UNICEF Ireland Executive Director comments on latest developments   DUBLIN 10 October 2019 – As violence escalates in North East Syria, children face death, injury and displacement. UNICEF teams on the ground are ready to respond with lifesaving assistance, along with partners. Children suffer In conflict, children suffer first and most. Parties to the conflict … Continued

Young people identify school, career and climate as top stressors *NOTE* For a county by county breakdown, the questions and graphics, visit Ureport.ie*   DUBLIN 10 October 2019 – 97% of young people who took part in a poll run by UNICEF Ireland report mental health as an issue for their peer group. The biggest … Continued

Children’s rights and climate front and centre of this year’s Global initiative on SDGs LETTERKENNY, CO. DONEGAL/DUBLIN 30 September 2019 – In Co. Donegal today, Minister for Education, Joe McHugh T.D. took part in the World’s Largest Lesson, along with secondary school students from Loreto Letterkenny, and a team from UNICEF Ireland. This event, part … Continued

Children’s rights organisations seek sustained dialogue with climate focus DUBLIN 26 September 2019 – The Government is to consult with children and young people on the global climate crisis, giving a major boost to child rights in Ireland. The development means young people will be given input into shaping the Government’s action on climate, strengthening … Continued

Child petitioners announce protest at lack of government action on climate crisis during press conference at UNICEF Headquarters DUBLIN/NEW YORK, 23 September – Sixteen child petitioners – including Greta Thunberg and Alexandria Villaseñor – from 12 countries around the world today presented a landmark official complaint to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of … Continued

Humanitarian plane with 1.5 tons of UNICEF supplies lands in Hurricane-hit Bahamas UNICEF Emergency Specialists in the Bahamas are available for interview   NASSAU/PANAMA/NEW YORK/DUBLIN, 8 September 2019 – Today UNICEF announced the arrival to Nassau of a plane carrying nearly 1.5 tons of lifesaving supplies that will help provide access to safe water for over 9,500 children … Continued

Protecting children and engaging communities key to ending epidemic of deadly disease STATEMENT attributable to Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF Representative in the Democratic Republic of Congo Access multimedia content here DUBLIN/KINSHASA 30 August 2019 – “Almost 600 children have lost their lives to the Ebola outbreak in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo … Continued

European Member States urged to increase relocation and family reunifications DUBLIN / GENEVA 29 August 2019 – The number of unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children staying in dangerous and overcrowded Reception and Identification Centres on the Greek islands, and detention facilities across the country, now exceeds 1,100 – the largest number since the … Continued

PRESS RELEASE Saving children stranded on the Mediterranean must be prioritised over politics Statement attributable to Ms. Afshan Khan, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia and Special Coordinator for the Refugee and Migrant response in Europe GENEVA,DUBLIN, 16 August 2019 – “It is unconscionable that once again politics have been prioritised over saving … Continued

PRESS RELEASE Shortfall in education opportunities deepens despair of refugee Rohingya youth: UNICEF Two years after mass exodus from Myanmar, quality learning and life skills are crucial to more than 500,000 children sheltered in Bangladesh Spokespeople from UNICEF Bangladesh are available for interview NEW YORK, GENEVA, DUBLIN, COX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh, 16 August 2019 – Frustration … Continued

Wealthiest countries have lowest breastfeeding rates – including Ireland Photo: Dublin Mum Irmak breastfeeding baby Aurelia DUBLIN/NEW YORK , 1 August 2019 – The benefits of breastfeeding for children and mothers are widespread. It supports healthy brain development in babies and young children, it protects infants against infection, decreases the risk of obesity and disease, … Continued

Factory to produce plastic bricks to build classrooms for children in innovative partnership Download multimedia materials here DUBLIN/NEW YORK/ABIDJAN, 29 July 2019 – UNICEF, in partnership with Colombian social enterprise Conceptos Plasticos, today announced it had broken ground on a first-of-its-kind factory that will convert plastic waste collected in Côte d’Ivoire into modular plastic bricks. … Continued