UNICEF Works: February 2015

IN THIS ISSUE Humanitarian Action For Children, Crisis in Nigeria, Surviving Winter, MNCH, Focus on Partners

Children in emergencies Growing numbers of children are facing increasingly complex and destructive conflicts, natural disasters and other emergencies, including the Ebola epidemic, which are placing them in extraordinary danger of violence, hunger, disease and abuse – and require increasingly more resources to address. More than 1 in 10 of the world’s children – or 230 million – currently live in countries and areas affected by armed conflicts alone. UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children 2015 appeal targets a total of 98 million people, around two thirds of whom are children, in 71 countries. Read more here »

Worsening crisis in Nigeria As the violence continues to escalate in Nigeria, children are suffering the consequences. Amidst this extreme violence, children are at risk of losing their homes, their education, their families – even their lives. Nearly one million people have already fled their homes in recent weeks because of violence in the north of the country. Another 135,000 have sought refuge in neighbouring Cameroun, Chad and Niger. The vast majority are women and children. UNICEF is working to provide displaced and refugee children and their families with basic assistance, including safe water, nutrition, health, education and protection services. Learn more about the crisis in Nigeria and about UNICEF’s response »

Surviving the winter in Syria Syrian children are enduring a particularly brutal winter. An estimated 7 million Syrian children have now been forced from their homes, either displaced within Syria or living in refugee camps in neighbouring Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey. Many of these children are facing sub-zero temperatures and winter storms while living in make-shift shelters that offer minimal protection. UNICEF is stepping up its response, delivering warm clothing, blankets, heating supplies and other critical items to the hardest hit Syrian children. Learn more about UNICEF’s response here » To purchase winter clothes for a child in need, check out our Survival Gift.

Did You Know... The first 28 days of life are the most vulnerable time for a child’s survival. A newborn’s chances of survival depend on income, maternal education and place of birth - low household wealth, an uneducated mother and birth in a rural area lower a newborn’s chance of survival. That’s why improving maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) is a priority area for UNICEF. UNICEF programs focus on improving the health and nutrition of mothers-to-be and providing quality reproductive health services - two areas that are pivotal to addressing many of the underlying causes of child mortality. Learn more about maternal and newborn health »

Focus on Partners: Building best-in-class alliances Transforming and saving children’s lives cannot be done alone. UNICEF collaborates with leading organizations to build best-in-class alliances that help save and improve the lives of children around the world. Our corporate partners demonstrate a deep commitment to social responsibility, and are guided by core values that fit with UNICEF’s program, advocacy, and fundraising goals. From cause marketing campaigns to emergency and employee giving, our partners play a critical role in raising awareness and funds for the most vulnerable children in the world. Learn more »