guayo, Venezuela. Disaster risk reduction is an essential element of responding to climate change as children…, Reducing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions from sanitation in Kampala, Uganda, Two masons construct a new pit latrine with a bathroom in a village in Uganda. Uganda, 2022. Two masons construct a new municipality-approved pit latrine with a bathroom, for a commercial structure in Mukono, Uganda. Climate change and sanitation are intrinsically connected. Poorly managed sanitation emits significant greenhouse gas (GHG)…

UNICEF works on disaster risk reduction (DRR) disaster risk reduction (DRR)  in 150 countries. Child-responsive DRR prioritizes children and young people in the whole disaster management cycle, ensuring their individual and collective needs are part of policies, plans and systems. UNICEF and its partners also engage children and young people in…

Quote from UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Kitty van der Heijden: “Our success or failure in tackling the climate crisis will be judged by two numbers. Keeping 1.5 degrees alive and protecting the 1 billion child lives that are in jeopardy from this crisis. “The climate crisis is not just changing the planet. It is changing children. Children’s…

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…

What are humanitarian cash transfers?, Humanitarian cash transfers are payments made in the form of physical currency or e-cash that can be used to address humanitarian needs in any type of emergency. They are a highly effective way of providing humanitarian assistance to individuals and households., How do cash transfers work?, Cash can be provided as a one-off payment or as regular monthly transfers. These transfers can be delivered as currency via bank accounts, post offices, companies providing money transfer services, through the use of mobile phones, or simply by hand. Cash transfers can be given as a standalone payment and/or combined with other types of services…, Who is eligible for cash transfers?, Determining who will benefit most from humanitarian assistance is a critical step in designing cash transfer programmes, which should be tailored to the specific contexts of a given country or emergency. A range of targeting criteria are used to identify households most in need of support. Per its mandate, UNICEF usually targets families with…, Why are humanitarian cash transfers a good idea?, Humanitarian cash transfers help UNICEF serve children and families better. They are a cost-effective way of quickly getting support to those who need it most. The overall cost of delivering cash assistance is often lower than in-kind assistance, meaning more people can be reached. Cash transfers also empower people to make decisions based on…, Does UNICEF use humanitarian cash transfers?, Yes, humanitarian cash transfers have been a vital part of UNICEF’s emergency toolkit for responding to conflicts, disasters and protracted crises. UNICEF uses its expertise in both social protection system strengthening and in the direct delivery of cash, to fulfill its humanitarian and development mandate. UNICEF’s first choice when giving cash…

The link between climate change and water security is profound and multifaceted. The safety and reliability of our water and sanitation systems are increasingly compromised by extreme weather events. Rising temperatures, drought, floods and cyclones all place enormous pressure on water resources and can damage or destroy water and sanitation…

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…

More than 330,000 doses of WHO-recommended RTS,S malaria vaccine arrived last night in Cameroon – a historic step towards broader vaccination against one of the deadliest diseases for African children Malaria burden is the highest on the African continent, which accounted for approximately 95% of global malaria cases and 96% of related deaths in…

Jump to: Does UNICEF operate in the conflict zones the United Nations reports on? How does UNICEF differentiate between “reported” and “verified” child casualties and other grave violations? What about in the recent conflict in Gaza? How does UNICEF verify casualty figures? Why do UNICEF statements use neutral language to describe incidents and…, Does UNICEF operate in the conflict zones the United Nations reports on?, Yes, UNICEF operates in humanitarian settings worldwide, including in areas of armed conflict. When violence erupts, UNICEF staff on the ground, together with partners, mobilize to provide life-saving supplies – including clean water, nutrition supplements, vaccines, hygiene kits and more – to children and families caught in crisis. At the onset…, How does UNICEF differentiate between “reported” and “verified” child casualties and other grave violations?, While armed conflict is ongoing and in its immediate aftermath, relevant reporting from sources – including human rights and non-governmental organizations, health authorities, the media and survivors – alert the United Nations (UN) to possible deadly incidents, including those affecting children. Independent UN verification of child casualties in…, What about in the recent conflict in Gaza? How does UNICEF verify casualty figures?, In the case of Israel and the State of Palestine, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the UN tracks all relevant and available reports of incidents affecting children from various sources. These include UN personnel and other sources on the ground, human rights organizations, non-governmental organizations, health authorities and media. In…, Why do UNICEF statements use neutral language to describe incidents and parties to conflict?, UNICEF’s mandate in any emergency is to alleviate the suffering of children. This means reaching every child caught in conflict, no matter the child's family circumstances, background, beliefs or which party to conflict controls the area where the child lives. Neutral, impartial and independent, our humanitarian approach allows us to remain…, Resources for media, Current issues Read about UNICEF’s position on current issues affecting children. Press centre Browse our extensive resources for journalists and media, showcasing UNICEF's efforts around the world. Media contacts See UNICEF's range media contacts, available as communications resources for press colleagues. Experts Talk to our leading experts,…

