XUNICEF News and Views

   

  As expected!! Important aspects of this election were that it was fair and free, people could exercise their rights to universal adult franchise without fear and intimidation!! Only the coming days and months will tell if people's aspirations will be fulfilled!! Shafiq Beaming with pride, a group of young women voters, who just cast their ballots for the first time, pose for a celebratory photo outside Dhanmondi Girls’ High School polling centre yesterday. Photo: Orchid Chakma A woman's message to the government we just elected Author: Naziba Basher Publication: The Daily Star Date: February 14, 2026 Click here for the article Summary: For the first time in her adult life, the author stood in a voting line that felt real, with no predetermined result and no hollow theatre of democracy. This generation practiced citizenship rather than performed it, making a calculated choice rather than a romantic one. Voters faced a choice between politics that openly imagines a future wh...

  First, warm congratulations to the people of Bangladesh for reclaiming their democracy through peaceful elections. And gratitude to Prof. Muhammad Yunus for steering the country to this peaceful, safe landing despite enormous challenges.  This seems like a fair assessment of Muhammad Yunus by David Bergman.    I believe Yunus was the right person to lead Bangladesh at a difficult historic juncture, and, on balance, he discharged his responsibilities wisely and fairly.  In politics, it is impossible to please everybody. In a highly polarized domestic context, where he faced the hostility of elements of the Hasina-led Awami followers (who had hounded him viciously earlier), and the highly exaggerated media diatribes from neighboring India, Yunus kept his composure and equanimity. Like Thailand's Anand Panyarachun, history will remember Yunus as a historic transitional figure in Bangladesh.  Regardless of what Yunus decides to do next, my respect for hi...

A YOUNG EXPLORER  

 *HOW ENGLISH AND ENGLISHMEN MAKE FUN OF EACH OTHER* *Enjoy the fun & the pun.* *Q: Can February March?* *A: No. But April May!* *Q: Did you hear about the painter who was hospitalised?* *A: Reports say it was due to too many strokes!* *Q: Have you heard the joke about the butter?* *A: I better not tell you, it might spread!* *Q: How do you know that carrots are good for your eyesight?* *A: Have you ever seen a rabbit wearing glasses?* *Q: Music Teacher: What's your favourite musical instrument?* *A: Kid: The lunch bell!* *Q: What did the triangle say to the circle?* *A: You're pointless!* *Q: What do you call a ghosts mom and dad?* *A: Transparents!* *Q: What do you call a group of men waiting for a haircut?* *A: A Barbercue!* *Q: What do you call a person that chops up cereal* *A: A cereal killer!* *Q: What do you call a South American girl who is always in a hurry?* *A: Urgent Tina!* *Q: What do you call two fat people having a chat?* *A: A heavy discussion!* *Q: What ki...

Fragmentation of UN headquarter functions Ronny  Patz   Linkedin 11 February 2026 Click here for the post One of the weirdest developments of UN80 is the increasing fragmentation of  headquarter functions, including to Germany, Italy, or Spain. At yesterday's  board meeting, Italy reminded everyone that not only are functions moved to Italy, but to two different cities, increasing even within-country fragmentation. We saw last year what happens when agencies like IOM move functions to Germany (Berlin), and when funding dries up, offices are quietly closed down. I wrote about this last year: https://lnkd.in/dU3nqXfJ I don't want to argue against relocations per se, but there has never been an honest discussions about how the HQ functions of the entire system should look like, and whether centralization or decentralization are actually useful. So everything happens by competition now, not by cooperation, which is the opposite of what UN proponents talk a...

A group of Buddhist monks reached Washington, D.C., Tuesday, walking single file across a bridge over the Potomac River to cap a 15-week trek from Texas that has captivated the country. - NPR See article below the photos.

 

USAID was one of the first agencies Elon Musk 'fed to the Woodchipper' on behalf of the Trump Administration.  Many articles have appeared in the months since those cuts detailing the damage done. In n this op-ed the author details again the long list. 

According to the article, the US will soon make an 'initial payment' of its dues.  Something is better than nothing and we can be pleased to see some movement at long last.  It is also nice to see that Trump views the UN more positively than we thought.  Tom

Fort Snelling National Cemetery - Minneapolis Opinion | The Greatest Generation fought fascism. Let's not forget their lessons.

