UNICEF Emergency Response

Dear Friend, 

Global humanitarian needs are at record levels with 362 million people in need. The first half of 2023 has seen humanitarian crises driven by conflict, climate shocks and food insecurity. Three global headwinds – geopolitical, economic and environmental – are expected to continue to shape the coming years with a profound impact on the lives of children, especially those already living in, or vulnerable to, humanitarian crises. With your generous support, UNICEF has been able to provide timely and effective technical, operational, and programmatic support to countries in all regions as part of its efforts to prepare and deliver life-saving protection and assistance to children and families. 

For example, in Sudan where recent conflict has forced thousands of families to flee their homes, UNICEF is providing desperately needed support including:  

• Ensuring access to safe water.UNICEF is providing safe water through water trucking, water treatment and the digging and repairing of boreholes to help meet the needs of refugees, displaced families and host communities. 
• Supporting Sudan’s children with health and nutrition services. UNICEF is supporting nutrition services for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition in health centers and mobile clinics as well as providing house-to-house nutrition screenings to help identify malnutrition cases early. In addition, UNICEF is providing health screening referrals, vaccinations, essential drugs and medical kits to ensure access to health care and services for displaced, host and refugee populations. 
• Helping children to keep learning – safely. UNICEF is providing education services in Sudan and neighboring countries to ensure displaced and host community children and adolescents can access inclusive, quality education and learning opportunities in safe and protective environments.  

• Providing psychosocial support for impacted children including child friendly spaces, case management and referral to specialized services. UNICEF also supports family tracing and reunification, as well as case management of unaccompanied and separated children. 

With your generous support UNICEF is able to remain committed to reaching vulnerable children and families with lifesaving support. 

In partnership, 

Alia 

Links:

• 100 days of fighting in Sudan

Dear Friend,

2022 was a challenging year for children. Today, there are more children in need of humanitarian assistance than at any other time since the Second World War. Across the globe, more than 400 million children live in areas under conflict; an estimated 1 billion children – nearly half the world’s children – live in countries at extreme vulnerability to the impacts of climate change; at least 36.5 million children have been displaced from their homes; and 8 million children under age 5 across 15 crisis-hit countries are at risk of death from severe wasting.

But the situation is far from hopeless. UNICEF knows how to reach children at greatest risk and in greatest need. Decisive and timely humanitarian action can save children’s lives, while also sowing the seeds of future development.

For example, UNICEF was in Türkiye and Syria long before the devastating earthquakes struck on February 6^th and was ready to assess and respond immediately. Together with partners, within the first week following the earthquakes, UNICEF shipped more than 70 tons of supplies from its global warehouses, while simultaneously mobilizing supplies already pre-positioned in-country.

In Syria, UNICEF has deployed mobile health and nutrition teams to provide services and supplies to those in need, including those in shelters. UNICEF began water trucking where water and sanitation systems were compromised, and immediately trained dozens of trainers on psychological first aid and began distributing recreational kits so that tens of thousands of children receive the means to play, connect with peers, and regain a sense of normalcy amid the chaos. In both Türkiye and Syria, child protection is a high priority, including the reunification of separated children as well as ensuring the safe reopening of schools, which are an important place for children to return to a sense of normalcy and support.

Thanks to your generous support, UNICEF was ready to jump into action the moment the earthquake struck and is continuing to work closely with partners to ensure children and families receive the supplies, support, and resources they require as they cope with the loss of homes, schools, and the psychological trauma caused by the disaster. Thank you, we are so grateful for your support of children around the world who are most in need.

In Partnership,

Whitney