XUNICEF News and Views

Twenty-one years ago, a different spectacle unfolded for bleary-eyed international civil servants, provided they strayed from their cubicles into Central Park. Before you go on, turn the volume up and click the button for the hymn of all UNICEF officials.

Many nuggets of wisdom by ED Mathew, a former UN Spokesman & freelance journalist: "The UN is financially wounded and politically bruised, but not irrelevant. It remains the only universal forum where democracies & autocracies still cooperate on humanitarian relief, development finance, global health, peacebuilding", and other matters that are relevant to the whole of humanity - rich and poor, big and small. To survive, the UN must adapt and reform, of course. But no country is an island or a fortress in the 21st century. And no country is indispensable. In an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, multilateralism is indispensable. Even if the UN were dismantled temporarily, it would have to be reinvented anew. I recall in the 1960s, Indonesia's mercurial leader, Sukarno, quit the UN and tried to form a Conference of the New Emerging Forces (CONEFO) as an alternative. CONEFO did not last very long, as Sukarno's successor Suharto quietly ...

Unbelievably crude. Calling WHO the "so-called World Health Organization" in typical Trumpian style. Full of false & fanciful accusations aimed at the domestic MAGA audience. No recognition of one of the greatest organizations in the world that led the eradication of smallpox, and made great strides A sad day for the US and the world. Kul   

New Year's message from Rosemarie McClean and Robert van der Zee on the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund

Dear All Hope you are doing well. Let me take this opportunity to share with you the following news:

Echoing Canadian PM @MarkJCarney 's warning, Mary Robinson of @TheElders , equates the Gaza "Board of Peace" to a "Board of the Power of One" that attempts to undermine the UN Security Council & the rules-based international order. Kul

 

The good news is its going down, After reaching a new crown.

Hi - I R\received the below from an XUNICEF friend who is a member of AFICS. Doreen Lobo Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield Terminates Agreement with Mount Sinai Health System

Trump hosts signing ceremony for Board of Peace in Davos despite reservations from key allies AP News January 22, 2026  Click here for the article   The list of governments agreeing to join President Trump's Board of Peace grew following a signing ceremony at Davos on January 22, 2026.  

 10-year-old Sundus al-Hassan at Al Hol While SCF has issued several warnings of the crisis in the camps, so far UNICEF seems to have expressed general concern about the impact of potential fighting  in the region.  Our concern should go beyond the immediate crisis of so many mothers and children left without access to food, water and medical supplies, but also to the many child rights issues of families held in prison camps without trial or legal process since March 2019 and with no clear pathway to return to society in their countries of origin. Especially concerning is the fact that many of the 12,000 or so children have been born in the camps and have never known life outside of the barbed wire.

$50B US funding bill a welcome surprise, but will it see light of day? Author: Adva Saldinger Publication: Devex Date: January 16, 2026 Click here for the article Note: Lawmakers explicitly directed that "UNICEF should continue receiving support at past levels." Summary: The House of Representatives approved a $50 billion bipartisan, bicameral compromise appropriations bill this week that restores funding for foreign assistance programs previously cut by the administration. The bill establishes a new baseline for U.S. foreign assistance spending, though at lower levels than before.

Click here for Part 1 of 2  posted on 14 January How long can this last? "The more privilege you have, the more opportunity you have. The more opportunity you have, the more responsibility you have." Noam Chomsky The entire world has adopted a common leadership model and globally connected economy designed by few, approved by industrialists annually and policed by two global institutes.

 

FOR ALL FORMER STAFFERS (AND THE NOT-YET-FOSSILIZED) Editors at XUNICEF are our strategic co-pilots, making sure the collective brilliance, experience and leftover institutional memory of former staff are put to excellent use. All this follows sound journalistic management principles, lofty goals, well-meaning priorities and a shared determination to deliver News & Views on children, development, humanitarian action and a generous handful of other important things.

  Global Water Bankruptcy: A New Era Beyond Crisis Author: United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) Publication: UNU-INWEH Report Date: 2025

Myra was out on the streets of New York on January 20th with her camera ready.  Here she shares a few of her photos of the protests underway.

I was so happy to watch & read Canadian PM Mark Carney's speech at Davos today, gently but eloquently challenging DJT running roughshod over multilateralism and the rule-based world order. I hope more European leaders will muster the courage to confront DJT, as obviously their fawning & flattery are not producing the desired results. Among current world leaders, I only see Brazil's President Lula speaking forcefully and in a principled manner.

