XUNICEF News and Views

Article shared by Viviane Sakkal Click here for the article Summary Nearly one in five children globally—over 473 million—live in conflict zones, a figure that has doubled since the 1990s, according to UNICEF. The organization highlighted 2024 as one of the worst years on record for children in conflict, citing over 32,990 verified grave violations against 22,557 children, the highest since monitoring began.

“In the final days of the year, there seems to be no end in sight to the deadly threats to children in Gaza. Over the past three days, at least eleven children have reportedly been killed in attacks. Now, we are also witnessing children dying from the cold and a lack of adequate shelter.

Our annual note (attached) has not been ready before Christmas for some years now, but our good wishes to you always remain fresh. Happy New Year to you and your family !  Tony & Wendy

On boxing day on Nuns' Island, Montreal Our Christmas cactus - Last year an abundance of flowers, this year only ONE . Even nature seems confused with climate change. Fouad

Video shared by Niloufar Pourzand Yes these were all my colleagues in Indonesia. Niloufar

Dear XUNICEF and CO-PEACE friends, It is Christmas Day in Manila and the first time I have actually managed to send out my yearly greetings before or on the actual day! As we move toward the end of 2024 and the incoming New Year, my wishes for a very happy, healthy, productive and peaceful 2025. Recognizing and appreciating the bonds that hold us together, I look forward to continuing our efforts as concerned and committed retirees to do what we can so that children can overcome the tragedy of warfare.and participate in a more hopeful future.

Dear all UNICEF and XUNICEF Friends, As the current year draws to an end and we get prepared to step into 2025, I find myself reflecting on the journey that has brought me here, and I cannot express enough how grateful I am for your unwavering support during the darkest times. Your courage, kindness, and dedication made a profound difference in my life and in my son's, helping us to regain our freedom from unjust circumstances. And most important you have raised our morale and reinforced out confidence that with such great friends we can cope with any challenge no matter how formidable.

 Video shared by Fouad Kronfol From Ramallah Friends School to the world, we share our version of the timeless “ Little Drummer Boy.” Our hearts come together in prayer for the safety of the children in Gaza. May our shared prayers echo for peace and justice, weaving a tapestry of hope that goes beyond borders, embracing the shared humanity we all hold dear.

Dear All We are delighted to reach out to family and friends from around the world as we approach the end of the year, continuing a cherished tradition that began in 1984. This year, we have just a few stories to share, but perhaps the most important is that we are healthy and optimistic about the future. Our children and grandchildren are doing well and remain very active in their daily activities. We welcomed Marcela, Andrea, and Johnny throughout different times of the year. Each of their visits brought us much happiness and kept us wonderfully busy. Inés had several birthday celebrations and Juan continues to serve as the Chair of the Neighborhood Committee. As the Christmas season approaches, we once again extend our heartfelt wishes to you. May the Lord fill your lives with PEACE, JOY, HEALTH, and LOVE throughout this festive season and into 2025. Warm regards, Ines and Juan Aguilar ines@iaguilar.com , juan@jraguilar.com   10 calle 16-22 zona 15 V.H. 3 Guatemala City 01015, ...

Arrest warrant for Myanmar military leader, airstrikes in Gaza, children on the move in Africa, NGO calls for removal of head of UN mission in Afghanistan, and a school presses ahead in Bhopal 40 years after the disaster.

It’s a bit jarring to walk down the street and suddenly see a head on a spike.Well, not a human head, but rather a mannequin’s head, but still.....

Report shared by Robert Cohen Click here for the report Summary This document presents challenges and opportunities facing children in the 21st century. It presents four scenarios of the future, each with different levels of technological advancement, resource utilization, and economic and geopolitical cooperation.

Article shared by John Gilmartin Click here for the article Summary Haiti, one of the world's poorest countries, was forced to pay France a massive debt after achieving independence. This debt crippled the country's development and left it vulnerable to further exploitation. The article argues that this historical injustice is a significant factor in Haiti's current problems. Author Ambassador Mark A. Green is President and CEO of the Wilson International Center for Scholars and a former US Ambassador to Tanzania, and a former executive director of USAID, Quote "In order to be able to comply with its debt terms, the Haitian government took out high interest loans from a range of banks in France, but also banks in the US and other parts of Europe. This created a double debt: the original debt owed to France, and a growing debt owed to foreign lenders."

