Humanitarian action and emergencies

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 on the move in Mexico and Central America; the strategies that we are using to respond to these…, Appeal highlights, More families with children are migrating across Mexico and Central America, fleeing poverty and violence, a phenomenon that is pushing the number of children and families on the move transiting the subregion to record highs. Climate-related events (e.g., the El Niño weather pattern) and other crises threaten areas already affected by food…, Key planned targets, Nutrition icon 465,371 primary caregivers receiving infant and young child feeding counselling Child protection icon 471,590 women and children accessing gender-based violence mitigation, prevention, response Education icon 195,892 children accessing formal or non-formal education, including early learning Wash icon 1 million people accessing a…, Funding requirements for 2024, Country needs and strategy, Humanitarian needs Humanitarian needs, Migration flows across Mexico and Central America are multidirectional and interconnected, with many countries acting simultaneously as places of origin, transit and destination. The number of migrants crossing through the Darien border to Panama hit record-high figures in 2023, with close to 409,000 entries between January and September 2023,…, UNICEF's strategy UNICEF’s strategy, As the increased flow of migrants across Mexico and Central America continues, straining national and local services, UNICEF will continue working alongside governments and partners, providing children and families with access to basic services throughout their migration journey. These efforts are guided by the Core Commitments for Children in…, Programme targets, Find out more about UNICEF's work, December 2023, 2024 www.unicef.org/appeals/mexico-and-central-america HumanitarianAction for Children Mexico and Central America: Children on the move andother crisesHIGHLIGHTS1 More families with children are migrating across Mexico and Central America, fleeing poverty and violence, a phenomenon that is pushing the number of children and families on the move…

PORT-AU-PRINCE/PANAMA CITY/NEW YORK, 7 August 2023 –The ongoing violence in Haiti continues to threaten the well-being of children and women. The latest reports received by UNICEF reveal an alarming spike in kidnappings, with nearly 300 cases confirmed in the first six months of 2023, almost matching the total number documented for the entire…

Factsheets provide an update on the situation and needs of children in a country or region, as well as information on UNICEF’s response and funding requirements.

When the war in Ukraine broke out, Kateryna, a mother of two, quickly packed up some essentials – diapers, clothes – and left the family home in the village of Kryukivshchyna, close to Kyiv. She didn’t take much. She didn’t think she needed to. “We left everything, because it didn’t feel like we were leaving home. I never imagined that we wouldn’t…, Building a new life in Poland and accessing health services, Poland has welcomed more Ukrainian refugees than any other country - almost 1.4 million people have registered there. Many are children, so their needs are at the heart of the refugee response.   The park is a short walk from home, so Mykyta gets to play outdoors most days. UN0705576, The park is a short walk from home, so Mykyta gets to play outdoors most days., UNICEF & U.S. CDC/UN0705576/Strek Mykyta’s aunt, 13-year-old Daryna, pretends to take a picture of him with a toy camera. UN0705586, Mykyta’s aunt, 13-year-old Daryna, pretends to take a picture of him with a toy camera., UNICEF & U.S. CDC/UN0705586/Strek Matviy enjoys yoghurt for breakfast in his highchair. UN0705551, Matviy enjoys yoghurt for breakfast in his highchair., UNICEF & U.S. CDC/UN0705551/Strek Mykyta on the balcony at his new home. UN0705580, Mykyta on the balcony at his new home., UNICEF & U.S. CDC/UN0705580/Strek The park is a short walk from home, so Mykyta gets to play outdoors most days. Mykyta’s aunt, 13-year-old Daryna, pretends to take a picture of him with a toy camera. Matviy enjoys yoghurt for breakfast in his highchair. Mykyta on the balcony at his new home. Kateryna quickly registered the children at UNIMED…, Mykyta after receiving his immunizations from the nurse, Ewelina Tytula. He is protected against measles, mumps and rubella with the MMRvaX Pro vaccine; diphtheria, tetanus, and polio types 1, 2 and 3 with the Tetraxim vaccine; and chickenpox using the Varilrix vaccine., UNICEF & U.S. CDC/UN0705561/Strek Part of the service includes a general check-up with the doctor. UN0705558, Part of the service includes a general check-up with the doctor., UNICEF & U.S. CDC/UN0705558/Strek Matviy also receives vaccinations, protecting him against the same diseases as his older brother. UN0705564, Matviy also receives vaccinations, protecting him against the same diseases as his older brother., UNICEF & U.S. CDC/UN0705564/Strek Mykyta is given some stickers and a certificate for being a “brave patient”. UN0705560, Mykyta is given some stickers and a certificate for being a “brave patient”., UNICEF & U.S. CDC/UN0705560/Strek Mykyta after receiving his immunizations from the nurse, Ewelina Tytula. Part of the service includes a general check-up with the doctor. Matviy also receives vaccinations, protecting him against the same diseases as his older brother. Mykyta is given some stickers and a certificate for being a “brave patient”., Making new friends and building confidence on the football field, In addition to getting the vaccinations her children need, Kateryna is also focused on making sure her two boys can participate in activities they enjoy and that they make new friends. “Mykyta is so sociable that he’ll find friends everywhere,” she says. “I found an advertisement for a football club. It turned out that the coach is from Ukraine,…, New beginnings at a new school, While Kateryna is happy that Mykyta is meeting other children, she has been worrying about what’s next for his education. Over the summer, she says she wasn’t even sure where Mykyta’s first day of class would be. Like so many parents who have been forced to uproot their children, Kateryna was finding it difficult to make plans amid the constantly…, After a long day, there's no place like home, The family back at home at the end of a school day. Back at their new apartment, Kateryna stretches the fun day of activities into the evening, just like she did in Kryukivshchyna – the village she and her family had to flee.  Bedtime stories are part of their daily routine. Bedtime stories are part of their nightly routine. “I instilled in Mykyta…

Situation reports are the main reporting tool to monitor UNICEF’s humanitarian response. They provide an update on the situation and needs of children in a country or region, as well as information on UNICEF’s response and funding requirements.

Factsheets provide an update on the situation and needs of children in a country or region, as well as information on UNICEF's response and funding requirements. 

WARSAW, 3 August 2022 - UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas travelled to Poland this week to meet refugee children and families who fled the war in Ukraine.  Chopra Jonas visited a “Blue Dot” space at the Refugee Accommodation Centre in Warsaw, meeting with mothers and children from Ukraine who are now staying at the centre, the…

WARSAW, Poland – Until recently, Olga lived a happy life in Kyiv. She loved spending time with her family. She enjoyed her job as a legal researcher. There was no indication that everything would soon fall apart for her, as it has for so many other families forced to flee everything they’ve known. With tears in her eyes, Olga shows me a video on…

NEW YORK/GENEVA/KYIV, 30 March 2022 – Two million children have now been forced to flee Ukraine, as the war rages on. “The situation inside Ukraine is spiralling,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “As the number of children fleeing their homes continues to climb, we must remember that every single one of them needs protection,…

After a month of war in Ukraine, children continue to be killed, injured and deeply traumatized by the violence all around them. Millions of children have had their lives upended in the most devastating way. The war has caused one of the fastest large-scale displacements of children since World War II – a grim milestone that could have lasting…

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 7 March 2022 – "In the past week, more than one million refugees have been forced to flee Ukraine seeking safety and protection. Hundreds of thousands of them are children. Amongst those fleeing, many are unaccompanied or have been separated from their parents or family members. "Children without parental care are at a heightened…

UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) appeal helps support the agency’s work as it provides conflict- and disaster-affected children with access to water, sanitation, nutrition, education, health and protection services.