XUNICEF News and Views

From natural disasters linked to climate change, conflict, the ongoing fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing poverty and a global nutrition crisis, last year was fraught with crises for children. For over 75 years, UNICEF has worked to protect children and uphold their rights. Find out in UNICEF's latest Annual Report how we did so again in 2022, with more children in need than at any other time in our organiz

The draconian law foresees the application of the death penalty and long prison sentences for consensual sex between adults. Non-discrimination principle Mr. Guterres called on Uganda to fully respect its international human rights obligations, “in particular the principle of non-discrimination and the respect for personal privacy”, irrespective of sexual orientation and gender identity. He also called on all Member States to end the criminalization of consensual same-sex relations. According to the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS, such criminalization continues in 67 countries around the world, with 10 still imposing the death penalty. Undermining development Just last week, the UN rights chief Volker Türk said that anti-LGBTQI laws like Uganda’s “drive people against one another, leave people behind and undermine development”. In a statement released at the end of March, when the Ugandan parliament first adopted the legislation, he described the discriminatory bill as a “deeply troub

 The number of child migrants crossing a dangerous stretch of jungle dividing Colombia and Panama has rapidly increased during the first four months of this year, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday. Click here for the original article The thick jungle terrain of the Darien Gap, which is also home to roving bands of criminals, has become a key transit point for thousands of mostly U.S.-bound migrants setting out in search of better lives from South America. A record 25,431 children and teens, both accompanied and unaccompanied, entered Panama through the Darien Gap between January and April, according to a statement from UNICEF provided to Reuters. The sharp rise in minor crossings marks an eight-fold increase compared to the same four-month period last year, when just over 3,000 children and teen migrants made the treacherous trek, according to the UNICEF data. Adding to the already dangerous conditions, minors are increasingly arriving in Panama without an

After a brief break I resume with the series of philatelic materials issued by countries for the IYC. This week it is countries starting with I and J. Islamic Republic of Iran; despite the Revolution and the change in regime, Iran still issued this three stamp set for IYC. The designs are children's drawings reflecting the new government of Ayatollah Khomeini. Iran; this is the First Day Cover with the same three stamps for IYC. The cachet is the face of a young boy and the IYC logo. There are two post marks, one indicating it is the first day of issue (in French and Farsi), while the other circular one shows the date of 23 September 1979  (1 Mehr 1358 of the Persian calendar) and it was issued from Teheran. Republic of Iraq: this three stamp set also issued for IYC. Two of the stamps have the design showing  a child hugging the globe which covers half its face, and with a lit candle in front. The third stamp has a girl and boy reaching for the UN Emblem and the IYC logo. Republic

Same same but different  Power is a versatile word used daily in physical science and in social science. In physical science it is used to express strength such as power of a computer (measured in IPS), power of an electric bulb (measured in watt) or power of an atomic bomb (measured in tons). In social science the power is the authority of individuals in institutions, in communities and even in families. How the power is exercised depends on the position of people in the hierarchy – who has authority over whom or on what. Power is a good example of hierarchical charts in social science. Just like the long arm of the law, people in power or with power can extend their authority with total ambiguity and impunity in getting what they want.  In our administrative and governance system, including in the UN system people are assigned various levels of authority which allows them to make decisions. People with such authority use or sometimes misuse their position to achieve what they want ra

How Children perceive their grandparents. 1. I was in the bathroom, putting on my makeup, under the watchful eyes of my young granddaughter, as I'd done many times before. After I applied my lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, "But Grandma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!" I will probably never put lipstick on again without thinking about kissing the toilet paper good-bye.... 2. My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, 68. My grandson was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?" 3. After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the

A Personal View by a Staff Member Samreen Abuidris, Communications Specialist at UNICEF Sudan,speaks on the situation she and her family face in Sudan and on the continuing need to support the children of Sudan.   MENA RD Adele Khodr "As the conflict in Sudan rages on, the toll on children continues to grow more devastating by the day,” said Adele Khodr, UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa. “These children are not just numbers, they are individuals with families, dreams and aspirations. They are the future of Sudan, and we cannot stand by while their lives are torn apart by violence. The children of Sudan deserve a chance to survive and thrive. No efforts should be spared by all actors to protect the children and their rights". Looted EPI Office El Geneina, Darfur

A recent report by United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) confirmed that India continues to reduce stunting among children. According to the Joint Malnutrition Estimates , a collaborative efforts of UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, the country recorded 1.6 crore fewer stunted children under the age of five in 2022 as compared to 2012. With recovering malnutrition, the country should be highly concerned about wasting as well as the upward spiral of obesity trend. Click here for the original article   The main cause of stunting is poor nutrition that causes impaired growth and development among children. This also leads to persistent infections and weaker immunity system. As per the report, stunting under five years of age has dropped in India, from the prevalence rate of 41.6 per cent in 2012 to 31.7 per cent in 2022. This means that the the number of children reported to be stunted has gone down from 52 lakh (2012) to 36 lakh (2022).