Since I have been critical of the development aid industry, the most common feedback from those who cared to respond has been along the lines of: “I agree with a lot of what you say, but surely something good must have come from UNICEF and our work”.   Most of us try to do something good. It is human nature to help one another. But I no longer give to UN development agencies. I hope I can explain why.

Each year, UNICEF Germany has awarded the “UNICEF Photo of the Year Award” to photos and photo series that best depict the personality and living conditions of children worldwide in an outstanding manner. In 2024, the two first prizes go to Avishag Shaar-Yashuv, Israel and Samar Abu Elouf, State of Palestine.

Editor's note: The author asked for anonymity, to avoid domestic warfare. He is well known to the editors. There have been times when a doctor’s prescription has had more effect on the spouse than on the patient him/herself. In our household it certainly happened once.

It started with compassion Helping each other in times of need is an innate human nature which exists in all cultures transcending partisan politics. This humane gesture became a profession in its own right which we now call humanitarianism, arising out of kindness, not out of duty.

  I was pleased to read the recent letter by former DEDs to Catherine Russell urging her to reinvigorate documentataion of  UNICEF's history. I want to point out the need to make that history easily accessible for children, as we did with "UNICEF for Beginners (A Writers & Readers beginners documentary comic book) in 1996. Internet Archive -  https://archive.org/details/unicefforbeginne0000clar/page/n131/mode/2up Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Beginners-beginners-documentary-Christian-1996-05-03/dp/B01F9GDHGS

Article shared by Kul Gautam In the 1st Trump administration, USAID, UNICEF and WFP were lucky to get reasonably good leaders - Mark Green, Henrietta Fore, and David Beasley.  Will they be lucky again in Trump II?  And will WHO be spared UNFPA's fate?  Cross fingers & pray! Kul Click here for the article Summary Donald Trump’s potential return to the presidency could bring major changes to U.S. foreign aid and global development. Aid budgets are expected to face steep cuts, with USAID under significant scrutiny and multilateral institutions like the U.N. and World Bank at risk of losing U.S. funding. Programs supporting climate action, reproductive rights, and diversity could be rolled back, while faith-based organizations and private sector-focused initiatives, like the Development Finance Corporation, may benefit. Trump’s "America First" approach might prioritize localization and private sector solutions, but global health and climate efforts could face setbacks. Co...

Twitter post shared by Kul Gautam Please watch the video link in the Twitter post below vociferously invoking child rights by Trump and his acolytes in the context of "trans" kids. I wonder how UNICEF will respond if asked to give an opinion on the subject.  No matter how UNICEF responds, I fear that it could land it in a spiral of controversy as both sides are exaggerating the topic in this debate.  Non-discrimination based on "traditional" gender is incontrovertible. But proactive, affirmative action by schools based on "sexual orientation" and "choice" by children, without consultation with or consent of parents, as in some school districts in California, is likely to spark a fierce debate and polarization.  If UNICEF were caught in this debate, I wouldn't be surprised if Trump might nominate a wacko candidate to replace the current UNICEF ED.  Or could UNICEF suffer the same fate as UNFPA or what ...

   

St. Croix - ruins of a former sugar estate Ruins are not only caused by fighting, but in the Caribbean, are usually the result of natural disasters, like volcanic eruptions or hurricanes. The Virgin Islands have never experienced war, nor did they suffer any war damage. But there are quite a few ruins, and some have become tourist attractions. Some were former sugar plantations. Estate Whim is very well preserved and has most buildings, like the Great House and sugar production windmill and press, which have been restored. It serves as a Museum and research center.

 

13 December 2024 – “Yesterday, in yet another devastating attack on Nuseirat camp, in central Gaza, 33 people were reportedly killed – including at least eight children – and 50 wounded by airstrikes. The latest violence adds to a staggering figure of more than 160 children reportedly killed in Gaza in a little over a month. That is an average of four children every day since the beginning of November. “Children didn’t start this conflict and they have no power to stop it, yet they are paying the highest price with their lives and futures. In the last 14 months, more than 14,500 children have reportedly been killed, and virtually all 1.1 million children in Gaza are in urgent need of protection and mental health support. Famine continues to loom in the north and humanitarian access remains severely restricted. “Children and families throughout Gaza face constant displacement, which has pushed 1.9 million people away from their homes, including hundreds of thousands of children. There ...