Dear Marta, I believe this is very wise advice to S-G Guterres, especially coming from a very pro-UN historian, Stephen Schlesinger, the author of “Act of Creation: The Founding of The United Nations,” which won the 2004 Harry S. Truman Book Award. This is one of the finest books I have read on the origins of the UN, and a must-read for all aficionados of the UN. I believe Guterres has much to gain and nothing to lose by reaching out to Donald Trump at this critical juncture for the UN. As Schlesinger says, "Guterres owes it to his constituents, 193 countries, and the entire world to make the call. Trump has publicly invited him to do it. If he doesn’t, he’ll never know whether he could have reversed the UN’s troubled straits. It’s only a few numbers to punch on the keypad to put the call through. He should do it to preserve the institution that he has spent almost 10 years running. It will be his greatest legacy — and, if he does not, his greatest shame". I hope you and Jo...

Avery, You are my guardian angel and hope for the future. The phrase “Ubuntu “ is one of my favorites. It was used by the former South African leader Nelson Mandela after he was released from 27 years in prison.  Thanks for bringing back his memory and reminding me of the significance of “Ubuntu”. Uncle Jimmy (Jim Mohan) IOC President's speech - Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony Source: Olympics.com (IOC official website) Click here for the Speech :   Date: February 6, 2026 Key Context:  This was Kirsty Coventry's first opening ceremony speech as IOC President. She became the first woman to officially declare an Olympic Games open. The ceremony took place today at San Siro Stadium in Milan. "In Africa, where I'm from, we have a word: ubuntu. It means: I am because we are. That we can only rise by lifting others. That our strength comes from caring for each other.  No matter where you ...

Good Evening All, Here is another piece from Lancet I think useful to XUNICEF.   What's interesting for me to to see Prof/Dr Stanley Plotkin among the authors cited.  You've heard me already reminiscing about Maurice Hillelman the head of Merck vaccine research in the 70's 80's and still active in the 90's (Maurice was at the Children's Summit, so was Jonas Salk), but here is Stanley Plotkin summing up the impact of vaccines in the USA mainly since the 1960's, and then nicely discussing the future impact of current changes.  All this in one readable tight paragraph.  Here's a sample;  " Routine childhood immunisations prevented an estimated 32 million hospitalisations and over 1 million deaths in the USA from 1994 to 2023. 3  As a result, the USA has been a global leader in vaccine policy, "   Dr. Plotkin is the author of Vaccines, which is now in its eighth edition and used widely in the field. What is the value of preventing 32 million child...

Here is something different from Tik Tok Sree This image captures a moment from a performance by the French dance group Murmuration, choreographed by Sadeck Waff. The group is known for its mesmerizing performances characterized by flawless precision and synchronization. Their choreography features intricate hand and arm movements, creating stunning visual patterns. The choreographer's real name is Sadeck Berrabah, and he is of Algerian descent.

Dear friends, This is thoughtful from the New Humanitarian. Antony

President Trump Signs Funding Bill Click here for the Linkedin post by Ian Richards Click here for the Better World article "President Trump signs spending bill that restores regular budget funding for international organisations.

 I know none of these people. But they all seemed to make me want to know them, even for a few seconds. Some are unaware (more peeking!) I’m taking their photo; others appear to enjoy their 5 seconds of fame. Why they were picked for my lens I don’t know; their faces drew me in, especially, it seems, many sad ones - I can’t explain that except to say they made me turn around for a second look......

Here's the CNN summary of Lancet's global health study. John Gilmartin

Then and Now In the past our history books have recorded our antiquities based on local culture, religion, art, race, social issues, economy, wars & conflicts, peace & reconciliation, wealth & poverty, etc. In our lifetime we all have experienced changing lifestyles of people over the decades in keeping with changing personal, family & kinship relations and exogenous factors such as income, mobility, individual freedom, family bonds and local and international political events including wars and conflicts.

Lancet have evaluated the effects of official development aid cuts at USAID as well as several other major donor organizations.  The short answer, Devastating. Millions of deaths especially among children under five. If these estimates are close to correct, we will witness a new holocaust.  In my experience reading estimates of deaths caused by various catastrophic events, the early estimates will be lower than the actual deaths.