 

Interesting info on the flow of refugees and asylum seekers to the US for anyone who follows such matters. The complexity of policies and procedures and the large number of persons they affect are quite evident, hence all the talk about reforming immigration by the Trump admin. The bottom line however is that it is becoming much more difficult to get into the US for people from the Global South, as is the case in the EU. UNHCR 's new Head, an Iraqi , will face a big headache in his mandate. Fouad

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran (@iranrights)

Wow, the Charter of the "Board of Peace", supposedly set up to oversee the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza/Palestine, has no reference at all to Gaza! Though the UN Security Council approved the US-sponsored resolution for a limited and specific purpose of securing peace and reconstruction of Gaza, it has now been inflated to become Chairman DJT's vanity project that would rival or replace the UN Security Council itself, with its own Charter, peace-making role, and funding. 

What next for the Women and Children of ISIL held at Al Hol and Al Roj? Authors:  Bill Roggio / Associated Press / Ghaith Alsayed / Martin Chulov / Seth J. Frantzman Publications: Long War Journal / AP News / The Guardian / The Jerusalem Post The fate of approximately 27,400 women and children detained in Al-Hol and Al-Roj camps—along with roughly 9,000 ISIS fighters held in prisons across northeast Syria—hangs in the balance following violent clashes that erupted just hours after a ceasefire agreement was supposed to end nearly two weeks of fighting between Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

Title: Reclaiming international law to serve people over power - some reflections Author: Ton Liefaard Publication: LinkedIn Date: January 17, 2025 URL: Click here for the article Summary: Ton Liefaard, Professor of Children's Rights and UNICEF Chair in Children's Rights at Leiden University, reflects on the crisis facing international law amid global conflicts and human rights violations.

Vaccines are helping older people more than we knew Author: Paula Span, KFF Health News Publication: The Denver Post Date: January 19, 2026 URL: Click here for the article Summary: Recent research reveals that vaccines provide significant "off-target benefits" for older adults beyond preventing their primary target diseases. 

  UNICEF Future Focus Initiative: Restructuring UNICEF January 14, 2026 Click here for the report Summary: UNICEF presented its Future Focus Initiative (FFI) to the Executive Board on January 14, 2026, outlining a comprehensive organizational restructuring in response to projected funding shortfalls. 

 

 US House of Representatives Restores UN Funding with Conditions Author: Ian Richards Publication: LinkedIn Date: January 2025 URL: Click here for the article Summary The US House of Representatives passed the FY26 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs bill by a bipartisan vote of 341-79, restoring much of the UN funding that the White House had requested to cut. 

 UN Pension Review: Understanding the Risks Author: Loraine Rickard-Martin Publication: Independent Analysis Date: 13 January 2026 Click here for the article GA Resolution See  A/RES/80/243   para 14 Click here for the US Mission statement Summary The UN General Assembly's resolution A/RES/80/243.XII.14 invites the Pension Board to conduct a holistic review of the UN pension system, including examining defined-contribution and hybrid models and ways to lower contributions.

Happy New Year. Hope all well. Pleased to share a study on the Impacts of 4IR on marginalized and vulnerable groups in ASEAN countries which was conducted last year and just published by the ASEAN Secretariat-Jakarta. I was the Deputy Regional Research lead for this study which was commissioned by the ASEAN Secretariat and the Senior Officials Ministers of Social Development (SOMWSD) in ASEAN – funded by the Asia Foundation and IDRC-Canada.

Trump's 'Board of Peace' Seeks Global Mandate with $1 Billion Permanent Membership Fee Al Jazeera Staff, Isabel Kershner, Reuters, and Jerusalem Post Staff January 18, 2026 Click here for the Al Jazeera article | Click here for the New York Times article | Click here for the Jerusalem Post article Summary: President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace," initially unveiled as part of phase two of the Gaza ceasefire to oversee reconstruction and governance in the enclave, appears designed for a significantly broader global mandate, sparking international caution and concerns about undermining the United Nations and acting as a sort of alternative UN Security Council.  Letters and a draft charter sent to approximately 60 countries reveal the board aims to resolve global conflicts beyond Gaza, with Trump serving as chairman for life.  The charter requires member countries to contribute $1 billion in cash for permanent membership beyond a three-year term, though the W...

        Online Discussion - Noon EST on 21 January - Join and Help Shape XUNICEF's Future Communications Platform XUNICEF News & Views will close on 31 March 2026 unless new editors volunteer to continue it. We still need your help.  While several members have expressed interest in joining the editorial team, we don't yet have enough commitments to keep the newsletter running after March. We also need your ideas.  Members have proposed alternatives to the current blog model—a new website, social media platforms, or other ways to keep our community connected after March. Let's explore these together. Join our first online consultation: Wednesday, 21 January 2026 | 12:00 noon EST (New York time) Google Meet:  meet.google.com/bkn-svae-qbs All are welcome. Just bring your ideas on how to preserve what matters most: staying connected as a community. Thanks. The Editors In response to our appeal to join the editorial team we are happy to inform that at l...

