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 in Sri Lanka; the strategies that we are using to respond to these situations; and the donor support that…, Appeal highlights, An acute economic crisis since early 2022 has caused severe food insecurity in Sri Lanka, and the situation is predicted to deteriorate between October 2022 and February 2023. An estimated 6.2 million people (28 per cent of the population) are moderately acute food insecure, while 66,000 people are severely acute food insecure. Two in five…, Key planned results for 2023, Health icon 1.2 million children and women accessing primary health care Nutrition icon 430,000 children receiving micronutrient powder Education icon 665,690 children receiving individual learning materials Social inclusion icon 121,769 households reached with UNICEF-funded humanitarian cash transfers, Funding requirements for 2023, Country needs and strategy, Humanitarian needs Humanitarian needs, Sri Lanka is in the middle of an acute economic crisis that is expected to continue throughout 2023, with an estimated 6.2 million people, including 2.9 million children, in urgent need of humanitarian assistance in 2023. In a context of soaring inflation, heightened income insecurity and scarce availability of essential products (e.g., food, fuel…, UNICEF's strategy UNICEF’s strategy, Since the onset of the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, UNICEF has continued to support the strengthening of the government-led systems through the complementary provision of life-saving assistance. This work is carried out in partnership with other United Nations agencies and civil society organizations and addresses the needs of vulnerable children…, Programme targets, Find out more about UNICEF's work, December 2022, 2023 www.unicef.org/appeals HumanitarianAction for Children Sri LankaHIGHLIGHTS1 An acute economic crisis since early 2022 has caused severe food insecurity in Sri Lanka, and the situation is predicted to deteriorate between October 2022 and February 2023.2 An estimated 6.2 million people (28 per cent of the population) are moderately acute food…

Updated 23 April 2024, What’s happening in Syria?, Thirteen years of humanitarian crisis and hostilities has left children in Syria facing one of the most complex emergencies in the world. Almost 7.5 million children in Syria will need humanitarian assistance in 2024 because of the worsening economic crisis, mass displacement, and devastated public infrastructure. The country is also still…, Syrian crisis snapshot, Recent Syria news and features, How have children been affected by the crisis?, For many children in Syria, conflict is the only thing they know. They continue to live in fear of violence, landmines, and explosive remnants of war. They struggle with physical and psychological scars of conflict.  An estimated more than 650,000 children under the age of five are stunted, the result of chronic undernutrition, leaving them at…, What is UNICEF doing to help children in Syria?, Across Syria and in the neighbouring countries, UNICEF and partners continue to work to protect children, to help them cope with the impact of conflict. This includes improving psychosocial support to help children and caregivers recover from trauma, as well as delivering lifesaving support and services for children struggling physically and…, Results for children in Syria, In 2023, UNICEF and partners:, Donate now to help save and change children’s lives, More resources

Updated 18 April 2024, What’s happening in Yemen?, Yemen remains one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with around 9.8 million children in need of one or more forms of humanitarian assistance. After nine years of conflict, the national socioeconomic systems of Yemen remain on the edge of total collapse, while conflict, large-scale displacement and recurring climate shocks have left…, How is the crisis affecting children?, Thousands of children have been killed or maimed since the beginning of the conflict, and thousands more have been recruited into the fighting. Years of conflict, misery and grief have left millions of people in Yemen in need of mental health and psychosocial services. The ongoing humanitarian crisis has increased the vulnerability of children and…, What is UNICEF doing to help children in Yemen?, UNICEF is on the ground to save children’s lives, to help them cope with the impact of conflict, and to help them to recover and resume their childhoods. Conflict and violence have pushed more families into poverty and deprivation. UNICEF is helping treat severe acute malnutrition in children by providing essential therapeutic food and medical…, Yemen crisis snapshot, Recent Yemen news and features, Results for children in Yemen, In 2023, UNICEF and partners:, Donate now to help save and change children’s lives, More resources

