Press releases
UNICEF on standby to support Government of Fiji to reach families affected by Tropical Cyclone Yasa
17 December 2020 – UNICEF is on standby to support the Government of Fiji to respond to the urgent needs of families affected by Tropical Cyclone Yasa, a category five cyclone barreling down on Fiji tonight, expected to affect more than 850,000 Fijians.
Millions of children in Tigray remain out of reach, despite access agreement - UNICEF
15 DECEMBER 2020 – “Some 2.3 million children in Tigray, Ethiopia, remain cut off from humanitarian assistance amid continuing violence since the beginning of November.
Teachers should be prioritised for vaccination against COVID-19
UNICEF is calling for teachers to be prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, once frontline health personnel and high-risk populations are vaccinated. This will help protect teachers from the virus, allow them to teach in person, and ultimately keep schools open.
UNICEF Statement on school attack in north-western Nigeria
13 December 2020 - Statement by UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa Marie-Pierre Poirier on school attack in north-western Nigeria.
Child poverty set to remain above pre-pandemic levels for at least five years in high-income countries - UNICEF
Child poverty is expected to remain above pre-pandemic levels for at least five years in high-income countries according to a new report by UNICEF. Only 2 per cent of government-provided financial relief across OECD and EU countries was allocated specifically to support children and families raising children during the first wave of the coronavirus.
UK youth justice system risks breaching children’s rights, says Unicef UK
8 December 2020 – A new report from Unicef UK finds that the UK youth justice system is failing children.
Coronavirus: UNICEF warns of continued damage to learning and well-being as number of children affected by school closures soars again
8 December 2020 - UNICEF calls on governments to prioritize the reopening of schools.
Coronavirus Vaccine: UNICEF reminds the world that ‘the light at the end of the tunnel needs to shine for all’
4th December 2020 - Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore on occasion of UN General Assembly Special Session on COVID-19.
Window to prevent famine in Yemen is narrowing, UN agencies warn
3 December 2020 – The window to prevent famine in Yemen is narrowing as new figures reveal record highs of acute food insecurity in the country, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF warned today.
UNICEF issues largest-ever emergency funding appeal to reach more than 190 million children impacted by humanitarian crises and the Coronavirus pandemic
3 December 2020 – UNICEF today issued its largest ever emergency funding appeal for US$6.4 billion (£4.7 billion GBP) to reach 300 million people, including more than 190 million children, with essential support and services through the end of 2021.
11 children killed in Yemen in the past three days
2 December 2020 – “11 children were reportedly killed in the past three days in Yemen in two separate attacks. Verification is still ongoing, and the actual number of casualties may be higher. The attacks took place in the village of Ad Durayhimi in Al Hudaydah governorate and in Tai’z in the south west, where there are active frontlines."
Two thirds of the world’s school-age children have no internet access at home, new UNICEF-ITU report says
1 December 2020 – Two thirds of the world’s school-age children – or 1.3 billion children aged 3 to 17 years old – do not have internet connection in their homes, according to a new joint report from UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
UK AND FRENCH GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT ON CHANNEL CROSSINGS: JOINT STATEMENT FROM UNICEF UK AND UNICEF FRANCE
30th November 2020 - Joint statement from Unicef UK and Unicef France.
Scottish Government grants £2million to UNICEF programmes – Unicef Scotland responds
27th November 2020 - Statement from Lucinda Rivers, Head of UNICEF Scotland.
Comment on the UK Government announcement to legislate on cuts to foreign aid
“It’s deeply disappointing to learn today that the Government is seeking to introduce legislation which will cut the foreign aid budget with no clear plan on when the 0.7% promise will resume.
Threat of further escalation in Mekelle, Ethiopia, puts children’s lives at risk
25 November 2020 - “UNICEF urges parties to the conflict in Ethiopia to spare children from the impact of hostilities in the Tigray region, now in their third week.
Unicef UK response to the Government’s Spending Review announcement that 0.7% ODA will be temporarily reduced to 0.5%
25th November 2020 - Statement from Unicef UK’s Director of Advocacy, Joanna Rea, on the Government’s Spending Review announcement that 0.7% ODA will be temporarily reduced to 0.5%.
UNICEF UK joins forces with Sustain and local community groups to feed vulnerable UK families this winter
24 November 2020 – Unicef UK announces new round of grants to support children and families at risk of food insecurity during the coronavirus pandemic.
Millions of children’s lives at high risk as Yemen inches towards famine
23 November 2020 - Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore
UNICEF, global airlines and freight providers to plan delivery of coronavirus vaccines
UNICEF is working with major global airlines and freight providers to step up efforts to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to over 92 countries around the world as soon as vaccines become available.