Robin Nandy, the representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Iran, has said the country’s comprehensive program for the protection of refugee children is encouraging. Click here for the original article Making investments in programs and services to better care for and support children affected by migration and asylum will reduce costs in the future, he added. He made the remarks in a meeting with Ali Kazemi, the deputy justice minister, IRNA reported. Emphasizing the important role of non-governmental organizations in supporting refugee and immigrant children and teenagers, Nandy expressed hope that holding educational workshops will lead to the promotion of children's rights and justice for children. Kazemi, for his part, said some 63 percent of Afghan refugees have selected Iran as their destination and the government does its best to settle the refugees with dignity. The situation of non-Iranian children and adolescents and their families who have soug

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. Photo by: Mark Garten / U.N. Global South Thwarts UN Future Summit Plans Here is a short summary of a long article. Click here to read the full article in DEVEX. At the UN, the future may have to wait. A group of developing countries has blocked plans for a UN summit on the future, arguing that the UN should instead focus on implement its current agenda. They also argue that the event would be too expensive and would not be effective. This represents a major set back for the Secretary-Genearl who had proposed the summit as a forum to to discuss the challenges facing the world in the 21st century, such as climate change, inequality and poverty. However, the group of developing countries, which includes China, India and Brazil, said the summit would be a waste of money and would not achieve anything. They argued that the UN should focus on its existing work instead of holding new summits. The UN has not yet given up on the summit, but it

Editor's Note: This opinion piece was published by Al Jazeera on 24 May.  On 27 May the African Union issued a communiqué.  Click here to read. Tafi Mhaka Al Jazeera columnist On April 24, just nine days after the beginning of Sudan’s deadly conflict, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said they agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire on the back of two days of “intense” negotiations led by the United States and Saudi Arabia. In a statement announcing the much-welcomed nationwide truce, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged the warring parties “to immediately and fully uphold the ceasefire” and added that “the United States will coordinate with regional and international partners” to achieve a permanent peace agreement. True to his word, just two days later Blinken had a phone conversation with African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki about “ending the fighting in Sudan”. In an official statement, Blinken said he and Faki

Special Report: Dozens of babies die in orphanage as Sudan war takes grim toll on Khartoum By Maggie Michael (Reuters) - In the days after war erupted in Khartoum, Dr Abeer Abdullah rushed between rooms at Sudan’s largest orphanage, trying to care for hundreds of babies and toddlers as the fighting kept all but a handful of staff away. Children’s cries rang through the sprawling building as heavy gunfire rocked the surroundings, she said. Then came waves of deaths. There were the infants housed on the upper floors of the state-run orphanage, known as Mygoma. Without enough staff to care for them, they succumbed to severe malnutrition and dehydration, the doctor said. And there were the already-fragile newborns in her medical clinic on the ground floor, some of whom died after developing high fever, she said. “They needed to be fed every three hours. There was no one there,” said Abdullah, speaking by phone from the orphanage, the cries of wailing babies audible in the background. “We

 

Click here to read or download the report This feature, which focuses on the illegal trade in substandard and fake medicines, is part of a UN News series exploring the fight against trafficking in the Sahel. From ineffective hand sanitizer to fake antimalarial pills, an illicit trade that grew during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 is being meticulously dismantled by the UN and partner countries in Africa’s Sahel region. Substandard or fake medicines, like contraband baby cough syrup, are killing almost half a million sub-Saharan Africans every year, according to a threat assessment report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime ( UNODC ). The report explains how nations in the Sahel, a 6,000-kilometre-wide swath stretching from the Red Sea to the Atlantic, which is home to 300 million people, are joining forces to stop fake medicines at their borders and hold the perpetrators accountable. This fight is taking place as Sahelians face unprecedented strife: more than 2.9 million people hav

Gaza – The message Aisha Abu Obeid received on her mobile in early May hit her like a thunderbolt. Her monthly food voucher from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), it said, would be stopped next month. “I felt like my soul was leaving me,” said the mother of seven whose husband is unemployed. “This voucher used to cover my family’s monthly basic food needs. I look forward to it at the beginning of each month.” For a year and a half, Aisha’s family had been receiving a food voucher from the WFP worth $108 per month, which covered their basic needs of food and vegetables. On May 11, the WFP announced in a statement that by June 200,000 people – almost 60 percent of the beneficiaries in Palestine – will no longer be receiving food assistance due to a severe funding shortage. The funding crunch has already forced WFP to cut cash assistance by about 20 percent this month. And by August, the agency will be forced to suspend operations in the occupied West Bank and Gaza if no fu