Trump's "Board of Peace" for Gaza Raises Questions About International Participation and UN Role Authors: Aaron Boxerman, Chris Cameron, David Smith, Robert Mackey Publications: The New York Times, The Guardian Date: January 16-17, 2026

  Children in Ukraine risk hypothermia after Russian attacks, UNICEF and aid groups say ABC News, 16 January 2026 Click here for the article International aid agencies warn that children across Ukraine face hypothermia risk in freezing temperatures as emergency power generator stocks run low following Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. 

A fascinating survey of how people in most EU, BRICS, US and other influential countries see the emergence of a post-American/Western world order with China's rise as a superpower in a multipolar world. A most revealing finding is that only 16% of EU citizens now consider the US as a dependable ally. And most people in BRICS+ countries see China in a favorable light. Kul How Trump is making China great again—and what it means for Europe Timothy Garton Ash, Ivan Krastev, Mark Leonard European Council on Foreign Relations January 15, 2026 Click here for the article A new poll of 25,949 respondents across 21 countries conducted in November 2025 reveals that Trump's "America First" approach is driving global publics closer to China and fragmenting the Western alliance.

Bad news is just pouring lately. ISW continues to cover the treatment of children captured/taken from Ukraine in the current phase of the war. John Ukrainian Children taken for adoption in Russia Institute for the Study of War, January 15, 2026 Click here for the article A Russian occupation official confirmed that several Ukrainian children, including some with severe disabilities, whom Russian authorities forcibly transferred from occupied Kherson Oblast to Crimea have been adopted by families in Crimea.

The new US approach focuses on direct funding to governments which agree either to co-financing deals or to separate deals, such as an agreement on mineral extractions in Zambia.  The shift avoids moving funds to or through NGO implementing partners.  It will be interesting to see how these attempts work out and whether they result in actual new commitments to health programmes by the target governments, and whether they manage to circumvent the complex bureaucratic systems of ministries of finance that have stymied previous efforts to move funds efficiently. Tom U.S. Cuts Health Aid and Ties It to Funding Pledges by African Governments Stephanie Nolen,  The New York Times, January 15, 2026 Click here for the article The Trump administration has signed agreements with 16 African countries providing over $11 billion in health aid over five years, replacing the previous USAID system. 

By Der Postillon/Detlef Palm (dp) UNICEF staff members are scandalized: The last defenseless citadel of childhood innocence is under siege. According to the impeccably serious and widely-read investigative German magazine Der Postillon , Donald Trump has once again emerged from the shadows, sleeves rolled up. This time, the target is Legoland.

The UN System Is Collapsing and Taking Careers With It Wayan Vota,  Career Pivot, July 16, 2025 Click here for the article Click here for background paper posted by the same author on Linkedin The United Nations is experiencing its most catastrophic workforce contraction in modern history, with nearly 20,000 job losses across the UN system under the UN80 initiative. 

Devex is perhaps the premier news line on the world of development work. Development work is actually a large complex business spread all over, not just aid to poor countries, but also the business side of supplying or contracting that assistance. Here’s a current summary of what’s on the mind of the development world. John Inside US-UN plan to remake funding for humanitarian crises Colum Lynch Devex January 13, 2026 Click here for the article Summary A confidential memorandum of understanding reveals the United States pledged $2 billion through 2026 for UN humanitarian relief in seventeen countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Syria, and Sudan. 

Controversial US study on hepatitis B vaccines in Africa is cancelled Melody Schreiber The Guardian January 15, 2026 Click here for the article Summary The controversial US-funded study on hepatitis B vaccines among newborns in Guinea-Bissau has been halted, according to Yap Boum, a senior official at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Yet another incisive commentary by NYTimes columnist Nick Kristof on the comparative ranking of the USA in the world: Number #1 in economic wealth & military prowess, but number #32 in social progress, #45 in health, #47 in K-12 education, and #99 in citizens' safety. So what's the solution? More investments in human capital — in children, education and lifting skill levels....partly funded by reduced military spending.    Kul

Here’s a Nature summary piece on recent vaccine hesitancy in the UK, and the influence of the US in these decisions. After the efforts we put into marketing for polio eradication this piece strikes me as still naive about the issues driving behavior and the possible strategies used to change behavior.  Thanks, John

US suspends immigrant visas for 75 countries: Who's affected? Elizabeth Melimopoulos Al Jazeera January 15, 2026 Click here for the article Summary The United States will suspend processing of immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries beginning January 21, 2026. 

