A child suffering from cholera lies on a bed at the Alsadaqah Hospital, Aden, Yemen, Monday 14 August 2017. The world’s worst acute outbreak of acute watery diarrhea and cholera continues spreading in Yemen. Between late-April and July 2017, 436,625 suspected cases and 1,915 deaths had been reported in 21 of 22 governorates. Health, water and sanitation systems are struggling to function as a result of the ongoing conflict, and lack of regular salary payments for many public sector workers have created the ideal conditions for the disease to spread. As part of efforts to halt the spread of AWD/cholera, UNICEF and its partners are reaching out to communities through a nationwide awareness campaign. Across Yemen, thousands of volunteers are going from house to house to raise awareness and provide advice to families on how they can best protect themselves from the potentially fatal infection. The teams provide 15 to 20 minutes of counselling, followed by demonstrations on how to properly wash hands with soap before eating food or after going to the bathroom. They also stress the importance of boiling water before drinking. The campaign is expected to reach 3.5 million families across the country.

United Nations leaders call on the Saudi-led coalition to fully lift blockade of Yemeni Red Sea ports

Emergency Relief, Global News, Latest News, Yemen Conflict 16:34

© UNICEF/UN078077/Fuad A child suffering from cholera lies on a bed at the Alsadaqah Hospital, Aden, Yemen, Monday 14 August 2017. GENEVA/ROME/NEW YORK/HONG KONG, 2 December 2017 – The partial lifting of the blockade of Yemen’s Red Sea ports by the Saudi-led coalition in recent days is allowing humanitarian organizations to resume the provision of life-saving […]

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[RELEASE OBTAINED] Halima Mfaume is 16 years old, living with HIV and learning to become a hairdresser. She lives in Dar Esalaam in Tanzania. Photographed in May 2015. When Halima was in Grade 3, the other children started isolating and discriminating against her. A teacher in the school started telling all the children she was HIV positive because of a skin rash she had on her face. Their reaction hurt Halima alot, as she didn’t even know what HIV was yet, let alone that she might be HIV positive. Halima Mfaume is 16 years old. She lives in the Tandale area, down town Dar Esalaam in Tanzania. Halima’s dream is to become a hairdresser.

Global complacency threatens the lives of children and adolescents as world set to miss global AIDS target

Emergency Relief, Global News, Latest News 15:48

© UNICEF/UNI197899/Schermbrucker Halima is 16 years old, living with HIV and learning to become a hairdresser. She lives in Dar Esalaam in Tanzania. Photographed in May 2015. NEW YORK/JOHANNESBURG/HONG KONG, 01 December 2017 – In 2016, 120,000 children under the age of 14 died of AIDS related causes, and 18 children were infected with HIV every […]

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Seven-year old Louay (sitting on suitcase), six-year old Ayman (right), six-year old Manena (left) and six-year old Wael (second left) play with a suitcase that they found in the garbage at the Skaramagas refugee camp, in the port area of northern Athens, Greece, Thursday 9 March 2017. Skaramangas is the largest camp in Greece, housing over 3,000 people, and is regarded as having the best administration and facilities. On a visit after a heavy rain, open sewage pooled in large puddles between container houses, and children played with homemade toys they had found in the garbage. More than 60,000 refugees are trapped in limbo in Greece after central European countries attempted to stop the influx of refugees reaching Europe by sea during 2015 and 2016. As of March 2017, one year after the closure of the Western Balkans migration route, irregular movements within Europe continue, but refugee and migrant children, whether alone or with family members, are increasingly facing higher fences, stricter border control and regular push-backs. Most recent concerns have been raised around new legislation in Hungary, prescribing for detention of asylum-seeking children above 14 years of age for migration control purposes. UNICEF continues supporting child protection services in 11 Child and Family Support Hubs (Blue Dots) in open reception facilities on the mainland and in urban sites in Athens, Thessaloniki and Ioannina. Since the beginning of 2017, 1,341 children (including 507 newly registered in February) benefitted from services on regular basis. Vulnerable refugee and migrant families and children continued benefitting from specialised psychological and mental health services in Athens and five open sites in Attica region (Elefsina, Elliniko, Agios Andreas/NeaMakri, Rafina and Elaionas). UNICEF’s ongoing partnership with the Office of the Greek Ombudsperson for Children on child rights monitoring continued in February, including organizing visits to Skaramangas

Global agreements on migration and refugees should include commitments to protect children, UNICEF urges world leaders

Emergency Relief, Global News, Latest News, Refugee and migrant crisis 18:40

© UNICEF/Gilbertson VII Seven-year old Louay, six-year old Ayman, six-year old Manena and six-year old Wael play with a suitcase that they found in the garbage at the Skaramagas refugee camp, in the port area of northern Athens, Greece. Ahead of international meeting on migration in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, UNICEF releases blueprint for how to […]

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(Chinese only) World Village Mixer promotes SDGs

