Middle East and North Africa

NEW YORK, 5 January 2024 – Children in the Gaza Strip face a deadly triple threat to their lives, as cases of diseases rise, nutrition plummets and the escalation in hostilities approaches its fourteenth week. Thousands of children have already died from the violence, while living conditions for children continue to rapidly deteriorate, with…

“Last time it rained, we had to place a trail of bricks on the entrance and students would jump from one to another to make their way in without dipping in the pond that was formed by rain and sewer water." Widad Ahmad, a local school clerk. Rural Damascus, Syria, 27 April 2021- Around 80,000 people in areas across Rural Damascus have long…

We spoke to our Regional Advisor on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in the Middle East and North Africa. By Rasha Abou Dargham   Picture this: waking up, brushing your teeth, washing your face and getting ready to start your day. Does this sound like part of your usual routine? Now, picture this: waking up, carrying as many empty barrels as you can…, Here are four things we need to talk about today, 1. Water is not a privilege. It is your right., According to the Convention of Child Rights Article 24, every child has the right to the best possible health which entails access to clean water. Unsafe water increases the risk of contracting diseases threatening the wellbeing and, in many cases, the survival of a child. In times of crises, children are often denied their right of access to safe…, 2. The Middle East and North Africa is the world’s most water-scarce region, This region is home to 15 out of the 20 of the world’s most water-scarce countries. Due to population growth, unsustainable water management, rapid economic growth, and ongoing conflicts, water scarcity in the region is likely to worsen. While the Middle East and North Africa is home to 6% of the world’s population, it receives only 2% of the…, 3. Water is being used as a weapon of war., In long-term conflicts, children are on average three times more likely to die from water-related diseases than from violence. Attacks on vital water infrastructure can lead to the collapse of lifesaving water, hygiene, and sanitation systems. In 2017, Yemen witnessed the largest ever cholera/acute watery diarrhea epidemic in modern times which…, 4. Water is part of UNICEF’s lifesaving humanitarian response., Across the region’s conflict-affected countries, UNICEF’s teams are working around the clock to provide safe drinking water, sanitation services, trucking water, setting up latrines and promoting awareness of hygienic habits. UNICEF continues to work with partners to build sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene systems that can withstand…

UNICEF, with support from the United Kingdom, has reached 25 villages in east rural Hama with safe drinking water for the first time after years of very limited access to the area. While access is still limited to many areas where the fighting has stopped, UNICEF and other humanitarian agencies are now able to access some formerly hard-to-reach…

Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta H. Fore SANA’A/NEW YORK, 1 August 2018 - “Attacks against civilian facilities and services are unacceptable, inhumane and in breach of the basic laws of war. “Ongoing violence and repeated attacks on lifesaving civilian infrastructure in Hodeida are a direct threat to the survival of hundreds of…

JERUSALEM, 22 August 2017 – The worsening electricity crisis in the Gaza Strip has left families with less than six hours of daily power supply. Half of the 2 million people living in the coastal enclave are children.   The power shortages have decreased access to water by one third in the past four months.   Over 450 water and wastewater…