World Children’s Day is UNICEF’s annual day of action for children, by children, marking the adoption of the  Convention on the Rights of the Child.   In 2023, World Children's Day was an opportunity to recognize children as rights holders, to acknowledge the progress that has been made for and with children, and to demand action to protect and…, Child rights under attack, In too many places today children's rights are under attack. Read Executive Director Catherine Russel's message on World Children's Day: " Children live in a world that is increasingly hostile to their rights .” Wars. Climate change. Economic turmoil. Crisis after crisis is robbing children around the world of their lives and their futures. ENOUGH…, Kids stand up and speak out, Children have a right to be listened to and included in all decisions that affect them. On World Children’s Day, children and young people raised their voices on the issues that matter to them. On #WorldChildrensDay , UNICEF is making space for children to raise their voices on the issues that matter to them. Children in #Gujarat handed over their…, #KidsTakeover, 📣 Today, the #KidsTakeOver challenge for #WorldChildrensDay brought Iarina, Ioana, Matei, Nicholas, Patrizia, Ștefania, and Tony from the Children's Board to Kiss FM, Magic FM and Rock FM! Millions of listeners tuned in to hear their insights on mental health & climate change. pic.twitter.com/zv1AFGFbRs — UNICEF Romania (@UNICEFRomania)…, Children are leaders in protecting their environment, Climate action for every child, Children have a right to a safe and livable planet. Yet climate change is affecting children everywhere – their lives, their communities and their health. UNICEF staff in #SierraLeone also went blue today in support of children's rights and climate action. Happy #WorldChildrensDay from all of us. #ClimateActionMatters #ForEveryChild , every right…, Going blue for child rights, Iconic building across #Tajikistan go blue to mark the #WorldChildrensDay ! From #Dushanbe , to #Bokhtar and #Khujand children & young people celebrate the #childrights and the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Child Rights' ratification by the country. pic.twitter.com/zjFtXOhaa7 — UNICEF Tajikistan (@UnicefTajik)…, What are child rights? A playlist for kids, Explore our YouTube Kids playlist showing how we can work together to uphold every right, for every child, and the transformative power of children and young people’s participation in creating a better world., Youth advocates in action, UNICEF Youth Advocates raised their voices, calling for the change they want to see in the world. Read about  UNICEF's youth advocates from around the world. This #WorldChildrensDay , young leaders are taking over our platforms to share the issues they care most about, how they would navigate solutions and how they envision the world 15 years from…, Children, young people and world leaders, Children and young people met with Presidents and other leaders to mark World Children’s Day.   President Petr Pavel marked a historic moment in the Czech Republic by celebrating World Children's Day at Prague Castle with the winners of the Child of the Czechia Award 2023, Kristýna and Matěj. 💙 #WorldChildrensDay #KidsTakeOver pic.twitter.com/…, Friends of UNICEF mark World Children's Day, In honour of #WorldChildrensDay , we want to celebrate children's fundamental right to play. Play helps them learn the skills they need to change & thrive in an ever-changing world 🌍 pic.twitter.com/9YfY2rRzSx — The LEGO Foundation (@LEGOfoundation) November 20, 2023   We believe EVERY child everywhere has a right to 🥘 Food 📚 Education 🏠…, Walk, run or climb, Children, advocates and leaders showed their support for children's rights by taking part in inspiring activities. "No to child marriage" and "Let's end #ChildMarriage in South Sudan" were some of the slogans shouted by children and young people during Friday's run in Juba to commemorate #WorldChildrensDay . pic.twitter.com/dexkC1vYdz — UNICEF…

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…