Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake following his visit to Syria   HOMS, SYRIA – 1 March 2016: I complete this visit to Syria, together with Dr. Peter Salama, UNICEF Regional Director, on the eve of the fifth anniversary of this war.  My previous trip came on the eve of the third anniversary, two … Continued

Dublin, 22 February 2016 – Less than 36 hours after Cyclone Winston devastated Fiji, UNICEF Pacific has begun assisting those most affected, in partnership with the Government of Fiji. UNICEF today began to distribute pre-positioned emergency supplies in Fiji, with a focus on distribution to worst-affected communities. UNICEF Ireland Executive Director, Peter Power, said “In … Continued

B-roll available for broadcasters here     Dublin, 19 February 2016 – An average of two children have drowned every day since September 2015 as their families try to cross the eastern Mediterranean, and the number of child deaths is growing said IOM, UNHCR, and UNICEF. The agencies are calling for enhancing the safety of … Continued

Strikes against children in a hospital in Syria  Statement by the Executive Director of UNICEF, Anthony Lake  NEW YORK, 15 February, 2016 – “We at UNICEF are appalled by reports of attacks against four medical facilities in Syria – two of which were supported by UNICEF. One is a child and maternal hospital where children … Continued

UN AGENCIES WARN OF ESCALATING FOOD CRISIS IN SOUTH SUDAN Rise in hunger at harvest time; harsh and prolonged 2016 lean season approaching Juba, South Sudan is facing unprecedented levels of food insecurity, as 2.8 million people – nearly 25 percent of the country’s population – remain in urgent need of food assistance, and at … Continued

Dublin, 2nd February 2016, UNICEF pioneers innovative engagement between young people and political. Scores of children across Ireland will stage the first Twitter Takeover of UNICEF Ireland’s Twitter feed @unicefireland, on Thursday, 4th February, from 9 to 10:15a.m. This week young people across Ireland will look for answers from political leaders ahead of the General Election … Continued

  Dublin, 26 January 2016 – UNICEF is launching a US$2.8 billion appeal to reach 43 million children in humanitarian emergencies worldwide. For the first time ever, the largest portion of the appeal – 25 per cent – is going towards educating children in emergencies.  This year UNICEF plans to dramatically increase the number of … Continued

The war in Syria is approaching its sixth brutal year. The needless loss of life continues and the suffering deepens. Please join our appeal to end the violence using the hashtag #SyriaCrisis Three years ago, UN agencies issued an urgent appeal to those who could end the conflict in Syria. “Enough”, they said. Today, we appeal … Continued

New data also says most babies are untested JOHANNESBURG/NEW YORK, 27 November 2015 – The number of adolescent deaths from AIDS has tripled over the last 15 years, according to new data released today by UNICEF. AIDS is the number one cause of death among adolescents in Africa and the second leading cause of death … Continued

More than half a billion children live in areas with extremely high flood occurrence 160 million live in high drought severity areas NEW YORK/GENEVA, 25 November 2015 – More  than half a billion children live in areas with extremely high flood occurrence and 160 million in high drought severity zones, leaving them highly exposed to … Continued

Blankets & warm winter clothing for fleeing refugee children among the gifts available for purchase DUBLIN, 19 November 2015 – UNICEF Ireland today launched its survival gifts campaign to bring hope to children around the world this Christmas. UNICEF Survival Gifts allows donors the opportunity to purchase actual lifesaving items that will be shipped directly … Continued

GENEVA/KYIV, 16 November 2015 – The lives of some 700,000 children and the wider population are at risk if repairs to the water network in Ukraine’s conflict-affected regions are not urgently made, warns UNICEF. Central heating systems in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts rely on water, but conflict related damage to pipelines and infrastructure, … Continued