UNICEF Blog | Learn About Our Stories from the Field

Latest stories and world news

Latest stories and world news  

Less than 11 months since Matthew, will Irma be kind to Haiti?

  Haiti has been battered in recent years, by storms, hurricanes and the devastating 2010 earthquake. What will 2017 hold for Haiti, and how will she fare? Prepared by Victoria Maskell In recent years, Haiti has been battered by storms, hurricanes and the devastating impact of the 2010 earthquake. When I arrived in Haiti less … Continued

Protecting children’s education during emergencies

  Education is a crucial part of any child’s life, but for children in emergencies, it becomes lifesaving. War, conflict and natural disasters have a devastating effect on children’s lives. Emergencies turn children’s lives upside down in an instant, often taking away their homes, family members, friends, safety and routine. “Although it might not seem like … Continued

On the ground in Sierra Leone after mudslide sweeps away homes

On the night of Monday 13 August 2017, Sierra Leone’s capital city Freetown experienced torrential rains and landslides. The Government has confirmed that at least 297 people have died – including 109 children. The death toll is expected to rise significantly, since 600 people – including children – are still unaccounted for. Initial assessments of the … Continued

LISTEN: UNICEF Youth Ambassadors talk Direct Provision on RTÉ

UNICEF Ireland Youth Ambassadors Natasha Maimba (15) and Minahil Sarfraz (15) gave The Ray D’Arcy Show on RTÉ Radio One a brilliant and insightful interview about what it is like to be a child growing up in the Irish Direct Provision system. Direct Provision is the system the Irish State puts asylum seekers into when … Continued

Mosul’s hope is its children – UNICEF reopens schools

Lani (15) wants to tell the world what Iraqi children are going through. She says conflict in her home city of Mosul “destroyed our lives”, but there is hope. UNICEF is working to reopen schools and Lani is back in class for the first time in years. Please support children like Lani in Iraq. Photo: Students … Continued

Child refugee writes devastating letter to other kids

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and Syrian refugee Muzoon Almellehan has made a heartfelt appeal to fellow refugee children. The education activist is working to inspire young people to stay in school, in spite of the fact that they may be caught up in humanitarian emergencies. Dear fellow refugee, Some people call us the lost generation. We are not lost. We … Continued

Photo essay: 7 million children leave home in search of opportunities

  The vast majority of child migrants uprooted by violence, poverty and climate change remain in Africa. Children account for over half of the 12 million West and Central African people on the move each year, with some 75 per cent of them remaining in sub-Saharan Africa, and less than one in five heading to … Continued

UNICEF’s Report Card 14: child well-being in wealthier nations

  The latest UNICEF Report Card Building the Future is the first report to assess the status of children in rich countries in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It ranks countries based on their performance and details the challenges and opportunities that rich countries face in achieving interdependent global commitments for children, shared economic prosperity and … Continued

Hassan’s story – UNICEF Ireland Chief meets critically ill children in Somalia

Executive Director Peter Power has just returned from a fact-finding mission to famine-risk zones in Somalia. I first met eight-month-old Hassan at the beginning of my week-long trip to northern Somalia, on my first visit to a UNICEF Stabilisation Centre in Hargeisa, Somaliland. The clinic has been set up to deal with Severely Acutely Malnourished children with … Continued

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