Children in Ukraine have endured 11 years of conflict, and three years of full-scale war. For the youngest children, their entire lives – and most formative years – have been marred by bombardment and violence. The stress of being repeatedly forced to flee their homes, and the disruption of education and essential services, could harm … Continued

17,000 children in Gaza are separated from their families, UNICEF estimates. Without their parents to care for them, they are at greater risk of malnutrition and injury. And they suffer the daily pain and trauma of being without the love they so desperately need. UNICEF is working to bring these children back to their parents … Continued

What is malnutrition? Malnutrition is when a person doesn’t get the right amount of nutrients, like calories, protein, vitamins, and minerals. In 2023, 2.33 billion people faced such moderate or severe food insecurity. This includes over 864 million people who went without food for an entire day or more at times. For children, malnutrition is … Continued

Every year 72,000 children under five die from illness linked to dirty water, compared with 3,400 from war-related violence. “The water tasted strange; it tasted odd … I felt like our boy was done” – Nabil. Yemen is one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Around 9.8 million children are suffering from the effects of … Continued

Around the world, millions of children are growing up in conflict. Caught in the crossfires of war, these children are uniquely vulnerable. They are often uprooted from home or exposed to extreme trauma. It is much harder for them to access healthcare or education. And too often, warring parties flout one of the most basic … Continued

Transforming lives with clean water Globally, a staggering 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, while almost half of the world’s population lacks access to proper sanitation facilities.  Additionally, an alarming 2 billion people lack basic handwashing facilities with soap, and approximately 419 million people perform open defecation.  Every day, over 700 children … Continued

Water means survival in Gaza, thanks to you! Thanks to your support, we can ensure all children in the Gaza Strip have access to safe clean water. Since the start of the conflict, we have been working tirelessly, despite the incredible challenges, to provide life-saving drinking water to as many people as possible. Right now, … Continued

It’s been six months since the escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip. Six months of bombs, attacks, thirst and hunger. And throughout this time, you, UNICEF’s wonderful donors, have been there for children in Gaza.  Despite the tough conditions, your donations helped deliver tonnes of humanitarian aid to children living across the enclave. It’s … Continued

2023 was one of the worst on record for climate change, bringing relentless droughts and intense storms and floods to children in countries like Somalia and South Sudan. Natural disasters like earthquakes in Turkey and Syria and floods in Libya devastated children’s lives in an instant. While conflicts in the State of Palestine, Ukraine, Syria, … Continued

During the evening of September 10th while children lay sleeping in their beds, catastrophic floods smashed into Libya. The happiness and wellbeing of 664,000 people were destroyed in an instant. As Storm Daniel raged and torrential rain hammered down, whole families were swept away, some still inside their homes. Entire neighbourhoods were lost. People clung … Continued

The search for survivors continues in Morocco after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake. Families in several cities in Morocco rushed out of their homes and into the streets after a powerful earthquake struck at 11:11 p.m on Sept. 8, 2023. A 4.9 magnitude aftershock followed 19 minutes later; several more have been reported. Buildings collapsed, leaving … Continued

For 30 years, Carlow woman Therese Dooley worked as one of UNICEF’s leading water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) specialists. Retired to her hometown, Therese reflects on her memories of a remarkable career, having worked in over 60 countries including Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Haiti and South Asia, where she has seen at first hand the consequences … Continued