Today, there are more children in need of humanitarian assistance than at any other time since the Second World War. Across the globe, children are facing a historic confluence of crises – from conflict and displacement to infectious disease outbreaks and soaring rates of malnutrition. More than 400 million children live in areas under conflict;…, Support UNICEF’s work for children around the world,  , Humanitarian action for children: Goals for 2023, In 2023, UNICEF and its partners will continue to provide a principled, timely, predictable and efficient humanitarian response in line with international norms and standards. UNICEF is also working on strengthening the resilience of communities and health infrastructure to withstand climate hazards, with the aim of better linking its humanitarian…, Response in 2022, Uganda. A UNICEF team install a high performance tent to be used as a classroom at a school in Kasese District in western Uganda. From Afghanistan to Somalia, from Ukraine to Yemen – UNICEF has been on the ground in countries around the world, providing children with life-saving services during humanitarian emergencies. We are working to…, 2022 results:, * Provisional figures as of June 2022, The climate shock threat, Blistering heat waves. A global hunger crisis. Deadly conflicts. Displacement. These crises are set to intensify as climate change impacts the frequency, intensity, and duration of emergencies, deepening inequities across the globe, and driving new waves of conflict, displacement, and disease.  But while the needs of children and families have…, UNICEF in action, In conflict and disaster, children suffer first and suffer most. From protracted conflicts to disease outbreaks to natural disasters, children across the globe face an uncertain future. Read about how UNICEF and partners are working to find lasting, cost-effective responses and solutions:

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 global Access to COVID19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) collaboration; the strategies that we are using to respond to this situation;…, The COVID-19 pandemic remains a crisis on an unprecedented scale. National governments continue to grapple with the challenges of implementing public health measures, maintaining essential health and social services, and reaching populations—especially the hardest to reach—with COVID-19 tools. New variants continue to emerge as the pandemic…, Funding requirements for 2022, Humanitarian needs and strategy, Humanitarian needs Humanitarian needs, Since the start of the pandemic, 629 million COVID-19 cases and 6.6 million deaths have been reported globally. Yet these figures likely under-report the devastation, especially in low-and middle-income countries, where data availability, surveillance and testing capacity are limited. Disruptions to education and essential health services remain…, UNICEF's strategy UNICEF’s strategy, UNICEF’s strategy to deliver on its ACT-A commitments complements the agency’s ongoing work to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic, deliver essential health and social services, and build more resilient systems. In 2022, through this appeal, UNICEF will focus on the following key priorities: In all low- and middle-income countries where UNICEF…, Programme targets, UNICEF in action, 2021-HAC-ACT-A-Revision-Story-from-the-field-photo UNICEF/2021/Ntabadde The Ministry of Health with support from UNICEF visited health centres which are in a hard to reach area of in Kabale District to deliver COVID-19 vaccines. Delivering vaccines to hard-to-reach locations: The first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from COVAX arrived in Uganda on…, Find out more about UNICEF's work, November 2022, 2022 Revision 2 (November 2022) www.unicef.org/appeals/act-a HumanitarianAction for Children ACT-AHIGHLIGHTSThe COVID-19 pandemic remains a crisis on an unprecedented scale. National governments continue to grapple with the challenges of implementing public health measures, maintaining essential health and social services, and reaching…

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 Djibouti; the strategies that we are using to respond to these situations; and the donor support that…, Appeal highlights, Following four seasons of below average rainfall, communities across the Horn of Africa are experiencing one of the worst droughts in recent history. In Djibouti, more than 72,000 people, including 29,000 children, are estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2022 due to the devastating impact of the drought. UNICEF works closely with…, Key planned results for 2022, Wash icon 72,422 people accessing a sufficient quantity of safe water Child protection icon 2,501 children/caregivers accessing mental health and psychosocial support Child protection icon 22,000 people with access to safe and accessible channel to report sexual exploitation/ abuse Education icon 26,536 children accessing educational services, Funding requirements for 2022, Country needs and strategy, Humanitarian needs Humanitarian needs, Following four seasons of below average rainfall, communities across the Horn of Africa are experiencing one of the worst droughts in recent history. In February 2022, the Government of Djibouti issued a drought alert calling attention to critically low groundwater levels, the disappearance of pastures and vegetation, and record-breaking high…, UNICEF's strategy UNICEF’s strategy, UNICEF grounds its humanitarian action in the Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) and adopts a multi-sectoral approach to ensure that UNICEF-supported interventions across Nutrition, WASH, Health, Social Protection, Child Protection and Education sectors will leave no child behind, particularly the most vulnerable. UNICEF’s humanitarian action is…, Programme targets, Find out more about UNICEF's work, October 2022, 2022 www.unicef.org/appeals/djibouti HumanitarianAction for Children DjiboutiHIGHLIGHTS Following four seasons of below average rainfall, communities across the Horn of Africa are experiencing one of the worst droughts in recent history. In Djibouti, more than 72,000 people, including 29,000 children, are estimated to be in need of humanitarian…