Many of us shared in the joy Syrians felt this week over the release of thousands of prisoners long held by the Assad regime. Amid the euphoria, it is easy to forget that in northern Syria tens of thousands of others are still detained in camps where they have been held since 2019. 

Article shared by Sharif Alam The slaying of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thomson last week in Manhattan once again brought to surface dissatisfaction with the USA healthcare system.  Having personally been a sufferer, the assassins inscription on the bullets ‘depose, deny and delay’ resonates very close to home. That is in no way to condone the method the CEO unfortunately was subjected to, the incident however exposed ‘corporate greed’ in healthcare industry!! And Wendell Potter, a former Cigna executive has clearly articulated that in the article.  My own perils with Cigna were painfully evident when our (my wife and myself) medical expenses (on account of emergency hospitalizations while visiting the USA last year), on the upwards of US 40 grand were almost being subjected to the above 3 words - depose, deny and delay!! Our hospital admissions were through the emergency doors for which there are distinct policy implications/dispensation which Cigna chose to ignore relentless...

Norway brings Israel to the ICJ again, a gold rush in Sudan continues to finance the war, Belgium to pay reparations to abducted children, a few staff released in Yemen but many still imprisoned, Japanese anti-nuke NGO wins the Noble Peace Prize, and much more.

Video shared by Baquer Namazi Greetings, This was my message after seeing the piece below. Baquer Siamak jan, I am so proud of you. You were the real star to this very valuable event. I do think people like you and myself have much to contribute, perhaps we can do so more effectively through credible, independent, non-government institutions, preferably set up by coalition of former hostages. Our Lebanese friend seems to have made a start already. What do you say. your dad. Baquer

ODE TO THE CHILDREN Yesterday was Human Rights Day, I was told, Today our beloved UNICEF is 78 years old. For both occasions one needs to be bold To decry the death and suffering of children around the world And many more left alone in December's cold.

Birth registration is an essential prerequisite for legal identity and the fulfilment of children’s rights. By registering children at birth and providing a birth certificate – a passport to lifelong protection – their exposure to rights violations are minimized and their access to essential services ensured.

  Video shared by Fouad Kronfol The protection of little ones is one of the most basic elements of Life. Fouad

News shared by Niloufar Pourzand Click here for the article in India Education Diary Summary The Department of Posts and UNICEF issued a commemorative postage stamp to celebrate 75 years of their partnership in working towards child rights in India.

Relationships based on moral principle There are traditional relationships between individuals such as husband and wife based on trust and mutual respect, not based on any written agreement. This is a social contract that existed long before the legal requirement for marriage registration or 'I do' and 'till death do us apart' ordained by a Minister or an Imam or a Pandit.

Report shared by Kul Gautam Kul Gautam to Will Parks Dear Will, This is yet another excellent example of UNICEF's proud history - “UNICEF in Iran: 70 years for every child”.

Article shared by Kul Gautam I shudder at the power, potential and risks of mega-rich folks randomly selecting people and projects to give huge sums of money - and thus wielding great influence on policies and priorities seemingly without any accountability.

The Author in 1980 On reading Nuzhat’s recent offering on the XUNICEF blog, I was reminded about two events both of which started in the Dhaka airport in Bangladesh, and which involved children who are best seen and not heard, didn’t they say ?

  Article shared by Niloufar Pourzand Today is the annual remembrance for the victims of hashtag#genocide: 9 December marks the young UN's 1948 adoption of the Genocide Convention, in the aftermath of the hashtag#Holocaust.

  Article shared by Niloufar Pourzand Fawzia was Programme Assistant with UNICEF Badakhshan, non-Taliban areas, in the late 1990s, when Taliban was first in power.

Mahesh must be one of UNICEF's most prolific writers. His oeuvre has been published in academic journals covering epidemiological and medical issues, disasters, evaluations and social policy. Mahesh warns that the papers could be a little technical, and I have not read any of them for fear of completely exhausting my cognitive bandwidth.

Syrians now have ‘historic opportunity’ to build a peaceful future, says Guterres As reports continued to emerge from the Syrian capital, Damascus, where opposition forces declared victory overnight on State television, the UN chief said in a statement : The future of Syria is a matter for the Syrians to determine.

