XUNICEF News and Views

"Virginia Gamba, the U.N. special representative for children in conflict, said that while some positive measures have been adopted by the warring parties, “the suffering of children in Yemen has worsened during the reporting period, becoming simply appalling.” “The children of Yemen had nothing to do with the start of this conflict,” she said. “They should now be given the opportunity to exit from it and be assisted to fully recover.” https://time.com/5617791/un-report-7500-kids-killed-wounded-yemen/

" UNICEF and UNICEF USA, in consultation with partners, are working to support the strengthening and expansion of partners' good work and existing protection measures for refugee and migrant children who have crossed the border into the U.S. This includes strengthening cross-border cooperation, scaling up and advocating for alternatives to detention and combatting xenophobia: Strengthening Cross-Border Cooperation : Working with regional and U.S.-based NGOs to enhance cross-border information sharing, case management and referrals (including technical assistance on child-sensitive returns), and reintegration practices that are in the best interests of the children Advocating for Alternatives to Detention : Working with critical stakeholders in the U.S. to strengthen and support awareness of effective alternatives to detention Highlighting Best Practices for Case Management Services : UNICEF is developing a solutions-focused report that will highlight effective programs for ref

From:  uMessage Sent:  28 June 2019 22:16 Subject:  Global Week of Reflection Dear colleagues, Thank you all very much for your active participation in yesterday’s Global Town Hall meeting, and for your warm welcome to me personally in this exciting new post of Organizational Culture Advisor, established by the Executive Director to focus on reassessing, reshaping, and reaffirming UNICEF’s organizational culture in support of our mission, goals and strategy. This is the first of many communications I will be sharing with you as part of our UNICEF-wide dialogue about organizational culture. As mentioned during the Town Hall, we are launching a conversation next week on organizational culture, starting with the Global Week of Reflection from July 1-7. This is the  start  of an interactive dialogue that I hope will continue in different forums with many of you on these important issues. I am pleased to share some ideas and suggestions as you prepare for the Global Week of Reflection in yo

      We are pleased to announce that the 2018  UNICEF Annual Report  is now available. In 2018, UNICEF embarked on a new chapter with a new plan. Anchored in the  Convention on the Rights of the Child , the UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2018–2021 sets ambitious goals aimed at contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – especially its vision of a world in which no one is left behind. The driving focus of the Strategic Plan is achieving results that realize the rights of every child, particularly the most disadvantaged. It guides UNICEF’s efforts aimed at making sure that every child survives, thrives and reaches his or her potential.                                                    Read the full report Key results for UNICEF and partners in 2018 include support for: 27 million births in health facilities Access to safe drinking water for 43 million children in emergencies Measles vaccination for 19.6 million children in humanitarian situations Education

WHAT:   UNICEF and the Permanent Mission of Japan are hosting a high-level event at the United Nations in New York to bring together technical experts, policy makers, governments, civil society and the private sector to combat misinformation on vaccines. This will be the first event of its kind to take place at the United Nations in New York, focusing on building trust on vaccines. Experts will analyze how we can improve stagnating or declining vaccination rates, and champion children’s right to immunization. At the event, UNICEF will also release a brief on the causes of vaccine hesitancy, based on trend data over the past four years. Please contact  ssidhu@unicef.org  for an embargoed copy of the brief. WHO: UNICEF and the Japanese Mission to the UN Hosted a meeting on Friday 28 June at UN Headquarters, looking at issues of misinformation and distrust around vaccines. • UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore • H.E Mr Koro Bessho, Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary, Perm

NEW YORK, 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. “Recent reports coming from some of these facilities are grim. Children should not be in unsafe environments that can cause toxic stress and irreparable harm to their health and development. This is a dire situation requiring urgent action and funding to provide children and families with essential services and support. “It’s hard to fathom this happening in a country with such a rich history as a champion for children in need around the world, particularly for those uprooted from their homes and communities by crisis. By any measure, these ARE children in need – I have met them. “This past week, I visited with children and families from northern Central America at a migrant shelter in Tijuana, Mexico. None wanted

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Fouad Kronfol My thoughts exactly ! The overly complex mechanisms proposed will take the usual bureaucratic and meandering route so that the process becomes an end unto itself.What it will help solve as real issues are probably too few and undeserving of such high attention. And, as in many instances before, the cycle will complete itself until,another high level review will become necessary....et plus ca change, plus ca reste le meme.... Underlying this whole matter I asked myself, how come after more than seven decades of existence UNICEF is still unable to develop its "culture" to something that is acceptable to both its management and its staff? Mary, your suggestion for a role for XUNICEF is worthy of consideration.....many of us are alumni of the personnel function and can perhaps provide useful and objective insights into the investigations that may arise. Cheers. Fouad Mary Racelis Would XUNICEF be one source of lay panel members in investigations? If so, should w

Kul Gautam So sad and outrageous to see these petty Trump cronies picked as US Ambassadors to the UN. Totally unfit to be successors to such distinguished diplomats as Henry Cabot Lodge, Adlai Stevenson, Arthur Goldberg, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Andy Young, Tom Pickering, Madeline Albright, Bill Richardson, Richard Holbrooke, Susan Rice and Samantha Power... https://www.passblue.com/2019/ 06/26/trumps-pick-for-un- diplomat-in-geneva-vows-to- oppose-reproductive-rights- and-put-america-first/ Trump’s Pick for UN Diplomat in Geneva Vows to Oppose Reproductive Rights and Put America First - passblue.com Until recently, Bremberg, who grew up in Summit, N.J., has been working behind the scenes in the Trump White House as director of the Domestic Policy Council, where he not only stretched the limits of the global gag rule but was also tasked — unsuccessfully — with ending Obamacare. www.passblue.com https://www.passblue.com/2019/ 06/19/trumps-un-pick-softens- on-climate-change-but-not-on- p

Angela Raven-Roberts Great ideas! It would be good as senior and very experienced staff from the world’s premier child agency.   We could volunteer to work quietly with the organizations trying to deal with this situation in the ground. I am sure they are overwhelmed and inexperienced and of course all the attention will be on the flak and ire that this is causing maybe folks can find out which organisations ate working and quietly also offer help. Regards Angela Angela. Bilge Bassani I agree with Angela. I have posted several articles in LinkedIn and tweeter. It is an unconscionable situation. While I understand the politics behind the silence, I am sorry that UNICEF and UNICEF Committee for USA have been quiet about it.  I am the President of FXB USA ( NGOwith 501 c status ) and affiliated with their policy arm ( FXB Health & Human Rights Center at Harvard School of Public Health).  If there were a campaign, I could offer FXB USA Web, FaceBook account and tweeter feed to amplif

Anita Dawar Dear Friends, This year, UNICEF completes 70 years in India. The many years you have spent with the organization, working selflessly to promote the rights of children has led to much success and achievements. When we look back to the work that has been done in the past, there is a lot to be proud of. As part of the activities to commemorate the 70thanniversary, we are compiling a list of ‘ 70 results for children ’. These included results like setting up the first penicillin plant in India, supporting the tsunami relief and the polio campaign among others. Your experience of working with UNICEF India and determination that led to some of the key results are a valuable insight to our work over the past 7 decades. We are eager to know about your experience and invite you to share your memories with us. You are very much part of this 70 year journey. If you have a story you’d like to share with us, write about it and send it across. We are also happy to capture a small video