XUNICEF News and Views

Thanx @antonioguterres for your urgent call from top of the world to tackle the global climate crisis. Indeed, melting of Himalayan glaciers menace a billion people in countries like Nepal & beyond. Please take your message from Mt. Everest to #COP28 & demand effective action. https://t.co/znerszpdnj — Kul Chandra Gautam (@KulCGautam) October 30, 2023

Unrelenting attacks have taken a devastating toll on Gaza's children. UNICEF is calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access throughout Gaza. pic.twitter.com/DIMoK7ekzC — UNICEF (@UNICEF) October 31, 2023 Samir was in his house with his family. He was a humanitarian worker. #NotATarget #CeasefireNOW https://t.co/oGuSWUNNLm — Genevieve Boutin (@BoutinGboutin) October 31, 2023 We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. And all access crossings into Gaza must be opened for the safe, sustained and unimpeded access of humanitarian aid UNICEF Spokesperson James Elder at Palais de Nations: https://t.co/jEQ5HtmHpO pic.twitter.com/ol7WsBZdm5 — UNICEF MENA - يونيسف الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا (@UNICEFmena) October 31, 2023 Now 67 of our dear @UNRWA colleagues 👇👇 https://t.co/w4x0tiyfBf — Juliette Touma ⚪️ جولييت توما (@JulietteTouma) October 31, 2023 As the situation for children in the State of Palestine and Israel continues to det

Editor's Comment:   Steve Umemoto has written to his member of the US Congress, Brittany Pettersen, representing Colorado's 7th District, calling attention to Catherine Russell's briefing to the Security Council.  If you feel strongly about what is happening in Gaza or the wider Middle East, you should consider writing to your own legislative representatives in your national congress or parliament.  Sending them the video and / or the transcript of the Executive Director's briefing is a good way to start. ........ Dear Ms. Pettersen, Thank you very much for your regular newsletters and continuing to represent the 7th District. I have been following the tragic situation in the Middle East, and given my career with UNICEF, I am particularly affected by the continuing deaths of children. If you have not yet had the opportunity, may I urge you to view the presetation yesterday to the UN Security Council, by Catherine Russell, the Executive Director of UN

Click here for the original FB post Hurricane Otis made a direct hit on Acapulco, as a Category 5, with sustained winds of 165 mph and gusts of up to 205 mph. The location of our apartment, overlooking the ocean, on the southernmost tip of Acapulco Bay, meant that we were directly in the line of fire. Isabel Crowley and I had been monitoring the storm for some days, and during Tuesday, when we saw its explosive and unprecedented growth from a tropical storm, we began to make preparations.   The front of our apartment is all glass, and we taped that up, put towels at the base of those windows that we thought might leak, and raised all items that might be susceptible to water damage above floor level, including all electrical connections. The rear of our apartment backs on to a corridor that leads from the main entrance to our apartment block and due to the circulation of the storm, this is the side from which we expected to be most fiercely hit. We moved everything off our two veranda

United Nations peacekeepers on Tuesday withdrew from Kidal, in an area which is a rebel stronghold in northern Mali weeks earlier than planned because of insecurity, leaving the town in the hands of ethnic Tuareg separatists. The U.N. peacekeeping mission known as MINUSMA has now departed eight of its 13 bases after Mali’s junta earlier this year ordered the 15,000-strong mission to leave the West African country, claiming it had failed in its mission in trying to contain an Islamic extremist insurgency. “The conditions for the departure of all these bases were extremely difficult and trying, for a variety of reasons — all completely beyond the mission’s control — including the deterioration of the security situation and the resulting multiple threats to peacekeepers," MINUSMA said in a statement confirming the latest departure. About 850 U.N. peacekeepers had been based in Kidal along with 150 other mission personnel. An employee with MINUSMA told The Associated Press that the pe

Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah met Monday with senior UNICEF officials in Amman for talks on the impact on Palestinian children of the Israeli war on Gaza, which is expected to have long-term negative repercussions on the lives of children.According to a statement from the Queen's office, Queen Rania, UNICEF's first Eminent Advocate for Children, listened to a UNICEF briefing on the "unprecedented" violence and "grave" child-rights violations. UNICEF Deputy Executive Director of Humanitarian Action and Supply Operations Ted Chaiban discussed the "urgent need" for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and for all access crossings into Gaza to be open for safe, sustained, and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid, including water, food, medical supplies, and fuel. Chaiban urged that patients in critical conditions in besieged Gaza should be able to leave or receive critical health services and for respect and protection for civilian infrastructure

After three decades in the position, Craig Mokhiber has reportedly resigned as the director of the New York Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights over the organization's response to Israel's war against Hamas . Click here for Craig Mokhiber's full statement "This will be my last official communication to you as director," read Mokhiber's resignation letter. The Messenger called Mokhiber's office, but had not gotten a response by press time. Citing the past genocides of the Tutsis, Muslims in Bosnia, the Yazidi, and the Rohingya people, Mokhiber wrote that the office "failed in our duty to meet the imperatives of prevention of mass atrocities, of protection of the vulnerable, and of accountability for perpetrators." Mokhiber adds: "We are failing again." "The current wholesale slaughter of the Palestinian people, rooted in an ethno-nationalist settler colonial ideology, in continuation of decades of their systematic perse

