XUNICEF News and Views

UNA Statement shared by Kul Gautam After last night’s Presidential debate debacle, here is another one coming - defunding the UN and its agencies. Hope some sanity prevails and US democracy finds some self-correcting mechanisms. Kul See below from our colleagues at the Better World Campaign.

Click here for the original statement The UN Human Rights Office decries the reported killing of 500 health workers in Gaza since 7 October 2023. These killings have occurred against the backdrop of systematic attacks on hospitals and other medical facilities in violation of the laws of war. As the occupying power in Gaza, Israel must fulfill its obligations under international humanitarian law to maintain medical and hospital establishments and services, public health and hygiene, and protect and respect the wounded and the sick, the infirm, expectant mothers, and children. It must also uphold its fundamental obligations under international human rights law in the occupied territory, including in relation to the right to health. The latest health worker reportedly killed was Mr. Hani Al Ja’afarwi, head of Emergency and Ambulance Services at a health clinic in Gaza City, on 23 June 2024. Many health workers have also died with their family members when residential buildings were struck...

This is a reposting of the XUNICEF reunion in the Philippines announcement first made on 29 May 2024 with additional program details and photos. Yes! It's going to happen! The 2025 XUNICEF Reunion is on:

  Click here for the SCF Report Click here for the article "Over 20,000 children...." on Al Jazeera Instagram post by Niloufar Pourzand View this post on Instagram A post shared by CJPME (@cjpmeofficial)

Editor's Note: See in particular the online events of June 24th with former GSA Chairpersons and June 27th with XUNICEF members.  Those two events will be available on Zoom links.  Other events may only be available to current UNICEF staff able to access Sharepoint. ---------------------------------------------------------- From GSA Dear Esteemed Colleagues, We are thrilled to invite you to the first ‘Staff Association Week’ - Starting Today, an annual celebration taking place across all UNICEF offices from June 24th to 28th, 2024. The first session to formally inaugurate the ‘Staff Association Week’ will start today in almost six and a half hours from now i.e. 9:00 AM NY Time Our theme for this year is “Building a Stronger Workforce through Staff Association Representatives.” It is an opportunity for us to unite and celebrate the vital role that our staff association representatives play in strengthening our organization and fostering a supportive work environment for all of ...

Video and article shared by Ellen Tolmie Click here for the transcript and article

Guterres started the process over a year ago, aimed at developing a coherent and unified world approach to engagement with the Taliban." Click here for the article on VOA Excerpt "Guterres did not invite the Taliban to the first Doha meeting in May 2023, and the Afghan rulers refused an invitation to the second this past February. The fundamentalist Taliban had asked the U.N. during the lead-up to the second Doha meeting to only recognize their delegates as the country's official representatives. This meant that Afghan civil society leaders and women's rights activists would not be allowed to be present. The Taliban authorities also sought a meeting between their delegation and the U.N. at “a very senior level.” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres rejected the conditions. The international community does not recognize the Taliban government, as many of its top leaders remain under terrorism-related U.N. sanctions."

Excerpt: "Mr Elder described how on Wednesday he was travelling on a Unicef lorry in an aid convoy trying to get from southern to northern Gaza. He said that despite having all the necessary paperwork it took them 13 hours to travel about 40km (30 miles). After spending eight hours at checkpoints they were finally denied entry, he said, "so 10,000 children who were going to benefit from nutritional supplies, medical supplies, did not". James Elder, who was on a lorry in the convoy, also said that while waiting at a checkpoint he witnessed the fatal shooting of two Gazan fishermen." Click here for the video statement by James Elder and the article by BBC.

Note: Jo Becker is the Advocacy Director, Children's Rights Division of Human Rights Watch For the first time, the United Nations secretary-general added the Israeli armed forces to the “list of shame” of warring parties committing grave violations against children in armed conflict. Although long overdue, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ action was fully justified. The UN had already attributed more than 8,700 child casualties to Israeli forces between 2015 and 2022. But in 2023, the scale of violations was apparently too large for the secretary-general to ignore. His new report found Israeli forces responsible for 5,698 violations, including the killing and maiming of children and attacks on schools and hospitals. He also noted over 23,000 reported but unverified grave violations by all sides against 3,900 Israeli children and 19,887 Palestinian children. Guterres also added Palestinian armed groups to his list for the first time, including Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Br...

For all who are celebrating this happy feast, we wish this may be a time of rejoicing, blessings and peace for you and all your family. Eid Mubarak! The Editors

  My warm wishes to colleagues who are celebrating tomorrow for a happy Eid. Praying that just peace prevails soon in the world in general and in the Middle East in particular. Mary Sidawi

"It is true that we are utterly failing some of the poorest, most neglected, and hardest-suffering communities on Earth. Why? Well, the aid has gone down while needs have grown. And that is in part because of the general lack of attention to the Sahel and because of the aid cuts to places beyond Ukraine and the Middle East." - Jan Egeland Click here for the article in the New Humanitarian

Click here for the original article  on ReliefWeb In the ongoing conflict in Sudan , the intense fighting in El Fasher in North Darfur has shut down hospitals MSF teams are providing support where we can in El Fasher and in Zamzam camp, where thousands of people have fled in recent weeks. Meanwhile, a malnutrition crisis is devastating the camp, where our teams are responding. Since 10 May, El Fasher, in North Darfur state, Sudan , has seen intense fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Joint Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). As the conflict continues to ravage El Fasher, the city’s hospitals have been damaged and shut down. Meanwhile, thousands of people are fleeing in search of safety, with many arriving at Zamzam camp, where there is already an acute malnutrition crisis. Teams from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) are adapting their response to maintain provision of medical assistance as needs escalate and access to care diminishes. Of the three main hos...

“Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory presents an unprecedented scale and intensity of grave violations against children,” the report said. Click here for the article  in the Guardian Click here for video Young Victims of War on Al Jazeera Excerpts: "In all, the UN verified “8,009 grave violations against 4,360 children” in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank – more than twice the figures for the DRC, the next worst place for violence against children. Of the total number of child victims verified, 4,247 were Palestinian, 113 were Israeli. In all, 5,698 violations were attributed to Israeli armed and security forces, and 116 to Hamas’s armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Israeli settlers were judged responsible in 51 cases, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s al-Quds Brigades was involved in 21. Between 7 October and the end of December last year, the UN verified the killing of 2,051 Palestinian children, and said the process of attributing responsibility was ongoing, b...

Click here for the report in ReliefWeb Click here for the English version of the SG's report In 2023, children living in conflict situations experienced violence in unbearable levels, shows a new report of the UN Secretary-General on children and armed conflict published today. Children have been recruited and used including at the frontlines, attacked in their homes, abducted on their way to schools, their schools were military used and their doctors targeted, and the dreadful list goes on. The evolving nature, complexity, and intensification of armed conflict, as well as the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, has led to a shocking increase of grave violations against children in 2023. The UN Secretary-General Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), which included for the first-time information on Haiti and Niger among the 25 situations and one regional monitoring arrangement on the Children and Armed Conflict agenda, revealed that 32,990 grave violations we...

Click here for the original article Heavy shelling reported in the so-called safe zone of Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza on Thursday came despite the ongoing international push for a ceasefire and as the UN health agency reported 32 deaths from malnutrition “including 28 among children under five years old”. In a stark assessment of the dire situation after more than eight months of war, the head of the UN World Health Organization ( WHO ), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned on Tuesday that “a significant proportion of Gaza’s population is now facing catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions”. Al Jazeera Report on Malnourished Children To date, more than 8,000 youngsters have been diagnosed and treated for acute malnutrition, including 1,600 children with the most dangerous form of the condition, the WHO Director-General said . “Despite reports of increased delivery of food, there is currently no evidence that those who need it most are receiving sufficient quantity and quality of food...

Editor's Note: The number of UN and NGO staff detained is now thought to be 18 of which 13 are UN staff. Click here for the article in AFP Excerpt "Providing a detailed breakdown on the UN side, Turk’s statement said 13 of the world body’s personnel had been detained, including six members of his own staff.  I urge the de facto authorities in Sanaa, Yemen, to immediately and unconditionally release them, as well as other individuals detained in relation to their affiliation with the UN, international NGOs or other actors supporting humanitarian activities,” he said.....Any further targeting of human rights and humanitarian workers in Yemen must cease immediately,” he said." Click here for the article on France24 Excerpt:  "Mohammed Albasha, senior Middle East analyst for the Navanti Group consultancy, called the espionage charges a "pretext", saying the move aims to "systematically eliminate non-governmental organisations in Yemen".The arrests aim...

Statement shared by Niloufar Pourzand Statement: The Elders voice grave concern at worsening atrocity risks in Sudan and urge immediate international action for a ceasefire and humanitarian support. The Elders today express their grave concern at the worsening risk of atrocity crimes in Sudan as troops from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) encircle the North Darfuri capital of El Fasher. They note with alarm the reports of fierce fighting in and around the city between the RSF and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and its allies, prompting thousands of civilians to flee their homes and exacerbating the shortage of humanitarian supplies. The international community must take decisive action to avert a potential massacre by securing an immediate ceasefire and compelling the warring parties and their foreign backers to return to dialogue. In March, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2724 calling for an “immediate cessation of hostilities” in Sudan during the month of Ramada...

"If the UN’s relevance appears to be waning today, that is owing specifically to the often- deadlocked permanent membership of the Security Council, and – to a lesser degree – to the UN’s human-rights capabilities in an age of rampant impunity. Yet for many around the world, these functions are subsidiary to its still vital work in fields like development, humanitarian assistance, and the climate crisis. " Click here for the article in Project Syndicate Mark Malloch-Brown, a former deputy United Nations secretary-general and co-chair of the UN Foundation, is a former president of the Open Society Foundations.

