Italian parliament passes law following lobbying efforts and release of UNICEF’s “Child Alert: A Deadly Journey for Children” ROME / GENEVA, 29 March  2017 – UNICEF has praised the Italian Parliament for passing an historic law to boost support and protection for the record number of foreign unaccompanied and separated children who have arrived in … Continued

UNICEF needs $255 million for children in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen *NOTE* Photos + videos http://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AMZIFDD22Q NEW YORK/DAKAR/NAIROBI/AMMAN, 28 March 2017 – More than a month after famine was declared in South Sudan, time is running out for more than a million children as drought and armed conflict devastate lives in northeast Nigeria, Somalia, South … Continued

Number of children injured, recruited in Yemen conflict nearly doubles in one year Download photos, videos and b-roll here SANA’A, 27 March 2016 – After two years of brutal conflict, families in Yemen are increasingly resorting to extreme measures to support their children, said UNICEF in a report released today as the war in the … Continued

NEW YORK, 27 March 2017 – All of us at UNICEF are shocked by the senseless killing of staff belonging to our partner organisation, the Grassroots Empowerment and Development Organisation. The humanitarian workers were travelling in a car that was clearly marked as belonging to a non–governmental organization. We are appalled that humanitarians working to improve … Continued

Ansam (10) performs ‘Song for Syria’ with a choir of internally displaced children   *NOTE* Video stills and an introduction to the song’s video available for download here DUBLIN/BEIRUT/DAMASCUS, 15 March 2017 – UNICEF has this morning released ‘Song for Syria’ a powerful new song and music video performed by children affected by six years … Continued

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