Press releases

UNICEF UK WARNS GOVERNMENT MUST INVEST IN EARLY CHILDHOOD TO PREVENT SOCIAL INEQUALITIES IN CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

Research from the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) finds that 62% of parents of children aged 0-4 years think that childcare is one of the biggest challenges facing families with young children today. The YouGov survey found that 44% of parents said they worry about childcare ‘a lot’ or ‘all of the time’, and 21% said they worried about their child’s readiness to start school. Families on lower incomes (£19,999 or below a year) were more than twice as likely (38%) to be worrying ‘all’ or ‘a lot of the time’ about school readiness when compared to higher earners (14%), households of £60,000 or more a year. 

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UNICEF UK statement in response to tragic loss of life in the Channel yesterday

Anna Kettley, Deputy Executive Director of the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), said: "We are deeply saddened to learn that children were amongst those that lost their lives in the Channel today.

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Nearly one million children and pregnant women in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to receive life-saving routine vaccines - UNICEF

BANGKOK, 3 September 2024 – More than 800,000 children and 120,000 pregnant women will be vaccinated in a nationwide campaign launched on Monday by the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) with UNICEF support.  

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UNICEF issues emergency tender to secure mpox vaccines for crisis-hit countries in collaboration with Africa CDC, Gavi and WHO

DHAKA, 30 August 2024 – Over two million children in eastern Bangladesh are at risk as floods sweep through homes, schools and villages, UNICEF has warned. In all, these floods, the worst in eastern Bangladesh in 34 years, have affected 5.6 million people.

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Two million children at risk as worst floods in three decades lash through eastern Bangladesh - UNICEF

DHAKA, 30 August 2024 – Over two million children in eastern Bangladesh are at risk as floods sweep through homes, schools and villages, UNICEF has warned. In all, these floods, the worst in eastern Bangladesh in 34 years, have affected 5.6 million people.

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Seven years after forced mass displacement of Rohingya from Myanmar, deadly attacks on children continue in Rakhine State

24 August 2024 - Seven years after hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people fled violence and persecution in Myanmar, conflict continues to intensify in Rakhine State, on the western coast of Myanmar, with a surge in casualties and displacement in Maungdaw Township and reports of increasing numbers of people seeking shelter and protection in Bangladesh.

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UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited announces new phase of global partnership with Accenture, connecting 580,000 youth to skilling and earning opportunities

12 August 2024- On International Youth Day 2024, Accenture and UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited (GenU) announced a four-year global partnership, building on the success of the partnership’s first phase, launched in 2021.

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George Harrison & Friends' The Concert for Bangladesh Album Now Available For Streaming Across Major Digital Music Providers Worldwide

For the first time, The Concert for Bangladesh, the GRAMMY® Award-winning album from George Harrison, Ravi Shankar & friends, is now available for streaming across all major digital music providers worldwide. All net proceeds (after taxes), will be donated to the George Harrison Fund for UNICEF at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

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Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club and UNICEF announce their partnership to help give children the best start in life

18th July 2024 – Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club today proudly announced a three-year partnership with UNICEF, the world’s leading child rights organisation.

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UNICEF UK STATEMENT ON CHILD POVERTY TASKFORCE

Joanna Rea, Director of Advocacy for the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) said: “Today’s announcement of a child poverty taskforce could not come soon enough for the millions of children living in poverty across the UK.

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New Survey: Nearly 90% of GB parents are worried for their children's future life chances – UNICEF UK calls for urgent reset from new Government

London, 16 July 2024 – In its annual survey, The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) warns that mounting debt, poor mental health, and expensive and unavailable childcare is placing children’s futures at risk, with 87% of parents of babies, toddlers, and children under 5 years saying that they are worried about their children's future life chances.

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The Gambia’s decision to uphold ban on FGM critical win for girls’ and women’s rights

BANJUL/GENEVA/NEW YORK, 15 July 2024 – “Following the vote today by the National Assembly of The Gambia, we commend the country’s decision to uphold the ban on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), reaffirming its commitments to human rights, gender equality, and protecting the health and well-being of girls and women. 

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Global childhood immunization levels stalled in 2023 leaving many without life-saving protection

15 July 2024 | Geneva/New York – Global childhood immunization coverage stalled in 2023, leaving 2.7 million additional children un- and under-vaccinated compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to data published today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.

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UNICEF UK Statement to new UK Government

London, Friday 5 July 2024 – The appointment of the new UK Government and Prime Minister, Kier Starmer, provides a crucial opportunity to put children and their rights front and centre of all government decision-making. The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) is committed and looks forward to working with them on this.

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Arlo Parks appointed a UNICEF UK Ambassador

London, 27 June 2024: Arlo Parks has been appointed as the youngest Ambassador to the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), following three years of support to the charity.

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UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warns of a deepening crisis for children following a visit to Sudan

PORT SUDAN, Sudan, 26 June 2024 – Children across Sudan are continuing to pay a devastating price for the conflict that has ravaged the country, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell warned, following a visit to Port Sudan. More than half of the country’s 24 million children – some 14 million - are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and almost all of Sudan’s children are not in school. 

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Immediate action required to prevent malnutrition crisis among children in Zambia - UNICEF

LUSAKA, Zambia, 21 June 2024 – Almost 52,000 children under the age of five in the 84 drought-affected districts in Zambia are expected to fall into severe wasting – the deadliest form of malnutrition – within the next 12 months if urgent preventive measures are not put into place. Another 276,000 children under age five will have moderate wasting.

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The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation donates £640,000 to UNICEF to help treat 15,000 malnourished children in Gaza for one month

London, 13 May 2024 - The Stelios Foundation has donated £640,000 to the United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF’s emergency response for the children of Gaza. This donation could help UNICEF provide 15,000 malnourished children in Gaza with Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) for a month.

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