Around 181 million children worldwide under 5 years of age – or 1 in 4 – are experiencing severe child food poverty, making them up to 50 per cent more likely to experience wasting, a life-threatening form of malnutrition, a new UNICEF report reveals today. For the first time, Child Food Poverty: Nutrition Deprivation in Early Childhood analyses the impacts and causes of dietary deprivation among the world’s youngest people in nearly 100 countries, and across income groups. It warns that millions of children under the age of five are unable to access and consume a nutritious and diverse diet to sustain optimal growth and development in early childhood and beyond. Children who consume, at most, two of eight defined food groups are considered to be in severe child food poverty. Four out of five children in this situation are fed only breastmilk/milk and/or a starchy staple, such as rice, maize or wheat. Less than 10 per cent of these children are fed fruits and vegetables. And less tha...

Dear former colleague, We hope that you and your family are well. The UN Health and Life Insurance Section (HLIS) is pleased to invite you to events happening this week on the occasion of the 2024 Annual Enrolment Campaign for all health insurance plans managed by UNHQ and UNOG. While the enrolment campaign is open to eligible active staff members, allowing them to enrol in a plan, modify their existing coverage, add or remove eligible dependants, or terminate their coverage in one of the following health insurance plans, After Service Health Insurance (ASHI) participants are also welcome to join the virtual and in-person events. These events provide an opportunity to learn about upcoming plan changes and explore the different options available within the UN-administered health insurance plans. Opportunities for ASHI participants to transfer between plans are explained in section 8 of ST/AI/2007/3 . Online information sessions:Information Session on UN WWP: 8 - 9:30 am on Monday 10t...

Today we remember and honour the 188 United Nations personnel who lost their lives in 2023, in the line of duty. I welcome the family members who have joined us, both in person and online. Our hearts are with you. Among those personnel are 135 women and men who worked for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, in Gaza. That is by far the highest number of our personnel killed in a single conflict or natural disaster since the creation of the United Nations – a reality we can never accept. Some were killed with their families by bombardment of their homes; others were at work, both in offices and shelters. I repeat my call for a full accounting for each and every one of these deaths. We owe this to their family members and friends; to their colleagues; and to the world. Our UNRWA personnel lived and died as representatives of the international community in Gaza, and that community deserves an explanation. The United Nations has sought the consent of family members for the...

Click here Excerpt: "We were sleeping, and at two in the morning, missiles rained down on us. They pulled us from under the rubble, and all we saw were shrapnel, debris, and dust. I am in shock and can't comprehend that my father is dead! How will we live? All my siblings are so young! Our support and backbone has been broken,”

Click here

News shared by Niloufar Pourzand Haaretz - UN Adds Israel to 'Blacklist' Excerpt "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the UN's decision to include Israel in a blacklist of countries that inflict harm on children in conflict zones, and said, "the UN has put itself today on the blacklist of history, when it joined those who support the Hamas murderers.  The IDF is the world's most moral army, and no preposterous UN decision can change that."

An open letter addressed to senior officials of the United Nations Organization, requesting ”immediate and decisive action to address the crisis in Gaza”, has been issued by the Peacemaking Reflection Group ( PRG ) of former UN system staff, supported by the Foundation for Global Governance and Sustainability (FOGGS). The letter is signed by 151 former UN system staff members. The PRG urges the President of the UN General Assembly, the President of the Security Council for the month of June, and the Secretary-General of the United Nations to take immediate action to:Uphold International Humanitarian Law: To prevent the worst from happening, it is imperative that the United Nations and its partners uphold the principles of international humanitarian law without bias. Ensuring respect for international humanitarian law is crucial for protecting civilians and maintaining global standards of justice and humanity during conflicts. The Group advocates for a direct involvement of the Securit...

“I am horrified by the reports that at least 35 children were killed and more than 20 children were injured during the attack yesterday on the village of Wad al Noura, in Sudan’s al-Jazira state. While the full details are still emerging, the scenes on the ground are devastating. “This is yet another grim reminder of how the children of Sudan are paying the price for the brutal violence. Over the past year, thousands of children have been killed and injured. Children have been recruited, abducted and subjected to rape and other forms of sexual violence. Over five million children have been forced from their homes. "Attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are unacceptable and must cease immediately. Parties to the conflict must abide by their obligations under International Humanitarian Law to protect civilian lives. UNICEF reiterates its urgent call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, ensuring the protection of children from harm and facilitating the safe, unimped...

Correction :  Please note a correction in the spelling of the email address for condolences.  The correct address is:   gagcaoili@unicef.org.  Our apologies in case you sent an email and had it bounce.  Leopoldo “Pol” Moselina: A Tribute UNICEF Retirees Celebration of His Life Mary Racelis June 1, 2024 It is a privilege to be able with my UNICEF colleagues and friends to speak today about Pol Moselina and what he meant to us. I’m glad he is also right here with us and, I hope, listening. Pol as Visionary Pol was a true visionary. Not though, an image of visionaries as floating in distant, ethereal spheres. His vision came from being grounded in people’s everyday lives. That led him to become a pioneer in many ways. Let me highlight three of his contributions to UNICEF and its chief concern -- children and women, especially the most marginalized among them. Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances, Urban Basic Services Pol first came to UNICEF’s att...