It appears Nepal really touched his heart. The remarks highlight the climate crisis, the need for UN reform, a fairer world order and greater support for developing countries. Kul   https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1k/k1kjvddxp5 "It is time to stop the looting and generating climate change because we must preserve these wonderful mountains and these wonderful glaciers. And it's essential to support Nepal and to support other countries that do not contribute to climate change but suffer the consequences."  

https://t.co/ef8Hq3cXOW “Gaza has become a graveyard for thousands of children. It’s a living hell for everyone else." 👆🏻Read @1james_elder 's statement at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. What a global shame. — Sam Mort (@SamMort9) October 31, 2023 the earliest days of the unprecedented hostilities in the Gaza Strip, UNICEF has been forthright on the need for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, for the aid to flow and for children abducted to be released. Like many others, we have pleaded for the killing of children to stop. “Our gravest fears about the reported numbers of children killed becoming dozens, then hundreds, and ultimately thousands were realized in just a fortnight. The numbers are appalling; reportedly more than 3,450 children killed; staggeringly this rises significantly every day. “Gaza has become a graveyard for thousands of children. It’s a living hell for everyone else. “And yet the threats to children go beyond bombs

  UNICEF is calling for all access crossings into Gaza to be opened for a safe, sustained and unimpeded access of humanitarian aid, including water, food, medical supplies, and fuel. pic.twitter.com/5wBucNV3oy — UNICEF (@UNICEF) October 29, 2023

  Clinging to any piece of news that speaks of some cease fire, some hours of respite: my @UNICEFpalestine colleague sharing her sentiments from #Gaza https://t.co/dUGzeJbpGH — Adele Khodr (@AdeleKhodr) October 30, 2023

Last night I watched the musical movie 'Taylor Swift - The Era's Tour' with my two granddaughters, ages 7 and 14. I have heard my grandchildren rave about this great pop icon for months - singing her songs, praising her like a divine diva, and yearning to attend her concerts in person. I am told that she is considered a "phenomenon" and might rank as the world's top singer now or perhaps ever until now. The movie was certainly glitzy like any great Hollywood or Bollywood production. My grandchildren, especially the 7-year-old, were jumping, dancing and singing along with Taylor Swift in the movie theater throughout the three-hour show. But I found myself struggling to understand the lyrics and the words of the songs. I must confess none of the songs or the lyrics and the background music really touched my heart. Although my English vocabulary and comprehension were much poorer in the 1960s and 70s, I recall thoroughly enjoying the music and songs of The Beatl

I thank the United Nations Asia Network for Diversity and Inclusion (UN-ANDI) for inviting me to present the keynote speech on this special occasion for the observance of the United Nations Day. I commend wholeheartedly the UN-ANDI and its dedicated team for their work, particularly its recent survey report on racism and racial discrimination despite the constraints of the global Covid pandemic of last few years. I am proud to be associated with the conceptualization of UN-ANDI in late 2019. As the first ever effort to bring together the diverse group of personnel from Asia and the Pacific in the UN system, UN-ANDI needs all our support and encouragement. In my decades of work for the United Nations, both representing my country as well as representing the organization, I have seen many faces of the world body – positive and not so positive, spirit-uplifting and also frustrating, focused and determined and also confused and politicized. But the most enduring experience for me about th

Monday, October 30, 2023 via video conference from Amman, Jordan Mr. President, Members of the Council, The last three weeks have been horrific. Almost everyone in Israel, the occupied Palestinian territory and the broader region is in mourning. The horrific attacks by Hamas in Israel on 7 October were shocking. The relentless bombardments by the Israeli Forces of the Gaza Strip are shocking. The level of destruction is unprecedented, the human tragedy unfolding under our watch is unbearable. One million people, half the population of Gaza, were pushed from the north of the Gaza Strip towards the south in three weeks. The south, however, has not been spared from bombardment, with significant numbers killed. I have said many times, and I will say it again “no place is safe in Gaza.” Now, civilians remaining in the north are receiving evacuation notices from the Israeli forces, urging them south to receive scarce humanitarian assistance. But many, including pregnant women, people with

UN71009551 See video version at bottom of the article. 30 October 2023 Excellencies, Thank you to Ambassador Nusseibeh and Ambassador França Danese for convening this meeting, and to Members of the Security Council, for this opportunity to speak with you about the humanitarian situation in the State of Palestine and Israel. At UNICEF, we firmly believe that the true cost of this latest escalation will be measured in children’s lives – those lost to the violence and those forever changed by it. After little more than three weeks, the devastating tally is quickly adding up, with rampant grave violations being committed against children. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 8,300 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including over 3,400 children, with over 6,300 children injured. This means that more than 420 children are being killed or injured in Gaza every day – a number which should shake each of us to our core. Of course, the violence being perpetrated against

crafted for my kids in 1978 ***** Ken Gibbs can be contacted via  kengibbs1941@gmail.com Click here to read more stories by Ken Gibbs

