Wednesday March 15th marks sixth anniversary of conflict in Syria DUBLIN/DAMASCUS/AMMAN, 13 March 2017 – Grave violations against children in Syria were the highest on record in 2016 UNICEF has said, in a grim assessment of the conflict’s impact on children, as the war reaches six years. Verified instances of killing, maiming and recruitment of … Continued

NEW YORK, 7 March 2017 – “Refugee children fleeing violence and terror need our support now more than ever. They are among the most vulnerable and traumatized children in the world. UNICEF is committed to continuing our work with the United States and other government partners to help them. “We trust that the measures in … Continued

*NOTE* Download UNICEF’s Feb 28 Child Alert on Libya-Italy migration here Brussels, 3 March 2017: The European Commission yesterday adopted a Recommendation and Renewed Action Plan for EU member states to consider in their procedures to return men, women and children staying irregularly in the EU to their countries of origin or transit. It encourages … Continued

UNICEF seeks implementation of six-point agenda to keep refugee and migrant children safe   Photos and report available for download here: http://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AMZIF0YPON DUBLIN/NEW YORK/GENEVA, 28 February 2017 – Refugee and migrant children and women are routinely suffering sexual violence, exploitation, abuse and detention along the Central Mediterranean migration route from North Africa to Italy, UNICEF warned in … Continued

1.3 million children displaced by violence across region *NOTE* Download multimedia assets here  DUBLIN/NEW YORK/NIAMEY, 24 February 2017 – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom this week travelled to Diffa, south-east Niger, to highlight the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad Basin where Boko Haram violence has caused huge population displacements. Hundreds of thousands of … Continued

Statement attributable to Geert Cappelaere, UNICEF Regional Director, urging all parties at Geneva talks to put Syria’s children first “What if these were your children?” DAMASCUS/AMMAN, 23 February 2017 – “The heart-wrenching image of a young boy screaming for his father just minutes after losing both his legs in an apparent assault in Idlib last … Continued

*NOTE* UNICEF Ireland Executive Director Peter Power is available for interview *NOTE* For photos and video http://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AMZIFDD22Q DUBLIN/NEW YORK/DAKAR/NAIROBI/AMMAN, 21 February 2017 – Almost 1.4 million children are at imminent risk of death from severe acute malnutrition this year, as famine looms in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, UNICEF said today. “Time is running … Continued

20 February 2017, Dublin/Juba/South Sudan – War and a collapsing economy have left some 100,000 people facing starvation in parts of South Sudan where famine was declared today, three UN agencies warned. A further 1 million people are classified as being on the brink of famine. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations … Continued

Statement by UNICEF Regional Director Geert Cappelaere on reports of children killed and injured in Syria AMMAN, 10 February 2017 – ”Violence in Syria this week has reportedly killed at least 20 children and injured others in several areas across the war-torn country. “In Idlib earlier in the week, violence reportedly left 30 people dead, including … Continued

NEW YORK, 8 February 2017 – “We are saddened and outraged by the cruel killings today of six workers for the International Committee of the Red Cross in northern Afghanistan, and two workers for the Syrian Arab Red Crescent in Aleppo, Syria. “Our deepest sympathy is with the families of those who lost their lives, … Continued

Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin and UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake on the 2017 International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM NEW YORK, 6 February 2017 – “It irreparably damages girls’ bodies, inflicting excruciating pain. It causes extreme emotional trauma that can last a lifetime. “It increases the risk of deadly complications … Continued

Kyiv/Geneva, 6 February 2017 – Thousands of children have been forced out of school in eastern Ukraine due to last week’s surge in fighting. At least five schools and two kindergartens have been damaged by heavy shelling and 11 other schools have had to close, according to humanitarian organisations supporting the emergency education response in … Continued