Humanitarian action and emergencies

CARACAS, Venezuela – After more than 20 years working as a teacher, Alibert is familiar with the ups and downs that come with her profession, including the myriad challenges of providing an education against the backdrop of an unfolding economic and political crisis. But nothing could have prepared her for the massive upheaval and uncertainty…

PAVLOPIL, Ukraine – “Mum! The water is here!” eight-year-old David exclaims excitedly as he clutches an empty plastic container. He has spotted a truck pulling up to the council building in Pavlopil, a village along the so-called line of contact in eastern Ukraine, which divides the government and non-government areas, and where fighting has been…

More than 24 million people in Yemen are in need of humanitarian assistance, half of them children. But how do some of these children feel about their lives? What have been the hardest moments? And the moments that have brought them joy, despite the chaos and devastation? UNICEF asked 14 children aged 5-18 years to talk more about growing up in…, What moment changed your life?, It is a thing, not a moment. It is my prayer. When I pray, everything changes. Aya, 10, from Taiz.   , What was your happiest moment?, The happiest moment was when mom and dad and my brother threw me a party just because they love me.  Qusai, 9, from Ibb.  , What was your saddest moment? ,   The saddest moment of my life was when the war started in Yemen. We couldn’t go out like before, nor did we feel safe like before. We felt fear and terror. Omar, 14, from Al-Baidha.   , What is the bravest thing you’ve ever done?, When there were missile strikes and I didn’t get scared. Abdulmalek, 7, from Sana’a.  , What’s your biggest dream?, My biggest dream is to travel to many countries around the world. Hadeel, 18, from Taiz.   , What advice would you give to someone younger than you?, To respect elders and show kindness to those younger than themselves. Bushra, 8, from Al-Baidha.   After more than six years of brutal war, children in Yemen need safe drinking water. They need electricity. They need hospitals. They need teachers and schools. Most of all, they need peace. Read more about the situation in Yemen , how UNICEF is…, Donate now to help save and change children’s lives

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a devastating toll on hundreds of millions of people across the globe. But it is children and their families who are being hit hardest by the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. Before COVID-19, children were twice as likely as adults to be living in extreme poverty. Now, the number of children living below…, Sierra Leone, Isatu está sentada con su hijo Roy en un mercado de Freetown, Sierra Leona. Isatu está sentada con su hijo Roy en un mercado de Freetown, Sierra Leona. Even before the pandemic, 66 per cent of Sierra Leone’s children were living in poverty. Now, with millions of families’ finances even more precarious, children are at an even greater risk of…, Thailand, Tukta, a la derecha, junto a su familia. Tukta, a la derecha, junto a su familia. Thailand is working hard to control the spread of COVID-19, but it is already clear that the economic and social impact on the country’s most vulnerable families is severe. With the Thai economy projected to shrink by close to 8 per cent this year, UNICEF and…, Sri Lanka, La familia de Wasana juega al aire libre en Colombo, Sri Lanka. La familia de Wasana juega al aire libre en Colombo, Sri Lanka. Before the pandemic, Wasana and her family lived a relatively comfortable middle-class life in Colombo. But a stringent curfew aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus turned the small family’s import business –…, Madagascar, Emilie, que es parapléjica, entra con ayuda a una tienda de Antananarivo, Madagascar. Emilie, que es parapléjica, entra con ayuda a una tienda de Antananarivo, Madagascar. More than two thirds of children in Madagascar live in what is known as multidimensional poverty – without access to education, health, housing, nutrition, sanitation or safe…, Guatemala, Telma cose mascarillas utilizando un patrón que se descargó de internet, en Guatemala. Telma cose mascarillas utilizando un patrón que se descargó de internet, en Guatemala. The strict lockdown in Guatemala was particularly devastating for the roughly 60 per cent of the population already living in poverty. Telma was one of the many parents who…, Tajikistan, Una mujer sostiene a un niño pequeño en Tayikistán. Una mujer sostiene a un niño pequeño en Tayikistán. As one of the most remittance-dependent economies in the world, Tajikistan has been hit particularly hard by the global crisis. A World Bank report in July found that some 40 per cent of families in the country reported reducing their food…