8 December 2024  “With the situation in Syria rapidly evolving, UNICEF reiterates the UN Secretary-General’s appeal for calm, to refrain from violence, and to protect the rights of all Syrians – especially children, at least 80 of whom have been killed or injured in the past two weeks.

Report shared by Kul Gautam From Kyungsum Kim Dear Kul, Thank you and other former DEDs for taking up this timely and much needed initiative. We at Thailand CO have been feeling the same need. Indeed, UNICEF has a glorious past in Thailand. So we published our @75 anniversary history book and handed them to our donors at the Blue Carpet Gala at the end of last year. Click here to read and / or download the report Click here for the e-book version on the UNICEF Thailand website It’s in the e-book format on our website too. However, I will ask our communications team to create a tab in our website so that it’s easier to find and more visible. We can also make it a prerequisite in the induction of the new staff. Have you received a copy? If you haven’t, I would love to send you one. OED has received the book so hopefully it will reinforce your message to ED Russell. You continue to be our inspiration and I feel lucky to be in your network. I also take this chance to thank you for the valu...

Darya (her artist name) is a young Afghan woman, mentioned in the final pages of my memoir, My University of the World: Adventures of an International Film and Media Maker . She contacted me in November 2021, after the Taliban had taken control again in her country. She’s an example of resilience in the face of difficult circumstances—something needed by all of us who cherish human rights and freedom today, given the recent political changes in the U.S. and trends in other countries. She uses her art for social change.

  WMU Graduation 2024 Address by Professor Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr Introduction  More than 70 percent of the earth is covered by ocean, an immense source of life. The ocean provides both food and many of the natural resources that sustain us. The ocean serves as the primary conveyor of the transport of goods around the world. It is a natural and essential way tied to the sustainability of the survival of both human beings and other species.

Our Feature - Franziska von Vietinghoff's feature takes us through the impressive graduation ceremony of the World Maritime University , located in Malmo, Sweden,which is associated with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) one of the UN Specialized Agencies. Her article provides information of which many among us may not be aware.

 

New drama as climate issues go to the ICJ, negotiations for a plastics treaty collapse, Gaza continues to starve, OCHA issues its appeal, and new worries about the chaos a Trump administration will bring to the UN and to global health. 

Dear Madame Executive Director My name is Karin Sham Poo and I was one of UNICEF’s Deputy Executive Directors from 1987 to 2004. Although now retired for almost two decades, like most other retirees, I continue to take keen interest in UNICEF’s activities around the world.

Video shared by Sree Gururaja Editor's Note: Readers may recognize the setting where the children sing as the 'Green Bunker' mentioned in Horst Cerni's feature "Ruins (and a Bunker)" which we posted on 23 November 2024. Detlef Palm left a comment on Horst's feature including a link to this excellent music video.  We are reposting it now given the song's importance in this time of war .  

Shared by Tom McDermott

Article and report shared by Fouad Kronfol The strongest confirmation, so far, from the "international Community" and the humanitarian organizations of the genocide in Palestine.... Fouad

Dear Friends and Colleagues, My family and I are very grateful for your heartfelt Condolences and Sympathies on the Loss of our Dear Doris. Your kind words about Doris and her Legacy in advancing Peace and Justice has brought us comfort in these very difficult times.

Mr. President, faculty, students, ladies and gentlemen. I’m honoured that you have asked me to speak here today, on AUB’s Founders Day 2024. And I applaud AUB for almost one-hundred and sixty years of history as a champion for freedom of thought and expression, for diversity and dialogue.

You will not see it advertised It has long escaped from fashion But the visa application’s free For the Nation of Compassion

Shared by Shamsul Farooq "The tongue’s terrible tendency to tell tall tales totally tarnishes traditional trans-communication theories.

Article shared by Lou Mendez Wondering if UNICEF will be bold enough to say something. Lou

Articles shared by Fouad Kronfol and Baquer Namazi A good news story which will be of special interest to our Co-Peace XUNICEF colleagues showing the interaction of Palestinian and Israeli activists and film-makers to document the tragic situation of colonialism and military occupation in Palestine. Fouad

Statement shared by Niloufar Pourzand “I am deeply alarmed by reports that the de facto authorities in Afghanistan plan to ban women from studying in medical faculties, including fields critical to the health of women and children such as nursing, midwifery, and gynaecology.