Press releases

Six months on, Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo is now second largest in history - UNICEF

30 January 2019 – Since the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was declared six months ago on 1st August 2018, more than 740 people – 30 per cent of whom are children – have been infected with the disease, including over 460 who have died, and 258 that have survived Ebola. Alongside the Government and partners, UNICEF is scaling up its response to assist victims, control the spread of the disease and ultimately end the deadly outbreak.  

View Press Release

UNICEF appeals for £3.06 billion in emergency assistance for 41 million children affected by conflict or disaster

29 January 2019 – Millions of children living in countries affected by conflict and disaster lack access to vital child protection services, putting their safety, well-being and futures at risk, UNICEF warned today as it appealed for £3.06 billion to support its work for children in humanitarian crises.

View Press Release

UNICEF Statement on the situation in Venezuela

25 January 2019 - “UNICEF regrets and condemns the reported loss of lives, including the deaths of teenagers, during recent demonstrations in Venezuela, and expresses its condolences to their families.

View Press Release

More than 145,000 Rohingya refugee children return to school in Bangladesh refugee camps as new school year starts

24 January 2019 – More than 145,000 Rohingya refugee children living in camps in south-east Bangladesh are now attending UNICEF-supported learning centres, as a new school year begins. 

View Press Release

UNICEF Statement on the impact of the ongoing turmoil and economic crisis on children in Sudan

23 January 2019 – “Children were reportedly killed in ongoing turmoil that broke out last month in Sudan. According to reports, scores of children were also injured while others were detained.

View Press Release

Young people to Davos leaders: more jobs, better education

21 January 2019 – Thousands of young people have a simple message to the leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum: “We need more jobs and better education.”

View Press Release

Vital protection for refugee and migrant children making perilous sea journeys to Europe urgently needed – UNICEF

21 January 2019 –UNICEF is urging European governments to agree on a region-wide approach to better protect refugee and migrant children who continue to face grave dangers and violations of their basic rights during dangerous sea journeys and on arrival to Europe.

View Press Release

UNICEF and partners providing urgent relief to protect nearly 40,000 children at risk from the ongoing winter storms in Lebanon

17 January 2019 – The impact of the latest storms across Lebanon have left many vulnerable children in need of protection and warmth, especially refugee children.

View Press Release

Lack of access to medical care in Syria is putting children’s lives at risk

15 January 2019 – “Freezing temperatures and harsh living conditions in Rukban, at the southwestern border of Syria with Jordan, are increasingly putting children’s lives at risk. In just one month, at least eight children - most of them under four months and the youngest only one hour old - have died.

View Press Release

Government publishes Clean Air Strategy – UNICEF UK responds

Monday 14th January -  Today, a new Clean Air Strategy has been published by Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Michael Gove. The strategy sets out the UK Government's ambition to become a leader in reducing human exposure to toxic air.

View Press Release

Millie Bobby Brown visits UNICEF global supply hub in Denmark

11 January 2018 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and Emmy-nominated actress Millie Bobby Brown helped pack supplies for some of the world’s most vulnerable children during a visit to UNICEF’s global supply headquarters in Copenhagen this week.

View Press Release

Syria: Lives of Children at Risk Amid Heavy Fighting and Floods in Northwest Syria

3 January 2019 – Children continue to pay the heaviest price due to the escalation in violence in northwest Syria. UNICEF received alarming reports of 80 people killed, including one child.

View Press Release

New Year’s Babies: Over 2100 children will be born in the UK on New Year’s Day - UNICEF

1 January 2019: An estimated 2135 babies will be born in the United Kingdom on New Year’s Day, UNICEF said today

View Press Release

World has failed to protect children in conflict in 2018

28 December 2018 – The futures of millions of children living in countries affected by armed conflict are at risk, as warring parties continue to commit grave violations against children, and world leaders fail to hold perpetrators accountable – UNICEF said today.

View Press Release

UNICEF UK PAYS TRIBUTE TO LORD PADDY ASHDOWN - FORMER PRESIDENT AND AMBASSADOR

Unicef UK pays tribute to its former President and Ambassador, Lord Paddy Ashdown, who has died at the age of 77.

View Press Release

UK White Paper on Immigration is a missed opportunity to help refugee and migrant children

Alastair Harper, Unicef UK, responds to the White Paper on Immigration published today

View Press Release

Child given world’s first drone-delivered vaccine in Vanuatu - UNICEF

18 December 2018 –One month old Joy Nowai, today became the world’s first child to be given a vaccine delivered commercially by drone in a remote island in the South Pacific country of Vanuatu.

View Press Release

Orlando Bloom meets children working in Bangladesh slums in powerful photography series

18 December 2018 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom stars in Netflix series Tales by Light to highlight the plight of children living and working in slums in Bangladesh.

View Press Release

Yemen peace talks and Hudaydah ceasefire signal hope for country’s children

13 December 2018 – “Today millions of children across Yemen saw their dreams of peace inch closer to reality with the close of promising negotiations between the warring parties and an agreed ceasefire in the port city of Hudaydah.

View Press Release

15,000 children without parents or missing, five years after outbreak of fighting in South Sudan

13 December 2018 – Fifteen thousand children remain separated from their families or missing, five years after conflict first broke out in South Sudan.

View Press Release