XUNICEF News and Views

An undetected Ebola outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain is sweeping through the eastern DRC, with suspected cases already over 600 after slipping under the radar for two months. 

2 November 2023 The report of the 75th Session of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Board to the United Nations General Assembly has been published in all six official languages of the United Nations. Please see the direct link to the English version of the report here . The report covers the issues addressed by the Pension Board at its 75th session held at the headquarters of International Maritime Organization in London from 24 to 28 July 2023. It sets out the decisions taken and recommendations by the Pension Board to the General Assembly of the United Nations, including on the Fund’s administrative budget for 2024 and changes to the Regulations and Rules. The report contains important insights on the Pension Board’s deliberations, including on the asset-liability management study, the assumptions for the next actuarial valuation, the performance of pension administration and the investments and the 2022 financial statements. An overview (Conclusion) of the Board’s decisions ca...

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...

Eswatini ( former Swaziland) celebrates children during the month of June. https://twitter.com/EswatiniDPMO/status/1664297542878625794?t=bD6z5IesPClguVhEY8Swsw&s=08 Warm regards Gloria Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku officially launched the month of the African Child.Various stakeholders including   @Unicef_Swazi &  @ESCCOM_eswatini gathered to mark the beginning of the month of the child,with this year's theme being "children's rights in the digital world'.

by Gloria Kodzwa In the early 1960’s many countries in Eastern and Southern Africa gained independence from colonial masters. While the Independence was marked with enthusiasm and the process gave raise to liberation movements, the economies of these countries were disrupted. There was  destruction to infrastructure, punctuated with unequal development and internal conflicts. Countries like Ghana and Ethiopia that gained Independence much earlier, served as models to shape UNICEF programs in the region. Reconstruction for many countries meant putting systems in place and helping communities return to their home of origins. Schools, water and sanitation, hospitals, road network and agricultural activities were disrupted due to the vast number of landmines across the territory. Family and children’s lives were further disrupted by attacks on villages and family members were killed. Children (young boys and girls) were abducted, compelled to join voluntarily as child soldiers by so-ca...

by Gloria Kodzwa Rebel groups abducted many children  from their homes, and communities. In most cases, girls were turned into sex slaves while the boys were used as servants to run errands and as they grew older, they were given arms to fight. UNICEF staff, at great risk, engaged with Governments and the rebel groups to advocate for the release of the abducted boys and girls. Peace negotiations were held with the rebel groups. UNICEF made representations insisting that talks be conditional on the release of ALL children. UNICEF’s comparative advantage was its independence, its focus on the rights of children to be children and to enjoy this period of their lives. Our attention to language and cultural sensitivities together with a strong child protection team facilitated negotiations for the release of children. A number of UNICEF staff actively participated in these discussions. Staff were often disappointed with the outcome as children were used as "instruments/tools" by ...

The unfortunate impact of Covid-19 on the majority of school age children Gloria