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 Burundi; the strategies that we are using to respond to these situations; and the donor support that…, Appeal highlights, Burundi experiences recurrent humanitarian crises with cyclic natural disasters and health epidemics with implications on population movement and nutrition. The country’s weak preparedness for future disasters, along with the COVID-19 pandemic impact, worsens the ongoing socioeconomic crisis, significantly slowing down development. UNICEF aims to…, Key planned results for 2022, Health icon 440,300 children and women accessing health care Wash icon 150,000 people accessing a sufficient quantity of safe water Child protection icon 118,953 children / caregivers accessing mental health and psychosocial support Education icon 95,480 children receiving individual learning materials, Funding requirements for 2022, Country needs and strategy, Humanitarian needs Humanitarian needs, In Burundi, 1.8 million people, including 946,000 children, 429,000 women and 92,000 persons with disabilities, urgently need humanitarian assistance. Burundi is among the poorest countries in the world, experiencing recurrent humanitarian crises, including natural disasters, population movements, disease outbreaks and protection issues. In 2021,…, UNICEF's strategy UNICEF’s strategy, In 2022, UNICEF will continue to be a major actor in emergency humanitarian response through providing multi-sectoral and integrated life-saving response to the acute needs of children and women affected by natural hazards, disease outbreaks, malnutrition and population movements. UNICEF’s interventions are aligned with inter-agency strategies,…, Programme targets, Find out more about UNICEF's work, April 2022, 2022 Revision 1 (April 2022) www.unicef.org/appeals/burundi HumanitarianAction for Children BurundiHIGHLIGHTS1 Burundi experiences recurrent humanitarian crises with cyclic natural disasters and health epidemics with implications on population movement and nutrition. The countrys weak preparedness for future disasters, along with the COVID-19…

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 the Philippines; the strategies that we are using to respond to these situations; and the donor…, Appeal highlights, An estimated 2.4 million people, including 912,000 children, will need humanitarian assistance due to the devastating impact of Super Typhoon Rai. Overnight, thousands of families lost their houses and livelihoods. In addition, public services have been damaged, water and sanitation systems destroyed, electrical power and communication lines…, Key planned results for 2022, Nutrition icon 2,700 children admitted for treatment for severe acute malnutrition Health icon 277,000 children and women accessing health care Wash icon 2.3 million people reached with hand-washing behaviour-change programmes Child protection icon 92,000 women and children accessing gender-based violence mitigation, prevention, response, Funding requirements for 2022, Country needs and strategy, Humanitarian needs Humanitarian needs, On 16 December 2021, Super Typhoon Rai (locally called Odette) swept through the Philippines. It brought with it torrential rains, violent winds, floods, and storm surges that resulted in 409 deaths, thousands of injuries, and over half a million displaced. The Typhoon severely disrupted essential services, resulting in widespread humanitarian…, UNICEF's strategy UNICEF’s strategy, UNICEF supports the efforts of the Government to restore access to essential health, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene, education, and child protection services, primarily focusing on the most affected and vulnerable children and women. The Core Commitment to Children in Humanitarian Action guides UNICEF's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and…, Programme targets, Find out more about UNICEF's work, February 2022, 2022 www.unicef.org/philippines HumanitarianAction for Children PhilippinesHIGHLIGHTS An estimated 2.4 million people,1 including 912,0002 children, will need humanitarian assistance due to the devastating impact of Super Typhoon Rai. Overnight, thousands of families lost their houses and livelihoods. In addition, public services have been damaged…

Updated 12 May 2024, What is the Rohingya crisis? , When hundreds of thousands of terrified Rohingya refugees began flooding onto the beaches and paddy fields of southern Bangladesh in August 2017, it was the children who caught many people’s attention. As the refugees – almost 60 per cent of whom were children – poured across the border from Myanmar into Bangladesh, they brought with them accounts…, How is the Rohingya crisis affecting children?, While basic services have been provided, children still face disease outbreaks, malnutrition, inadequate educational opportunities and the risks related to neglect, exploitation and violence including gender-based violence risks, child marriage and child labour. Meanwhile, annual cycles of heavy monsoon and cyclones pose substantial risks to both…, Crisis snapshot, What is UNICEF doing to help Rohingya children? , UNICEF has been on the ground in the refugee camps in Bangladesh from day one, and is still there for every Rohingya refugee child who needs clean water, health care, protection, nutritious food and education.  Working with the Government of Bangladesh and partners, UNICEF is helping provide water and sanitation, including the establishment of…, Recent Rohingya crisis news and features, What UNICEF is doing, Working with the government and partners, UNICEF is helping provide water and sanitation, including the establishment of diarrhoeal treatment centres, health services for children and pregnant women; support for access to quality education, including establishing learning centres; and is reaching children affected by violence, abuse and neglect…, Donate now to help save and change children’s lives, Results for Rohingya families, In 2023, UNICEF and partners:, More resources