FOR ALL FORMER STAFFERS,  AND THOSE WHO HAVE SIMPLY NEVER LEFT At XUNICEF , Editors are our strategic visionaries, operational magicians and unpaid volunteers of destiny. Their sacred duty is to maximize the residual talents, institutional memory and strongly held opinions of former staff, in accordance with world-class journalistic management practices, aspirational goals, overlapping priorities and the occasional strong email. Together, we produce News & Views on children, development, humanitarian action and whatever else emerges during the meeting. Our Ever-Evolving Reality Over the past eight years, our operating environment has evolved rapidly, largely without our consent. It is now dynamic, complex and frequently confusing. As our global footprint has expanded, we have grown to over 1,000 members in more than 100 countries, including some that we no longer can find on the map . This growth has required bold thinking, flexible adaptation and a surprising number of r...

Human errors at tipping point? (column 1 of 2) "The more privilege you have, the more opportunity you have. The more opportunity you have, the more responsibility you have." Noam Chomsky Yes, we are seeking endless privileges and opportunities but we are running away from taking responsibility …… Human being's optimism, perseverance and endurance have no boundaries or perhaps crossed all boundaries, if there were any. With unlimited optimism and ingenuity humans have tested and achieved brilliance with innovations and discoveries across all fields with flying colours.

The UN must step up as a multilateral force again, or bow to Trump's world order Author: Mark Malloch Brown Publication: The Observer Date: Friday, 9 January 2025 Click here for the article Summary: Former UN Deputy Secretary General Mark Malloch Brown argues that the United Nations has abandoned its "responsibility to protect" principle, allowing authoritarian leaders to act with impunity. 

  Welcome back from the holiday break and a Happy New Year to all our readers! For this week's feature, Myra Rudin   peeked through open windows and doors, surprised people, and captured their fleeting smiles… Take a peek for yourself !

Through the first and now second Trump term in the White House, the US has frequently played the 'spoiler role' in climate talks by vetoing final statements and obstructing working groups. By withdrawing from climate organizations, the US will no longer be able to play that role and may find that other delegations to talks are relieved that discussions can move ahead without interference.  The same may be true in other UN fora from which the US is withdrawing.  Tom 'A Colossal Own Goal': Trump's Exit from Global Climate Treaties Will Have Little Effect Outside US By Fiona Harvey and Oliver Milman The Guardian January 9, 2026

Israeli Strikes Kill at Least 13 in Gaza Despite Ceasefire; Trump Appoints Mladenov to Lead Peace Board By Josef Federman, Wafaa Shurafa (AP) and Agence France-Presse (Guardian) Associated Press & The Guardian January 8, 2026 Click here for the AP article :  Click here for the Guardian article :  Summary Israeli strikes across Gaza killed at least 13 Palestinians on Thursday, including five children. The deaths bring the total number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces since the ceasefire took effect to at least 425, according to Gaza's health ministry. 

Lacking words to express my fury, I generated this image using ChatGPT. Robert Cohen

Harvard's Ouster of Mary Bassett Is a Revolting Act of Cowardice Author: Gregg Gonsalves Publication: The Nation Date: January 8, 2026 Click here for the article Summary: Dr. Mary Bassett, a renowned public health leader, was abruptly removed in mid-December 2025 from her position as director of the François-Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health by Dean Andrea Baccarelli. 

Try to laugh to your heartś content in the midst of heart-wrecking developments. Sharif Alam From 'Miss White' on Twitter  The simple diplomatic solution is Barron Trump marries Princess Isabella of Denmark and Greenland is given to America as dowry payment.

A press release dated 5 December 2025 covered a visit of the UNICEF Executive Director to South Sudan. As expected, the UNICEF article includes a human interest story, some inaccuracies that are not important for what I am trying to say, off-topic observations meant to tug at heartstrings, important omissions, and the typical generalizations that obscure what specifically needs to be done here and now. However - and this is rather unusual in recent writings from her - the UNICEF Executive Director mentioned four times in a row that the Government [needs] to increase domestic investment in essential services . And she didn't appeal for money for UNICEF.

For You, You. And You.  Editors at XUNICEF are our strategic masterminds, custodians of wisdom, and occasional herders of digital cats. Their noble task is to ensure the optimal deployment of the talents, assets and deeply ingrained habits of former staff, in line with best-practice journalistic management, aspirational goals, loosely defined priorities and a shared commitment to producing News & Views about children, development, humanitarian action and… well, whatever else comes up.