HK News, Latest News 14:55

© UNICEF HK/2017 (Chinese only) 每天走最少10公里取水、收入僅1.9美元（港幣14.8元）的生活到底是怎樣的？數據一時三刻或難消化，但親身體驗令事實變得更具體。11月中，來自20間中學、約100名UNICEF Club的青少年參加了迎新活動「地球村開幕聚會」。透過體驗活動，他們率先了解全球兒童的權利和需要，未來一年，他們會從17個聯合國可持續發展目標（SDG）中選一個項目作主題，然後承諾在校內協助推動和實踐這目標。 自2007年起，聯合國兒童基金香港委員會（UNICEF HK） 致力透過UNICEF Club加強與本港中學的連繫，讓學生了解世界各地兒童的狀況，並以行動實踐世界公民理念。UNICEF Club不設任何申請限制，提倡學生主導、籌組及策劃校園活動，提升同儕對世界兒童的關注。 活動當日，他們在「地球村」被分為不同國家的人民，接受各項挑戰。其中一項是收集擁有以下幾項條件的「村民」簽名：來自發達國家、獲清潔食水和有效運作廁所、擁出生證明文件和已接受免疫接種。過程中，他們發現同時擁有4項條件的人絕無僅有，以為清潔食水和廁所是必然，其實亦非唾手可得。在索馬里已有240萬名兒童、約香港三分之一整體人口每天需要走10-50公里取水。在南蘇丹，亦僅有41%兒童能夠獲得安全食水。 經過今天，UNICEF Club「新鮮人」表示他們已準備好與UNICEF HK同行，為每一名兒童的福祉向同學積極推動選定主題。你也可以密切留意他們的動向，支持他們每一個為兒童的行動！詳見：https://www.facebook.com/unicefhkgenaction 原文刊登於2017年11月30日《星島日報》「放眼世界」「攜手為兒童」專欄

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On 30 October 2017 in East Ghouta, rural Damascus, in the Syrian Arab Republic, a child is measured by a health professional with a Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) measuring tape to determine whether or not he or she is suffering from severe acute malnutrition. On 30 October 2017 in East Ghouta, rural Damascus, UNICEF participated in a United Nations humanitarian assistance convoy to Kafr Batna and Saqba in the besieged area. UNICEF sent six trucks of humanitarian supplies as part of this convoy carrying health supplies such as oral rehydration solutions, medicines for children, vitamins, midwifery and pediatric kits. Hygiene kits, nutrition supplements and high energy biscuits were also delivered. Nearly 400,000 people remain trapped in East Ghouta, which has been under siege since mid-2013. The UN and UNICEF were last able to access East Ghouta in September 2017, where the situation for women and children continues to worsen.

Child malnutrition levels increase sharply in besieged Syrian town of East Ghouta

Emergency Relief, Global News, Latest News, Nutrition, Syria Crisis 18:24

© UNICEF/UN0142210/Tom/OCHA On 30 October 2017 in East Ghouta, rural Damascus, in the Syrian Arab Republic, a child is measured by a health professional with a Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) measuring tape to determine whether or not he or she is suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Malnutrition rate in area is highest recorded in Syria […]

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Over 12,500 people run for every child in UNICEF Charity Run 2017 HK$11 million expected to be raised

Charity Run, HK News, Latest News, Press Release 13:00

© UNICEF HK/2017 HONG KONG, 26 November 2017 – The 12th UNICEF Charity Run, organized by the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF HK), successfully concluded today. The event is expected to raise over HK$11 million from over 12,500 runners to support UNICEF’s global efforts against AIDS, which focuses on protecting babies from being infected […]

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On 25 November 2017, a shipment of vaccines is delivered to the Sana’a International airport, bringing in15 tonnes of BCG, Penta and PCV vaccine supplies to protect Yemeni children from diseases such as diphtheria and tetanus. In November 2017, Yemen is facing the largest humanitarian crisis and the worst food crisis in the world. Nearly 7 million people do not know where their next meal will come from and the survival of millions of people depends on humanitarian assistance opera-tions. Fuel, medicines and food are essential in this context. The recent closure of the Yemen’s airspace, sea and land ports has worsened the already shrinking space for the lifesaving humanitarian work. It is blocking the delivery of vital humanitarian assistance to children in desperate need in Yemen. And it is making a catastrophic situation for children far worse. Missions on the ground are not possible, blocking the movement of humanitarian workers and supplies, meaning that millions of children will be deprived of lifesaving humanitarian assistance.

UNICEF plane landed in Sana’a airport today with lifesaving vaccines for children in Yemen

Emergency Relief, Global News, Latest News, Yemen Conflict 16:58

© UNICEF/Madhok On 25 November 2017, a shipment of vaccines is delivered to the Sana’a International airport, bringing in15 tonnes of BCG, Penta and PCV vaccine supplies to protect Yemeni children from diseases such as diphtheria and tetanus. SANA’A/AMMAN/NEW YORK/HONG KONG, 25 November 2017 – A UNICEF-chartered aircraft carrying lifesaving vaccines has landed in Sana’a airport […]

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Bangui, Nov 13, 2015: Happy friends in Bangui’s Mpoko airport site for displaced people.. Two years after tens of thousands of Bangui’s inhabitants fled to the capital’s airport in search of safety, the site is still home to 20.000 displaced people.assistance to cash assistance. It is an empowering and dignified form of support to children and their families, with a positive effect on the local economy and with lower administrative costs.

Despite progress, 180 million children face bleaker prospects than their parents

Global News, Latest News 15:21

© UNICEF/UN08032/Le Du Young friends at Bangui’s Mpoko airport site for displaced people, Central African Republic, November 2015. World Children’s Day activities in over 130 countries to provide platform for children to speak out about their concerns; advocate for children being left behind. NEW YORK/HONG KONG, 20 November 2017 – Despite global progress, 1 in 12 […]

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