Tim Journey William Kenneth Journey, always known as ‘Tim’ Journey, born Jackson Mississippi, USA on 2nd August 1943, died at his home in Richmond, Virginia on 27th December, 2025, aged 82. Tim trained as a biologist but had such a good grounding in science that he could be equally at home in biology as in fluid dynamics, and he was given to dabbling in any matters that interested him. He could speak a couple of languages. When he did his time as a Peace Corps Volunteer, he was sent to Guatemala where – for some time - he lodged with the Madam of the local bordello. He obviously had a soft spot for her – and she for him – but he maintained that the only advantage of this arrangement was easy access to beer. He worked for a period as a stevedore in Bremerhaven, extending his German learned at his university. On completion of his contract, he was found to have contracted TB, and was hospitalised where the sister-in-charge of his ward helped him overcome boredom by sourcing books for hi...

Dear Participants  With just about 5 weeks more to go before our reunion, we are sending the below reminder on malaria prevention.  

Rather than try to present let alone summarize this long report, I am including an article from the Guardian which sets out the major findings from the report. Tom

I would appreciate hearing from readers on whether News Links should continue.  Daily readers of recent News Links posts have ranged from 10 to 15 people.  This number of readers may not justify the work of compiling the articles on either a daily or weekly basis. 

Trump says he can solve UN financial problem 'very easily' Sophia Cai Politico February 1, 2026 Click here for the article **Summary** President Trump claimed he could resolve the United Nations' financial crisis but declined to say whether the United States would pay the billions of dollars it owes the international body. 

Mukesh Kapila Click here for the Linkedin post Unfortunately much of my professional career has been about exposure to actual or possible #genocide . And I have said many times that the careless, casual, and crafty ways in which partisan politicians, thoughtless activists, and for-hire lawyers use the label by dropping it here, there, and everywhere means that it's original meaning and purpose - to punish, deter, and prevent egregious crimes against humanity - has been lost. No wonder that no genocides have ever been prevented and the related area of international criminal law and justice is held in such contempt by perpetrators. The irony in this is that the punishment for acts of genocide or equally cruel constituent acts not classified as genocide - is exactly the same: long imprisonment in civilised law-abiding national and international jurisdictions. But the inadvertent effect of shouting genocide at the drop of a hat - admittedly in frustration by pained victims and the...

Title: "Graceful Leadership" by Dr. Will Parks - An unapologetic message of hope and optimism Author: Arthur van Diesen (LinkedIn post about book by Dr. Will Parks) Publication: LinkedIn Date: January 30, 2026 Click here for the article Amazon link Summary:  Arthur van Diesen reviews "Graceful Leadership" by fellow UNICEF senior leader Will Parks, describing it as more than a professional memoir—a manifesto on leadership shaped by kindness, empathy, and principled belief in human capabilities. Van Diesen argues that traditional command-and-control leadership structures are failing in an increasingly fragmented world. Parks advocates for a leadership style prioritizing radical empathy, quiet courage, and principled resilience, tested through decades of humanitarian work in crisis zones. Van Diesen emphasizes that Parks' commitment to leading from the heart emerges not despite the brutality witnessed in humanitarian settings, but because of it, demonstrating that ...

 

A small reunion of UNICEF retirees in Amman took place on Tuesday, January 27th.  First from left are: * Marlen Helal executive assistant to many Jordan representatives,  * Reem Najjar who worked at both Regional and Jordan office,  * Mary Khoury who retired and lived in the USA for many years but decided to settle in Jordan,  * Amal Zaboura worked at Regional office,  * Muna-Christine Said whose last post was in Egypt,  *  Lamia Shaban who worked with many Deputy Regional Directors,  * Lori Issa who worked at the Regional office before moving to other international posts and is living in the USA. Lori was visiting and we had this reunion to see her after over 20 years. * Sulafa Hamdan who worked at the Regional office and retired from Yemen Office.  * Finally Mary Sidawi who was the executive assistant of 7 Regional Directors. 

Unbelievable cruelty against women & girls as Taliban plunges Afghanistan into a new nadir in the name of Islam, justifying enslavement of women. Yet little outrage from the leaders of @OIC_OCI & others professing respect for human rights.  Yet little outrage from the leaders of Islamic countries and others professing respect for human rights.  Hard to believe this is happening in the 21 st  century.  Kul