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is of a scale most people alive today have never seen. Worldwide, the outbreak is claiming lives and livelihoods as health systems buckle, education is disrupted and families struggle to stay afloat.  Communities across the globe are rising to the challenge – from health and social workers risking their…, What is UNICEF doing to support children during COVID-19? , Our response to the coronavirus disease must reimagine a world fit for every child. History has shown that UNICEF, together with partners, has the experience and reach to improve the lives of millions of children and their families. We were there for the post-World War II refugee crisis – and have responded to every natural disaster, armed…

  As people around the world are taking precautions to protect themselves, their families and their communities from coronavirus disease (COVID-19) it’s also important that children can continue to learn, and that they can do so in an environment that is welcoming, respectful, inclusive, and supportive to all. Schools and teachers play a vital…, Preschool, Focus on communicating good health behaviours, such as covering coughs and sneezes with the elbow and washing hands. See more on how to avoid the risk of infection here . One of the best ways to keep children safe from coronavirus and other diseases is to simply encourage regular handwashing, for at least 20 seconds. It doesn't need to be a scary…, Primary school, Make sure to listen to children’s concerns and answer their questions in an age appropriate manner; don’t overwhelm them with too much information. Encourage them to express and communicate their feelings. Discuss the different feelings they may be experiencing and explain that these are normal reactions to an abnormal situation. Emphasize that…, Lower secondary school, Make sure to listen to students’ concerns and answer their questions. Emphasize that students can do a lot to keep themselves and others safe. For example, introduce the concept of physical distancing, and focus on good health behaviours, such as covering coughs and sneezes with the elbow and washing hands. See more on how to avoid the risk of…, Upper secondary school, Make sure to listen to students’ concerns and answer their questions. Emphasize that students can do a lot to keep themselves and others safe. For example, introduce the concept of physical distancing, and focus on good health behaviours, such as covering coughs and sneezes with the elbow and washing hands. See more on how to avoid the risk of…

Lockdowns, closed borders, shuttered businesses – the coronavirus pandemic is having far-reaching consequences for many people. One of these impacts is on everyone who menstruates. Here are 9 facts from UNICEF and UNFPA about periods in the pandemic:   1. Menstruation is not a sign of COVID-19 Having periods is healthy and normal. It is not a sign…, How we’re responding  , Graphic displaying the Oky period tracker app interface The Oky period tracker app helps girls track their periods and learn the facts about menstruation. UNICEF, UNFPA and partners are on the ground supplying menstrual hygiene supplies and ensuring safe environments during the COVID-19 response. These efforts include:   Providing hygiene kits and…

SÉVARÉ, Mali – “I’m scared,” says 15-year-old Hawa when the topic of the coronavirus comes up. “I know [it] has killed a lot of people around the world.” Hawa already had a lot to cope with even before the emergence of COVID-19 . She comes from the Mopti region in Mali, which has seen a surge in violent attacks and intercommunal clashes since 2017…

MOPTI REGION, Mali – “We should all be in school, but the schools are closed. Children need to play, but we can’t go out and have fun anymore,” says 15-year-old Fatoumata. “All because of this awful disease.” Some 3.8 million children across Mali have been affected by school closures aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 . In an already…

The hidden victims. The ultravulnerable. Millions of the world’s internally displaced children have lost access to their schools, health services, their homes and communities. In Afghanistan, these young lives, already defined by enormous vulnerability, are being upended once again by the COVID-19 pandemic. Crowded living quarters, limited to no…

ZOLOTE, Eastern Ukraine – The empty playground and shell-scarred buildings that Daryna passed on her way to school were a daily reminder of how six years of conflict have ravaged eastern Ukraine and devasted the lives of the region’s children. An entire generation is growing up to the sound of shelling and gunfire, a nightmarish soundtrack to…

Ten-year-old Muna Zayed is one of around 1.7 million internally displaced children in Yemen, the world’s largest humanitarian emergency . The situation in Yemen is dire, and the need to reduce the additional strain of coronavirus spreading is urgent. Muna lives with her family in Al Sha’ab camp in Aden, in the south of the country, after ongoing…