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From widespread killing, maiming, abduction and sexual violence to recruitment into armed forces and groups and strikes on schools and hospitals, as well as essential water facilities – children living in conflict zones around the world continue to come under attack on a shocking scale.  To better monitor, prevent, and end these attacks, the…, 1. Killing and maiming of children, Killing and maiming of children can be a result of direct targeting or indirect actions, including torture. Killing and maiming can occur through crossfire, landmines, cluster munitions, improvised or other indiscriminate explosive devices or even in the context of military operations, house demolitions, search-and-arrest campaigns, or suicide…, 2. Recruitment or use of children in armed forces and armed groups, Recruitment or use of children in armed forces and armed groups refers to compulsory, forced, or voluntary conscription or enlistment of children into any kind of armed force or armed group. The use of boys and girls by armed forces or armed groups can be in any capacity, including as fighters, cooks, porters, messengers and spies, or when they…, 3. Attacks on schools or hospitals, Attacks on schools or hospitals include the targeting of schools or medical facilities that cause the total or partial destruction of such facilities. Schools and hospitals should be protected spaces, where children are safe even in times of conflict, yet continued attacks on such facilities have underscored the catastrophic impact of armed…, 4. Rape or other grave sexual violence, Conflict-related sexual violence remains one of the most disturbing violation of children’s rights and has often been used as a tactic of war. Rape or other grave sexual violence includes acts of rape, other sexual violence, sexual slavery and/or trafficking, enforced prostitution, forced marriage or pregnancy, enforced sterilization, or sexual…, 5. Abduction of children, Abduction of children refers to the unlawful removal, seizure, capture, apprehension, or enforced disappearance of a child either temporarily or permanently. Whether it’s an intentional act of violence or retaliation, to instill fear among populations, or to forcibly recruit and/or sexually abuse children, abduction is one of the most pervasive…, 6. Denial of humanitarian access for children, Denial of humanitarian access for children includes the intentional deprivation or impediment of humanitarian assistance essential for children’s survival by parties to the conflict, including willfully impeding the ability of humanitarian or other relevant actors to access and assist affected children in situations of armed conflict.  Warring…, What UNICEF is doing , Lebanon. A Syrian refugee holds a box of supplies. A Syrian refugee holds a box of supplies in Lebanon. UNICEF and partners are continuing to provide care and protection for children living through war, advocating on their behalf, and engaging with all parties to conflict to ensure their rights are upheld. In addition to providing emergency and…

COVAX will close 31 December 2023 having delivered nearly 2 billion doses of vaccines to 146 economies, and averted an estimated 2.7 million deaths in AMC lower-income participating economies.   COVAX’s end-to-end efforts helped lower-income economies achieve two-dose coverage of 57 per cent, compared to the global average of 67 per cent.   Low-…

NEW YORK, 23 September 2022 - "Excellencies, distinguished guests, esteemed colleagues,  "Thank you for inviting me to represent UNICEF here today.  I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his leadership, and all my fellow panelists and participants for their partnership.     "The global network that came together to vaccinate the world…

NEW YORK/COPENHAGEN, 14 June 2022 – UNICEF has announced record-setting results in procurement and delivery for 2021. The total value of UNICEF-procured supplies and services reached more than $7.1 billion – a 61 per cent increase compared to 2020. Much of this procurement increase reflects UNICEF’s role in the global COVID-19 pandemic response,…

Working in close collaboration with a coalition of governments, United Nations agencies, civil society organizations and other partners, UNICEF child protection (Goal Area 3) teams around the world were able to deliver a wide array of results across 153 countries, including to 124 new and ongoing humanitarian situations. Scaled-up interventions,…, 4.4 million children who experienced violence reached with related services (129 countries)  3 million parents and caregivers reached with UNICEF-supported parent education programmes (94 countries) Accelerating national progress to reduce all forms of violence  Across countries, the number of children experiencing violence who received health,…, child-soldier Child protection in humanitarian action, 12 million children, adolescents. parents and caregivers accessed mental health and psychosocial support  13.9 million women, girls and boys provided with risk mitigation, prevention or response interventions to address gender-based violence (89 countries) 61 million children and adults could access safe and accessible UNICEF-supported sexual…, portrait-girl Strengthening prevention and delivery of protection services to reduce harmful practices, Nearly 7.6 million adolescent girls were reached with UNICEF-supported child marriage prevention and care interventions (47 countries) Nearly 800k girls and women received UNICEF-supported prevention and protection services on FGM over the Strategic Plan 2018-2021 period Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF and partners have adapted to…, Mother-and-child Promoting access to justice, birth registration and alternative care, Over 45,000 children were released across at least 84 countries since the start of of the COVID-19 pandemic after an unprecedented global call for the immediate release of children from detention 13.9 million birth notifications were received (52 countries) 41 countries have comprehensive policies and programmes in line with the 2009 Guidelines…, portrait-girl Looking forward, UNICEF will continue to advocate for putting child rights at the heart of economic plans and priorities as countries continue to fight poverty within their borders and rebuild systems shattered by the pandemic.  UNICEF’s new Child Protection Strategy, 2021–2030 , launched in 2021, provides a pivotal opportunity to build on our experiences and…, With thanks, This report highlights the achievements made possible by the generous contributions of softly earmarked thematic funding received from various partners. UNICEF would like to express it's sincere appreciation for these contributions., Read more and support our work, June 2022, Global Annual Results Report 2021 GOAL AREA 3 Every child is protected from violence and exploitation Cover image: UNICEF/UN0484305/UNICEF Afghanistan Children playing outside with hula-hoops at Child Friendly Space built by UNICEF in Balkh, a northern province of Afghanistan. Expression of thanks: UNICEF/UN0456813/Fuad Hands of a young girl (15)…

