19 December 2023

Hope and resilience amid hardship in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has mostly disappeared from the global news cycle, but the hardship faced by its people, especially children, has worsened over the last two years.   I wanted to see the situation for myself, and how our colleagues have adjusted their efforts under the new circumstances. For a week I travelled the breadth of Afghanistan, from Herat in…, Herat: After the earthquakes , Inside the tent, it’s so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Fifteen adolescent girls watch me expectantly. It’s been a while since I’ve spoken Farsi – a language readily understood by the Dari speakers of Western Afghanistan. I pause, then try again. This time they understand me, and their laughter lights up the place.  The tent we sit in is a…, Torkham border: Families returning from Pakistan , Baby Kolsum pulls a face when I drop the polio vaccine in his mouth. The fight against polio was where my UNICEF career began, and my heart was set on successfully vaccinating one of the kids returning from Pakistan at the Torkham border crossing today.   I ask for another try. A second baby boy, Shabir, his tiny body swaddled in warm blankets, is…, Daikundi: Supporting communities on health, nutrition and education , Daikundi Province is perched among the jagged peaks of Afghanistan’s central highlands. Buffeted by crosswinds, the little Kodiak plane comes in to land on a flat piece of land the length of two football pitches.   We drive deeper into the mountains, past mud-bricked villages, women shouldering bundles of firewood, and boys herding shaggy goats.…
12 December 2023

Niger Appeal

Humanitarian Action is at the core of UNICEF’s mandate to realize the rights of every child. This edition of  Humanitarian Action for Children  – UNICEF’s annual humanitarian fundraising appeal – describes the ongoing crises affecting children in Niger; the strategies that we are using to respond to these situations; and the donor support that is…, Appeal highlights, The Niger continues to face a combination of crises: persistent armed conflicts, climate-induced disasters, nutritional emergencies and epidemics, all of which have been exacerbated by political instability following a military coup in late July 2023. In 2024, an estimated 4.3 million people, including 2.4 million children, will require…, Key planned targets, Nutrition icon 436,348 children with severe wasting admitted for treatment Child protection icon 390,000 women and children accessing gender-based violence mitigation, prevention, response Education icon 395,100 children accessing formal or non-formal education, including early learning Wash icon 239,200 people accessing a sufficient quantity and…, Funding requirements for 2024, Country needs and strategy, Humanitarian needs Humanitarian needs, Forced displacement in the Niger triggered by conflict, malnutrition, recurrent health epidemics, cyclical floods and drought has placed 4.3 million people, including 2.4 million children, in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024. Insecurity makes many of those in need hard to reach with humanitarian assistance. Armed conflicts continued to…, UNICEF's strategy UNICEF’s strategy, UNICEF’s humanitarian strategy involves multisectoral, integrated interventions in health, nutrition, water, hygiene, sanitation, child protection, education, social protection and mental health and psychosocial support, primarily in regions affected by the crises. UNICEF's strong field presence and technical expertise will facilitate rapid…, Programme targets, Find out more about UNICEF's work, December 2023, 2024 www.unicef.org/appeals/niger HumanitarianAction for Children NigerHIGHLIGHTS1 The Niger continues to face a combination of crises: persistent armed conflicts, climate-induced disasters, nutritional emergencies and epidemics, all of which have been exacerbated by political instability following a military coup in late July 2023. In 2024, an…
12 December 2023

Afghanistan Appeal

Humanitarian Action is at the core of UNICEF’s mandate to realize the rights of every child. This edition of  Humanitarian Action for Children  – UNICEF’s annual humanitarian fundraising appeal – describes the ongoing crises affecting children in Afghanistan; the strategies that we are using to respond to these situations; and the donor support …, Appeal highlights, In Afghanistan, 23.3 million people, including 12.6 million children, are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024, mainly due to the residual impacts of a protracted conflict, extreme climate shocks and the country's severe economic decline, which is characterized by high unemployment and a fragile recovery. The exclusion of women and girls…, Key planned targets, Health icon 19.4 million people accessing primary health care in UNICEF-supported facilities Child protection icon 3.6 million children/caregivers accessing community-based mental health and psychosocial support Education icon 600,000 vulnerable school-aged girls and boys reached through community-based education initiatives Wash icon 5.5 million…, Funding requirements for 2024, Country needs and strategy, Humanitarian needs Humanitarian needs, In the two years since the political transition in Afghanistan, the humanitarian response has largely prevented a catastrophe, yet the situation remains extremely difficult for Afghans. A staggering 23.3 million people require humanitarian assistance, 12.6 million of them children. The level of deprivation among Afghan households remains high and…, UNICEF's strategy UNICEF’s strategy, The protracted and complex nature of the crises in Afghanistan underscores how critical it is address acute humanitarian needs while simultaneously investing in basic services. In addition, because Afghanistan remains one of the top five at-risk countries worldwide for the effects of climate change, programmes will adopt a risk-informed approach…, Programme targets, Find out more about UNICEF's work, December 2023, 2024 www.unicef.org/appeals/afghanistan HumanitarianAction for Children AfghanistanHIGHLIGHTS In Afghanistan, 23.3 million people, including 12.6 million children, are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024, mainly due to the residual impacts of a protracted conflict, extreme climate shocks and the country's severe economic decline, which is…