Dear colleagues, You may have seen earlier today the appointment by the UN Secretary General of our dear colleague Kirsi Madi to the position of Deputy Executive Director for Resource Management, Sustainability and Partnerships at UN Women. I know you will join me in congratulating her warmly and wishing her all the very best in this important new role. I will greatly miss Kirsi in the Office of the Executive Director and at UNICEF. Kirsi has been in this role for nearly four years and has been my invaluable Chief of Staff and the Director of my office since I arrived at UNICEF. I could not have asked for a more capable and supportive partner. She provides steady and thoughtful guidance around the clock, and tirelessly works in support of UNICEF’s mandate and our priorities for children. I will miss her vast knowledge of UNICEF and the UN, and her deep wisdom and experience. But as we all know, once you are part of UNICEF you are always part of the family. Kirsi will start at UN

“ The Jeddah talks cannot have started soon enough . More than six months since the start of the crisis in Sudan, the humanitarian tragedy in the country continues to unfold unabated,” UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths in a statement issued on Sunday. While he welcomed the resumption of the talks and thanks Saudi Arabia for hosting them, Mr. Griffiths underscored the dire situation: “Thousands of people have been killed or injured. One in nine people has fled their homes. Nearly one-third of the population could soon become food insecure.” Conflict broke out in Sudan in mid-April, when tensions between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Force erupted into open warfare in the capital, Khartoum, and elsewhere across the east African nation. ‘Colossal’ humanitarian crisis The UN emergency relief chief went on to say that Sudan's health system is in tatters, with the specter of disease outbreaks, including cholera, looming. Moreover, a generation of S

Editor's Note: Last week we reported on the decision of schools in Scarsdale NY to cancel a Halloween event which included fundraising for UNICEF.  The previous week we reported on an attack against fundraisers for UNICEF in Milan.  We also reported on efforts to block humanitarian aid by use of photos of a few UNICEF provided first aid kits possibly carried by Hamas attackers.  Each of these are isolated incidents, but we need to be aware of their potential to spread misinformation and mistrust. We should expect that there will be more anti-UNICEF and anti-UN articles and opinion pieces in the coming days.    Click here for the original article ............ The real evil consists of exploiting the suffering of all children—including Israeli victims of Hamas terror—for the propaganda of hate. Every year on Halloween, as costumed children go from house to house collecting candies, their parents raise money for UNICEF—the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. Bu

Her Name Was Lailuma Malikzada Lailuma Malikzada, Program Officer HACT, UNICEF-Kabul, Afghanistan passed away on 25 October, 2023. Rest in Power, Lailuma!! She was paralyzed in a road accident while on an official mission in Khost Province, was evacuated to a small clinic in Pakistan and sent back to Kabul after several months where she languished in extreme pain for months and fought to breathe (couldn’t actually breathe without oxygen). I was Lailuma’s supervisor in UNICEF-Herat (16 years ago). She was our Finance Assistant those days. In several of my column-articles, I mention her as LM––that’s my Lailuma! Four years is a long time. We created many memories . . . She assured me that she would come to get me if the Taliban attacked our guest house. She phoned me daily at night when I was left alone in our guesthouse for almost two weeks without adequate safety measures. “Always keep your burqa handy,” she used to alert me. I had actually bought a blue burqa on the advice of my fema

We are pleased to learn that staff and family are safe for now. We pray for peace in the region and the end of suffering/deaths. Extremely disheartening. Gloria From the Executive Director Dear Colleagues, I wanted to give you a quick update about the safety of our colleagues in Gaza after we lost contact with them on Friday. We have now been able to reach every one of our UNICEF staff members. But the situation for them, their families and children in Gaza remains incredibly dire. We continue to do everything we can to ensure they are safe and will continue to push for a humanitarian ceasefire and safe access. We also continue to demand the protection of all civilians and the end to killing and captivity of all children. Based on your important feedback at the townhall meeting about having easy access to statements and social media, the communications team have updated our ICON page with our public advocacy messages and will continue to update it with information about our humanita

The Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention (LIPG) issued a statement regarding the October 1 UN mission in Artsakh. “The Lemkin Institute of Genocide Prevention is disappointed with the outcome of the UN mission’s visit to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) on October 1, which took place after the entire Armenian population of Artsakh had already fled due to forcible displacement following the recent Azerbaijani invasion. It is difficult to understand what the purpose of such a mission was and why there was never more pressure for Azerbaijan to allow a mission into Artsakh during Azerbaijan’s 9-month blockade of the region that led up to the invasion.  The Lemkin Institute calls on the UN to prepare a proper mission to the Republic of Artsakh, one that is inclusive of international team members from countries neutral to the conflict to conduct a thorough analysis of the current situation on the ground. In order to ensure the rights of the Armenians in Artsakh, the UN must act with profession