Press releases

26 November 2021 – The latest shipwreck in the English Channel – where at least 27 people lost their lives - calls for swift and decisive collective action to protect the lives of migrants at sea.

24 November 2021 - Responding to the tragic news of loss of life due to a boat capsizing in the Channel today, Joanna Rea, Director of Advocacy at the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), said the following.

GENEVA, 23 November 2021 - West and Central Africa has recorded the highest number of children recruited and used by armed forces and armed groups. This amounts to more than 42,000 violations between 2005 and 2020. "Over this same period, the region also ranks first – and worst – when it comes to numbers of rape and other forms of sexual violence committed against children, with more than 8,000 violations.

DAKAR, 23 November 2021 – Since 2005, when a United Nations mechanism for monitoring and reporting on the six grave violations against children was established, West and Central Africa has been the region in the world with the highest number of children verified as recruited and used by armed forces and non-state armed groups and the highest number of children verified as victims of sexual violence.

AMMAN, 15 November 2021 – “Three children, a 14-year-old girl and two boys aged 15 and 17 were reportedly killed during violence around protests in Sudan’s capital Khartoum. The exact circumstances of their deaths are under verification.

14 Nov, "COP26 was a chance for world leaders to recognise the climate crisis as a child rights crisis and agree ambitious and concrete action to tackle climate change. “For the one billion children around the world already affected by the climate crisis, the outcomes of the Summit have fallen short of the urgent action needed to protect them today. Many of them will feel their futures remain at risk.

12 November 2021 – “We have received credible reports of families offering daughters as young as 20 days old up for future marriage in return for a dowry. Even before the latest political instability, UNICEF’s partners registered 183 child marriages and 10 cases of selling of children over 2018 and 2019 in Herat and Baghdis provinces alone."

10 November 2021 – The number of children with disabilities globally is estimated at almost 240 million, according to a new UNICEF report. Children with disabilities are disadvantaged compared to children without disabilities on most measures of child well-being, the report says.

NIAMEY, 9 November 2021 – "UNICEF is profoundly saddened by the loss of life in a tragic fire that ravaged a primary school in the town of Maradi, Niger.

3 November 2021 – At least 8 children have reportedly been killed or injured in escalating violence in Yemen in the past five days, UNICEF said today, as the conflict continues to take a deadly toll on children and families.

UNICEF released a new analysis today that reveals that two thirds of countries’ climate plans don’t address the needs and priorities of children. We examined the Nationally Determined Contributions – or NDCs – that were updated ahead of COP26, where I am now. These documents are submitted by the countries which had signed the Paris Agreement, and outline the actions they commit to take to meet its goals.

Glasgow, 01 November 2021, The climate crisis is a child rights crisis and we urge world leaders to put children at the heart of ambitious global action. Today UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that if COP26 fails, children not yet born would judge sternly those gathered in Glasgow.

28 October 2021 - With the festive season fast approaching, the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) is offering buyers a suite of charitable, Paddington themed gifts for little ones. These unique educational gifts will help UNICEF in supporting vulnerable children around the world and help bring a smile to their faces this Christmas.

NEW YORK, 27 OCTOBER 2021 – “Without action now, the world could face a serious shortage of COVID vaccine syringes by the end of 2022, with potentially dire consequences for the global effort to bring the pandemic under control.

28 October 2021 - According to a new report, among the 31 countries unprepared for remote learning, almost half kept their schools closed for at least half of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving 102 million students without any form of education.

For every 18 doses of Covid-19 vaccines delivered per person in G20 countries like the UK, only one dose has been delivered per person to low income countries in Africa** - according to research published today by the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK). 

PORT-AU-PRINCE, 25 October 2021 – Hundreds of women and children who seek emergency care in health facilities are at risk of dying if solutions are not found to the fuel shortage prevailing in Haiti due to insecurity, UNICEF warned today.

21 October 2021 – In Haiti, the number of children and women abducted for ransom in the first eight months of 2021 has already surpassed last year’s total, UNICEF warned today.

Friday 22 October 2021 – A new report from VotesforSchools and the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) has found that children and young people across the UK are extremely concerned about the climate crisis.

20 October 2021 – “Four children – three boys and one girl – and a teacher were confirmed killed while on their way to school this morning in an attack on a market in Ariha, south of Idlib, northwest of Syria. The numbers of children injured and killed continue to increase.