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 Nepal; the strategies that we are using to respond to these situations; and the donor support that is…, Appeal highlights, In Nepal, 1.8 million people, including 752,400 children, will need humanitarian assistance in 2022 to cope with the impacts of COVID-19 and natural hazards. Nepal is highly prone to annual recurrent natural hazards such as floods and landslides. The humanitarian and socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 and monsoon in 2021 have been unprecedented, as…, Key planned targets for 2022, Health icon 761,850 children and women accessing health care Wash icon 252,000 people reached with critical WASH supplies Child protection icon 43,730 women and children accessing gender-based violence mitigation, prevention, response Education icon 225,000 children accessing educational services, Funding requirements for 2022, Country needs and strategy, Humanitarian needs Humanitarian needs, Being a high-risk country, Nepal faces frequent natural disasters, including floods, landslides and earthquakes and disease outbreaks such as cholera, dengue fever and COVID-19 disrupting children and their families' access to education, water and sanitation, health, livelihood and protection services Nepal experienced an alarming second surge of…, UNICEF's strategy UNICEF’s strategy, UNICEF's humanitarian action will be guided by a comprehensive, integrated and multi-sectoral humanitarian strategy and UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children (CCC) in Humanitarian Action encompassing three broad dimensions: (i) responding to immediate humanitarian needs for saving lives and alleviating suffering (ii) addressing underlying risks…, Programme targets, Find out more about UNICEF's work, December 2021, 2022 www.unicef.org/appeals/nepal Humanitarian Action for Children Student Binita Acharya coaching four-year-old Sano Babu Singh through the day's lessons, guided by the UNICEF telephone-learning initiative to help children keep learning during school closure Nepal HIGHLIGHTS 1 In Nepal, 1.8 million people, including 752,400 children, will need…

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 the Congo; the strategies that we are using to respond to these situations; and the donor support that…, Appeal highlights, The Republic of Congo (RoC) continues to be confronted with a multitude of complex humanitarian emergencies, leaving approximately 1.5 million people (including 720,000 children) in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. This situation is further aggravated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which puts 3.2 million people at risk of infection.…, Key planned results for 2022, Nutrition icon 31,736 children admitted for treatment for severe acute malnutrition Health icon 218,432 children and women accessing health care Wash icon 203,259 people reached with critical WASH supplies Education icon 99,250 children accessing educational services, Funding requirements for 2022, Country needs and strategy, Humanitarian needs Humanitarian needs, The humanitarian situation in RoC is characterized by the presence of around 227,000 refugees, asylum seekers and internally displaced persons, including 150,000 existing and new refugees from Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo and 77,000 internally displaced persons due to the 2016 conflict in the Pool region. In addition,…, UNICEF's strategy UNICEF’s strategy, In RoC, UNICEF will address immediate and critical life-saving needs of vulnerable individuals, households, internally displaced people, refugees and host communities that have been severely affected by emergency situations mainly in the Likouala, Cuvette, Sangha, Plateaux and Pool regions. The UNICEF response will be guided by three key…, Programme targets, Find out more about UNICEF's work, December 2021, 2022 www.unicef.org/appeals/congo HumanitarianAction for Children Republic of CongoHIGHLIGHTS1 The Republic of Congo (RoC) continues to be confronted with a multitude of complex humanitarian emergencies, leaving approximately 1.5 million people2 (including 720,000 children) in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. This situation is further…

Early in the morning of 14 August 2021, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti, causing hospitals, schools and homes to collapse, claiming hundreds of lives, and leaving communities in crisis. By mid-September, around 650,000 people, including about 260,000 children, were estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance. Children and their…, What’s happening in Haiti?, More than 2,200 people died,12,700 people were injured, and 130,000 homes were destroyed by the earthquake, leaving thousands of people in urgent need of assistance. Even before the earthquake, Haiti was facing multiple crises, including growing political instability, growing gang-related violence and insecurity, civil unrest, and rising food…, How is UNICEF responding to the earthquake?, UNICEF is continuing to prioritize the resumption of essential services – including water and sanitation, health, nutrition and shelter – for the affected population. UNICEF is working with partners continue to scale up response efforts to get relief assistance to hard-to-reach areas, including supplying safe water, and distributing hygiene, and…