COVAX has access to enough COVID-19 vaccines to help protect 70% of the population in 91 lower-income countries Demand and uptake are low, with low-income countries remaining furthest behind To close the global vaccine equity gap, COVAX calls on countries to set ambitious targets for implementation and on all partners to ensure countries have the…, DEMAND AND DELIVERY, With more than 3.8 billion COVID-19 doses administered to-date, national governments in lower-income countries have led the way. The number of countries with coverage under 10% of the population has decreased from 34 in January to 18 today. Some AMC-supported countries – for example, Bhutan, Cambodia, Viet Nam, Maldives, Fiji and Bangladesh – have…, SUPPLY, It is testament to the ground-breaking work of the scientific and manufacturing communities that there is now enough global supply to meet needs, as is the fact that it took only 327 days to go from the SARS-CoV-2 virus being sequenced and published to bringing a COVID-19 vaccine into emergency use. As we strive to help countries deploy more doses…

When UNICEF helped launch the largest vaccine operation effort in history, the focus was to make sure that every community was protected from COVID-19. And since the COVAX initiative began in February 2021, more than 1.4 billion doses have reached more than 140 countries.   In some cases, a vaccine represents an opportunity to see and hug a…, Thanks to more vaccines and the efforts of volunteers, Bangladesh's vaccination rate has risen sharply , When the first COVID-19 vaccines supplied by COVAX touched down in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, in June 2021, less than four per cent of all adults were fully vaccinated. Fast forward less than a year and that number has risen dramatically. By the beginning of April, 67 per cent of the population had received two doses.   COVAX has played a…, Grandparents in Peru are able to see and hug their grandchildren thanks to the COVID-19 vaccines  , Artemio Baldoceda is a grandfather and he speaks for so many when he describes what it means to him to get the COVID-19 vaccine.  “Joy in my heart because I’m getting a little more life to have my family, and for my family to have me. You miss the grandchildren, especially. One waits for that moment to come when you can bear hug them.”  Artemio…, Viet Nam’s vaccination rate has soared in just half a year, meaning that almost every adult is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 , There’s been a rapid rise in the COVID-19 vaccination rate in Viet Nam over the past few months. In September 2021, less than 10 per cent of all adults in the country had received both doses. But by April 2022, more than 78 per cent of those aged over 12-years had been given two shots.  UNICEF has been working with Viet Nam’s government to provide…, Making sure that remote and disaster-prone communities in the Philippines have access to COVID-19 vaccines  , In the Philippines, the COVID-19 vaccination rate has risen significantly recently. Back in September 2021, less than 18 per cent of the population had been fully vaccinated. Half a year later, by April 2022, that vaccination rate now stands at more than 59 per cent. About one in three of all the COVID-19 vaccines that have been given to people in…, COVAX moving forward, As the number of COVID-19 vaccines on the market has increased, there are today enough doses to meet the needs of low- and middle-income countries. So, the focus now is less about resolving supply constraints. Instead, the priority moving forward is to make sure that vaccines are turned into vaccinations. That means supporting countries with…

As prepared. “Mr President, your Excellencies, dear colleagues, “Thank you for the opportunity to address you today.  We congratulate the UK on its Presidency and appreciate convening, with the UAE, the Council to recognize the importance of accelerating progress in COVID-19 vaccination as a key milestone towards ending this pandemic. “Just over 1…

NEW YORK/COPENHAGEN, 22 March 2022 – UNICEF has signed a supply agreement with Pfizer for the procurement of up to 4 million treatment courses of the new oral antiviral medicine nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (PAXLOVID™) in 2022. UNICEF procurement of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (PAXLOVID™) is dependent on country demand, clinical recommendations and necessary…

In far-western Nepal, healthworker Ravi Chhayajyoti carries COVID-19 vaccines to a vaccine centre on foot. In far-western Nepal, healthworker Ravi Chhayajyoti carries COVID-19 vaccines to a vaccine centre on foot. The doses on his back are among the more than one billion that have reached people's arms through the COVAX programme. One year ago, a…, Focusing on the supply chain , What's the issue? It’s essential that low-income countries are not only receiving vaccines, but also have the necessary financial resources to get hold of the other tools that are crucial to getting the doses get into arms. Think about all the syringes you need. The transportation that’s required. The ultra-cold chain freezers that store the…, Improving health systems  , We’ve spoken about the key supply and procurement issues that need to be addressed in 2022 to make sure that vaccines get to where they’re needed. But getting COVID-19 vaccines to people in low-income countries doesn’t just mean sending the doses. In every country, you need:   An increased number of trained healthcare workers, like doctors and…

World leaders launch campaign to meet the US$ 16 billion ACT-Accelerator funding gap and US$ 6.8 billion in-country delivery costs to take vital steps towards ending the pandemic as a global emergency in 2022.  The ACT-Accelerator initiative works to overcome vast global inequities by providing low- and middle-income countries with access to COVID…

Right now – today, and for the next year – we can, and must, continue to make history together by helping to end the COVID-19 pandemic everywhere. Since COVID-19 vaccines became available, UNICEF has been engaging to promote vaccine uptake and infection prevention and control behaviours, together with governments and communities, and with support…