West and Central Africa

Vaccines are one of the most effective public health interventions that exist.,   In the last 50 years alone, vaccines have saved 154 million lives . That’s 6 people every minute , for five decades. As the journey to protect every child through immunization continues in Africa and around the world, UNICEF invites you to join us in taking action for a future without malaria, without polio, and without other vaccine-preventable…, Meet some of the people who have made it their mission to ensure vaccines reach every child., I joined the polio programme in order to help my community. Sadiya (Nigeria) We go door-to-door looking for unvaccinated or insufficiently vaccinated children. Abdoul Kader Niangadou (Mali), Learn about our impact on the ground, Our call-to-action to protect every child from vaccine-preventable diseases, In 2024, vaccines need urgent funding. It’s time for governments to re-commit to vaccines. We call on donor countries to financially invest in vaccines if we want to maintain the progress that has been made over the last 50 years and strive to bring vaccines to every child, every where. We call on governments to commit to catch their vaccination…, It is #HumanlyPossible!

1 in 3 children in Cameroon is deprived of a legal identity..., How many are there in your commune? How many children are deprived of access to school, protection and other rights because they have no legal identity? Mayors of Cameroon, you have the power to change this and build a better Cameroon. By creating more birth registration points in local centres. You can ensure every child in your community has a…, Highlights from the Mayor's Forum, View photos below UNICEF Cameroon 2024 UNICEF Cameroon 2024 UNICEF Cameroon 2024 UNICEF Cameroon 2024 UNICEF Cameroon 2024 UNICEF Cameroon 2024 UNICEF Cameroon 2024 UNICEF Cameroon 2024 Thumbnail Thumbnail Thumbnail Thumbnail Thumbnail Thumbnail Thumbnail Thumbnail Banner image featuring an illustration of men and women wearing traditional attire., The Charter of the Mayors of Cameroon, They are taking up the challenge, UNICEF Champions Engage, Fabrice Ondoa, goalkeeper for the Indomitable Lions    S.M. Nfonrifoum Mbombo Njoya Mouhamed Nabil, Sultan Roi des Bamouns    , The Partners of the Challenge, 7 logos lined up  , How to accelerate universal birth registration, An illustration featuring the birth registration process What it means to be deprived of a legal identity: Without a birth certificate, an individual does not legally exist, and the guarantee of all fundamental rights is compromised. Legal identity is a fundamental right of the SDGs and in the African Child Charter, The Legal Identity Challenge, From March 18 to June 16, 2024, MINDDEVEL, BUNEC and UNICEF are challenging Cameroon's mayors to create new registration points in health centers and town halls, and to register children without legal identity in elementary school., One year to change with the Mayors, Week of 12 March, Launch of the campaign, April, Dissemination of detailed information on the situation in each municipality. Mobilisation of municipalities to work with judges and civil registrars to ensure Birth Registration as many children as possible who will sit the exams. Target: register 76,000 pupils., May, School exams - the aim is to ensure that the 76,000 children who are currently unregistered can sit their exams with a birth certificate., 16 June, Day of the African Child, 26 July - 11 August, Paris 2024 Olympics, 10 August, African Day on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), 28 August - 8 September, Paris Paralympic Games, September, Start of the school year, October, Counting of campaign results, 20 November, 35 years of the Convention. Announcement of results and Municipal awards., What is birth registration and why is it important, In target 16.9, Goal 16 of the MDGs calls for all people to be guaranteed a legal identity by 2030, in particular through birth registration. The declaration and registration of births, and official entry in civil registers, constitute the first official recognition of a child's existence. A birth certificate is an official document that can…

This World Immunization Week, join UNICEF in celebrating vaccine heroes who promote the use of vaccines to protect every child against disease in West and Central Africa, and whose passion and engagement have made both routine and COVID-19 vaccination possible amid the ongoing pandemic. Watch our Thank You video to U-Reporters! I decided to get…, Read the vaccine heroes' inspiring stories, Learn more about UNICEF's work to achieve immunization for every child

