Education funding faces US$3.2 billion decline by 2026, placing millions of children’s futures at risk DUBLIN/ NEW YORK, 3 September 2025 – As global education funding faces steep cuts, an estimated 6 million additional children could be out of school by the end of 2026, around one-third of them in humanitarian settings, UNICEF warned in … Continued

Thousands of children at risk after devastating earthquake hits eastern Afghanistan Statement by UNICEF Afghanistan Representative, Dr. Tajudeen Oyewale, on the earthquake in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces KABUL, 1 September 2025 – “A powerful 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan late last night, with its epicentre near Jalalabad in Nangarhar province. “Early reports indicate a significant … Continued

FAO, UNICEF, WFP and WHO reiterate call for immediate ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian access to curb deaths from hunger and malnutrition   ROME/GENEVA/NEW YORK, 22 August 2025 – More than half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine, marked by widespread starvation, destitution and preventable deaths, according to a new Integrated Food Security Phase … Continued

UNICEF calls for sustained, unimpeded access to fight deadly outbreak DUBLIN/PORT SUDAN, 5 August 2025 – More than 1,180 cholera cases – including an estimated 300 cases in children – and at least 20 deaths have been reported in Tawila, North Darfur State, since the first case was detected on 21 June 2025. This represents a rapid … Continued

UN Agencies warn key food and nutrition indicators exceed famine thresholds in Gaza DUBLIN/NEW YORK/ROME, 29 July 2025 – Gaza faces the severe risk of famine as food consumption and nutrition indicators have reached their worst levels since the conflict began, according to data shared in the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Alert. … Continued

Latest UN-verified data, released by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, reveals a significant rise in child casualties, as well as evolving risks for children that merge online influence with deadly offline impacts   KYIV/GENEVA, 4 July 2025 – The verified number of children killed or injured in Ukraine between 1 March and 31 May … Continued

Statement by UNICEF ad interim Representative to Iran, Monika Oledzka Nielsen, on the Impact of escalating hostilities on children in Iran Tehran, 20 June 2025 – The continued escalation of hostilities in Iran poses a grave threat to the lives and well-being of millions of children. Over the past six days, airstrikes have hit at least 18 … Continued

An average of 112 children have been admitted for treatment every day since the beginning of 2025 AMMAN, 19 June 2025 – The number of malnourished children in the Gaza Strip is rising at an alarming rate, with 5,119 children between 6 months and 5 years of age admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition in May … Continued

 UNICEF Ireland Executive Director Peter Power is available for interview Dublin, 27 May 2025 — UNICEF Ireland has welcomed the delivery of 21 trucks of UNICEFs life-saving nutrition supplies to Gaza — the first such delivery in over 11 weeks — but warns that the scale of humanitarian access remains dangerously insufficient to meet the needs of children and families. … Continued

Statement by UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, on the killing of at least 45 children in the Gaza Strip AMMAN, 16 May 2025 – “The reported killing of at least 45 children in the Gaza Strip in the last two days is yet another devastating reminder that children in Gaza … Continued

Children’s wellbeing in world’s wealthiest countries took sharp turn for the worse in wake of COVID-19 pandemic. DUBLIN/FLORENCE/NEW YORK, 14 May 2025 – Irish teenagers are among the least happy in high-income countries, despite leading the world in academic skills, according to a new UNICEF report released today. Report Card 19: Child Wellbeing at Risk in … Continued

A child reported raped every half an hour in eastern DRC, as violence rages amid a growing funding crisis This is a summary of what was said by UNICEF spokesperson James Elder – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva GOMA, Democratic Republic … Continued