Press releases
Unwanted, exploited and abused: tens of thousands of children in Al-Hol camp and several parts of Syria in limbo amid dire humanitarian needs
17 July 2019 - At least 70,000 people live in Al-Hol Camp, northeast of Syria. UNICEF estimates that more than 90 per cent of them are children and women. These children are highly vulnerable, they are survivors of heavy fighting and have witnessed unimaginable atrocities.
Unicef UK welcomes Environment Secretary’s pledge to tackle toxic air
16 July 2019- In a speech at Kew Gardens today, the Environment Secretary Michael Gove announced new measures to tackle toxic air. Unicef UK responds:
UNICEF - the impact of the Ebola outbreak on children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Update from Ebola- affected areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
World hunger is still not going down after three years and obesity is still growing – UN report
15 July 2019 – An estimated 820 million people did not have enough to eat in 2018, up from 811 million in the previous year, which is the third year of increase in a row.
20 million children miss out on lifesaving measles, diphtheria and tetanus vaccines in 2018
15 July 2019 – 20 million children worldwide – more than 1 in 10 - missed out on lifesaving vaccines such as measles, diphtheria and tetanus in 2018,according to new data from WHO and UNICEF.
Mass campaign to vaccinate over 3 million children against polio kicks off in Venezuela
14 July 2019 - A mass polio vaccination campaign for more than 3.1 million children under the age of five in Venezuela started today, led by the Ministry of Health, with support from UNICEF and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
Vaccination to contain severe measles outbreak underway in DR Congo amidst Ebola and mass displacement
11 July 2019 – Health workers are urgently rolling out a complex measles vaccination campaign targeting 67,000 children in Ituri, northeast DR Congo, a region ravaged by armed conflict that is now also the hub of the second deadliest Ebola outbreak on record.
Rohingya refugee children in Cox’s Bazar at risk from flooding and landslides as monsoon rains continue
9 July 2019 – Thousands of children and families living in the Rohingya refugee camps and host communities in Cox’s Bazar in south-eastern Bangladesh are at risk from flooding and landslides caused by heavy rainfall in the last few days.
At least seven children killed in yet another attack on civilians in northwest Syria
7th July 2019 - Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore: At least seven children killed in yet another attack on civilians in northwest Syria
Venezuela: More than 2.8 million people will gain access to safe drinking water with UNICEF support
6th July 2019 - Unicef UK: more than 2.8 million people in Venezuela will gain improved access to safe drinking water with UNICEF support
Millions of people risk being cut off from safe water as hostilities escalate in Eastern Ukraine – UNICEF
4 July 2019 – An escalation in fighting is threatening access to safe water and sanitation for 3.2 million people, including 500,000 children, as well as the safety of workers risking their lives to repair damaged infrastructure in Eastern Ukraine, said UNICEF today.
Migrant children in the U.S. lack protection and services needed to ensure their wellbeing
26 June 2019 – “I am deeply concerned for the wellbeing of migrant children at the U.S.-Mexico border. Having already faced perilous journeys, some children are now being sheltered at facilities that are not equipped to meet the needs of this vulnerable population.
Tech Summit to bridge gap between education and employment for young people in the Middle East and North Africa
25 June 2019 - A two-day Tech Summit kicked off today in Amman, featuring tech-enabled solutions to connect learning to earning for young people in the Middle East and North Africa.
Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore following three-day visit to Mexico
21 June 2019 – “Some 15,500 migrant children and young people were registered by the Mexican migration authorities in the first four months of the year, or 130 a day, according to the latest estimates from the National Migration Institute.
Anglophone crisis in Cameroon causes closure of 80 per cent of schools in the region, denying more than 600,000 children access to education
21 June 2019- Some 1.3 million people, including around 650,000 children, are now in need of some form of humanitarian assistance in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon, as the security situation and living conditions continue to deteriorate.
EU Commits £16 million to strengthen resilience for Rohingya and Bangladeshi communities
20 June 2019- In a major support for Cox’s Bazar district, the European Union has announced €18 million in funding to help improve resilience among Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi host communities.
Unicef UK calls on the international community to support vulnerable refugee children
19 June 2018- Unicef UK responds to UNHCR Global Trends Report which found that 70.8 million children, women and men were forcibly displaced at the close of 2018.
UNICEF condemns use of children as human bombs in north-east Nigeria
17 June 2019 - According to several reports, three children - two girls and a boy (ages unknown) – were used to detonate explosives that killed 30 people and injured 40 others at a community football viewing centre in Konduga, Borno today. UNICEF sends its condolences to all those who have been killed or injured in this horrific incident.
1 in 3 people globally do not have access to safe drinking water – UNICEF, WHO
18 JUNE 2019– Billions of people around the world are continuing to suffer from poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene, according to a new report by UNICEF and the World Health Organization.