XUNICEF News and Views

" Through the program, a select group of innovators will receive grants to develop, test and scale their solutions to some of the world's most pressing problems, with menstrual hygiene management as the focus of the first round of investment. Each project stands to benefit from UNICEF's programming expertise and global reach, and Duke's experience in social entrepreneurship and commercial ventures." https://www.forbes.com/sites/unicefusa/2019/05/28/unicef-and-duke-university-to-team-up-on-menstrual-hygiene/#34f7337f5417

"In Yemen, reports of gender-based violence increased 36 per cent between 2016 and 2017. Last week, the Governments of Norway, Iraq, Somalia, the United Arab Emirates, as well as UN OCHA, UNFPA, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other partners, held a ground-breaking collaboration calling for commitments and funding to end these abuses. The two-day conference brought together delegations from 90 countries, as well as top United Nations officials, Nobel Peace Price Laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege and many civil society representatives." https://www.unfpa.org/news/nightmare-within-nightmare-taking-sexual-and-gender-based-violence-humanitarian-crises

" The women, from Nicaragua, Ecuador and   Guatemala , filed cases against their governments on Wednesday for failing to provide appropriate healthcare and denying them abortions, even when it was their legal right to have one." Now aged between 18 and 23, the women were 14 or younger when they were raped. All were attacked by older men and dropped out of school after discovering they were pregnant. Although each of the women filed a police complaint, no one was ever arrested or charged in connection with the attacks." https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/may/29/latin-american-survivors-who-were-denied-abortions-turn-to-un

" The report finds that since 2000, circumstances for children have improved in 173 out of 176 countries. Globally, there has been progress on every  End of Childhood Index indicator but one – children suffering due to conflict. There has been an 80 percent rise in the number of people forced to flee their homes due to conflict – 30.5 million more people since 2000. " https://www.savethechildren.org/us/about-us/media-and-news/2019-press-releases/children-around-world-better-off-today Download the report (pdf)

"Infamous OxyContin-maker Purdue Pharma used front organizations and sponsored research to deceive the World Health Organization and corrupt global public health policies with the goal of boosting international opioid sales and profits,  according to a Congressional report (PDF) released Thursday, May 22". WHO has not yet responded officially to the report.   https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/05/world-health-organization-parroted-purdues-deceptive-opioid-claims-report-says/

One group of Canadian researchers has applied to the Gates Foundation to fund further studies on safe storage of vaccines without refrigeration.  The process involves suspending a virus in a sugary film which can then be reactivated after transport by simply adding water.  Could this be a way around the daunting issues of maintaining a cold chain? https://www.sciencealert.com/new-technology-preserves-vaccines-without-refrigeration-for-months

In Oslo last week the ED addressed  a conference that brought together governments of Norway, Somalia, Iraq, and the UAE with UN agencies and ICRC to address the issues of gender based violence in humanitarian crises.  Among other points, Ms. Fore called for much greater attention and assistance to local women's organizations combating such violence. https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/05/1039121

Children are dying at alarming rates as they and their mothers are transported from the last ISIS stronghold at Baghouz to the detention camp at al-Hol.  The situation is little better once they arrive at the camp, which is now home to some 73,000 detainees.  Over 200 children are known to have died so far.  Worse though is the fact that few countries appear willing to repatriate detainees or detainee dependents.  www.npr.org/2019/05/23/726075657/misery-grows-at-syrian-camp-holding-isis-family-members

" Today, nearly half of the world’s population is at risk from malaria – it kills more than 400,000 people a year, most of them in Africa, where a child dies every two minutes from the disease. But now hopes have been raised of an end to the scourge: the first malaria vaccine is being rolled out in immunisation programmes in Malawi, Ghana and Kenya." http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190522-how-the-malaria-vaccine-could-change-world-health

" The virus has killed 1,223 of the 1,847 people who have fallen ill, making it the second-worst Ebola outbreak on record."   Congo's North Kivu province has now vaccinated over 100,000 people, but in many areas of the province health workers are not able to operate.   https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-ebola-congo/congo-wants-more-use-of-merck-vaccine-rather-than-jj-newcomer-minister-idUSKCN1SS2KS https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/15/terrifying-ebola-epidemic-out-of-control-in-drc-say-experts

In an effort to clamp down on child trafficking as well as commercial and sexual exploitation of children Kampala has banned donations to street children and applied fines of $11 for those who violate the ban.  The city says that there are over 15,000 children already living on the street and that many have been trafficked from rural areas by adults who use them to earn sympathy from passer-bys.  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48384673

Over 43,000 Honduran children have migrated from the country since 2014.  Most are forced to return.  A UNICEF study indicates that 30 % suffered a form of PTSD.  This article explains the UNICEF's efforts to help. https://www.forbes.com/sites/unicefusa/2019/05/21/why-children-are-fleeing-honduras-and-what-unicef-is-doing-about-it/#a2ceea751a22

Africa like other parts of the world has seen dramatic falls in under five deaths since 1950. This graphic illustrates the rapid falls in most countries.  Click here  for the animation. Here is another animation showing the decline in both child deaths and babies born per woman in Africa. Click here for the animation