Press releases

UNICEF supplies arrive in flood affected areas, bringing relief to displaced families in Malawi

19 March 2019 – UNICEF supplies have begun arriving in areas affected by heavy rains and floods in southern Malawi, bringing a measure of relief to families living in evacuation centres.

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Thousands of children in need of urgent humanitarian assistance as Cyclone Idai hits Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe

17 March 2019 – Almost 850,000 people – around half of whom are estimated to be children – have been affected by severe flooding in Malawi and Mozambique, with the numbers set to rise as Cyclone Idai moves west and the impact of the cyclone becomes clearer, UNICEF warned today.

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Unicef UK hold rallies calling for an end to illegal levels of toxic air

16th March 2019 - Today, Unicef UK held rallies in Birmingham, London and Manchester to show how strongly local children, families and campaigners feel about the urgent issue of toxic air in the city.

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Mozambique: 600,000 people, including 260,000 children, affected by Cyclone Idai

15 March 2019 – During the night to Friday the intense tropical Cyclone Idai has made landfall in Mozambique’s Sofala region close to the city of Beira, causing severe damage with its strong winds and severe flooding.

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UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Geert Cappelaere’s remarks at the “Supporting the future of Syria and the Region” conference

14 March 2019- UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Geert Cappelaere’s remarks at the “Supporting the future of Syria and the Region” conference

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Intensification of fighting impeding humanitarian access and displacing thousands in Hajjah, Yemen

13 March 2019 – “The most recent attack in Hajjah, north of Hudaydah, on 9 March, took yet another devastating toll on the children of Yemen: 12 were killed while at home and another 14 injured.

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European Heart Journal report finds that more people die from air pollution than tobacco- Unicef UK responds

12 March 2019- A report published today in the European Heart Journal finds that more people die from air pollution than tobacco. Unicef UK responds.

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School pupils attend Unicef UK Parliamentary event to call on MPs to end dangerous levels of toxic air

12 March 2019- Today, Unicef UK and Andrew Selous MP, hosted an event in Parliament to formally open an exhibition which showcases the work of children and young people who have taken part in Unicef UK’s schools-based campaign to raise awareness of dangerous and illegal levels of toxic air.  

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New report finds little evidence of progress on children’s rights issues in England- Unicef UK responds

12 March 2019-  A report published today by Just for Kids Law and the Children’s Rights Alliance for England finds little evidence of progress on children’s rights issues in England over the past year. Unicef UK responds:

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2018 deadliest year yet for children in Syria as war enters 9th year

11th March 2019: 2018 deadliest year yet for children in Syria as war enters 9th year

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75% of children with disabilities in Eastern and Central Europe and Central Asia left out of inclusive, quality education - UNICEF

7 March 2019 – At least 75 per cent of the estimated 5.1 million children living with disabilities in Eastern and Central Europe and Central Asia are excluded from quality, inclusive education, UNICEF said today.  

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Liverpool kicks off bid to become Unicef Child Friendly City

7 March 2019- Unicef UK has today launched an exciting new partnership with Liverpool City Council which aims to improve the lives of every child in the city.

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Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore on deaths of five children in Yemen

2nd March 2019 – “In Yemen, children can no longer safely do the things that all children love to do – like go to school or spend time with their friends outside.

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Statement from UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore on the recent attacks against Ebola treatment centers in the DRC

NEW YORK, 28 February 2019 – Statement attributable to UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta H. Fore. “I am appalled by the latest violent attack against an Ebola treatment center that was providing care to children and families in Butembo, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)."

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Global surge in measles cases is a growing threat to children

1 March 2019 – UNICEF warned today that global cases of measles are surging to alarmingly high levels, led by ten countries accounting for more than 74 per cent of the total increase, and several others that had previously been declared measles free.

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School closures in the Sahel double in the last two years due to growing insecurity – UNICEF

28 February 2019 – Continued and growing insecurity in the Sahel region has forced nearly 2,000 schools in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to close or become non-operational, UNICEF said today. This marks a two-fold increase in the number of education facilities forcibly closed or left non-operational since 2017.

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18 months after exodus from Myanmar, Rohingya children at a crossroads

27 February 2019 – Half a million Rohingya children are stateless refugees in the Cox’s Bazar area in southern Bangladesh, increasingly anxious about their futures, and vulnerable to frustration and despair.

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No place for a child - death and despair haunt children in Rukban

27 February 2019 – “Despite repeated warnings, the deaths of children in Rukban, at the southwestern border of Syria with Jordan, continue to increase at an alarming rate. Since the beginning of the year, one child has died every five days.

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Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore on the high-level pledging conference for Yemen

26 February 2019 – “I urge world leaders convening now for the pledging conference on Yemen to remember that the lives of Yemeni children depend on their support. Yemen is home to the worst humanitarian crisis in the world and children are especially vulnerable."

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The brutal war on children in Yemen continues unabated with 1.2 million children across the country facing active conflict every day

25 February 2019 – Statement from Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa: “In Yemen today, nearly 1.2 million children continue to live in 31 active conflict zones including Hudaydah, Taizz, Hajjah and Sa’da - in areas witnessing heavy, war-related violence.

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