As a child, Marian Killeen was always aware that there were people less fortunate than her. This keen awareness was instilled and encouraged by her parents. Marian’s mother, who served as a nurse after World War ll, always reminded her daughter about the many people in need across the world. Her father, a special branch … Continued

What is World Children’s Day? World Children’s Day takes place every year on the 20th of November.  It’s all about supporting children’s rights and helping children everywhere claim them. The day was initially established by the UN General Assembly in 1989- when the Deceleration of the Rights of the Child was signed.  Today, World Children’s … Continued

  There has been a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Palu, on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. Over 1.5 million people have been affected. Since its creation, responding to emergency crises like this has been the core of UNICEF’s mission. Working in more than 190 countries and territories means that we are often on … Continued

As Typhoon Mangkhut races towards the Philippines, 5 million people, nearly half of them children, are in the path of the massive storm. Mangkhut is expected to be as strong as Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated the Philippines in 2013.  The eye of the storm is set to reach the northern part of the Philippines this … Continued

Since war broke out in 2015, Yemen has continued to dominate our TV screens, news-feeds and social media platforms. From bombings to hunger, children in Yemen have suffered immensely. Today, it is the world’s worst humanitarian disaster. Right now, 4 out of 5 Yemeni children need urgent humanitarian help to survive. Over 2 million – … Continued

Migration is one of the most pressing issues of our times, and migrants are not just numbers. They are vulnerable people who need our help and protection. See them as the children, women and men they are. In recent years, an increasing number of children and families from Central America are migrating north via irregular … Continued

  Children – no matter where they come from or what their migration status – are children first and foremost. Since early May, more than 2,000 children, including babies and toddlers, have been separated from their parents at the U.S. border and placed in detention centres. “Stories of children, some of them just babies, being … Continued

  “I ran as fast as I could, I was so scared.” 7-year-old Felipe Neftaly stands close to his mother, holding her hand. On June 3rd, the Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupted, affecting more than 650,000 children, living nearby. Felipe helps his mum to wash clothes donated to her and her family. Photo: UNICEFGuatemala/Rodrigo Mussapp … Continued

Martin Worth, UNICEF’s Head of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), is no stranger to humanitarian emergencies, yet the crisis facing the Rohingya refugees is by far the most complex he has ever seen. “I’ve been in some difficult places,” he said, “but this could get so much worse. What is already a dire humanitarian situation … Continued

  Families in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) seek safety and nourishment for their children. Violence and insecurity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to impede access to critical services for millions of children. In the Kasaï region, an estimated 400,000 children under the age of 5 are at risk of dying … Continued

  UPDATED May 22nd For the third time this year, hundreds of children have been released by armed groups in South Sudan. The latest release brings to 800 the number of children freed in 2018, as part of a process supported by UNICEF. Colleagues in Pibor, South Sudan tell us more than 200 children were … Continued

  Ambassador Cathy Kelly appeared on TV3’s Pat Kenny Show this week, to talk about the children under attack in Syria. Syrian children are enduring their eighth year of war. This week an alleged chemical attack in that region’s key town of Douma led to renewed focus on the humanitarian situation. Cathy Kelly put the facts … Continued