Many countries in Africa have recently experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases and remain at high risk of further surges. But measures to contain the virus threaten fragile economic growth, and the stability of basic services such as health and education. On 22 September, world leaders promised to reach 40% of the world’s population with vaccines by…, Read our letter to G20 leaders for vaccine equity, Dear G20 Leaders, At the COVID-19 Summit held at the United Nations last week, world leaders set a target that every country should vaccinate 70 per cent of its population. Many rich countries are on track, yet only a fraction of Africans are fully vaccinated. This inequity is unjust – and self-defeating. It leaves Africans – and the whole world…

120 million people practice Open Defecation (OD) in West and Central Africa and the region accounts for 24% of this practice globally. Open defecation has devastating consequences on health, on the dignity and protection of women and children, and the economy, due to poor sanitation. Most countries are making progress but at a pace too slow to…, Young people take on the #NoPoopChallenge Hackathon, Over the next couple of months, young people from 10 to 24 years old in Ghana and Nigeria are coming together and embarking on a hackathon journey to share their promising ideas and innovative solutions to end open defecation in their communities. Keep up with their journey by following the hashtag #NoPoopChallenge  on social media and visiting…, Tackling open defecation in West and Central Africa, Clean water, basic toilets and good hygiene practices are critical for the survival and development of children. Two men working on the maintenance of toilets and showers built by UNICEF UNICEF/UN073298/Dubourthoumie

On 20 November 1989, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the  Convention on the Rights of the Child , a landmark achievement that has since become the world’s most widely ratified human rights treaty. In the 30 years since its adoption, the Convention has helped to transform children’s lives around the world. It inspired changes in laws…,  , Children, heroes of their own rights , The Convention on the Rights of the Child wants all children to enjoy all their rights . ,  , Right to participation, All children and young people have the right to be heard  and participate in decisions that affect them.,  , Right to quality healthcare, All children have the right to quality healthcare.,  , Right to protection against violence, Children have the right to be protected from violence, abuse and neglect by those who look after them.  ,  , Convention on the Rights of the Child in Ghana, This short video from Ghana, the first country in the world to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, explains what the Convention is.,  , Watch this amazing song written by Top Nigerian Artists for Every Child !, "With a little love and the chance, you too can be a star!" Children and young people of #Nigeria , stand up and demand your rights! New #WorldChildrensDay song from some of Nigeria’s brightest music stars.   To learn more about the Global Pledge:  https://www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention/global-action    , To learn more about CRC@30 celebrations in West and Central Africa, check out our related content section below

In Burkina Faso, filmmaker Adjaratou Lompo uses her craft to give women a voice., Adjaratou Lompo, a filmmaker with RTB, Burkina Faso’s TV and radio broadcasting company worked in editing and production before progressing into directing.   "Cinema is liberating because when you make a film, whether it’s a documentary or a work of fiction, you have a message to convey. And it’s very important for a woman to pass on her ideas.…, Africa's Changemakers Meet Africa's changemakers,          

In Mauritania, Aminetou Mint El Moctar is an outspoken activist who raises taboo issues to fight for women’s rights., Aminetou Mint El Moctar is President of the Association of Female Heads of Household and indefatigable human rights activist.   “First and foremost, I’m campaigning for change,” says El Moctar. “As long as impunity, discrimination, slavery, racism still exist.”  Undaunted by the fatwa issued against her in 2014, El Moctar continues to call for…, Africa's Changemakers Meet Africa's changemakers,        

Eunice (18, DR Congo) Peace and education Eunice tells the story of a boy she met, who was too poor to go to school and got involved in a fight that led him to jail, Eunice shares her wish of an Africa that invests in its children’s education instead of armament.

Abdoul Rachid (17, Burkina Faso) HIV stigma and prevention Abdoul Rachid’s talks about his best friend, Souleymane, who was told at an early age he was different from other children and had to take medicines daily. Years later he learned why: he had been infected with HIV at birth. Since then, Souleymane has been an activist for HIV prevention,…

Rimana (16, Niger) Climate change As a young child, Rimana used to cross the Niger river with her father, admiring its beauty and its bounty. Years later, when she went there again, she was shocked by the landscape’s transformation and decided to put her energy in combatting climate change.

Precious (14, Cameroon) Peace and education From her younger years spent in the troubled region of North-West Cameroon, Precious knows one thing for sure: African leaders should do everything in their power to make sure children grow up in a safe place and go to school.