Press releases

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 26 August 2025 – Despite progress over the last decade, billions of people around the world still lack access to essential water, sanitation, and hygiene services, putting them at risk of disease and deeper social exclusion.

ROME/GENEVA/NEW YORK, 22 August 2025 – More than half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine, marked by widespread starvation, destitution and preventable deaths, according to a new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis released today. Famine conditions are projected to spread from Gaza Governorate to Deir Al Balah and Khan Younis Governorates in the coming weeks.

DAMASCUS, 13 August 2025 – The impact of recent violence in Syria’s As-Sweida Governorate in July and early August continues to affect children and families. The violence, which reportedly left at least 22 children killed and 21 more injured, also caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure and further complicated the humanitarian response efforts.

ADDIS ABABA — An estimated 8.2 percent of the global population, or about 673 million people, experienced hunger in 2024, down from 8.5 percent in 2023 and 8.7 percent in 2022. However, progress was not consistent across the globe, as hunger continued to rise in most subregions of Africa and western Asia, according to this year’s The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2025) report published today by five specialized agencies of the United Nations.

New UK Government data released today shows 1.6 million children are locked out of financial support due to the number of siblings they have, and the vast majority (1.1 million children) are living in families with a child or baby under 5 years old. 

“This strategy is a very welcome and essential step toward closing the inequalities gap in early childhood and will give children the best start in life that they all deserve, particularly in its recognition that poverty and inequality must be addressed in the early years. The commitment to invest in and bring together local services through Best Start Family Hubs is vital and will go a long way to meeting the needs of families with babies and young children. 

KYIV/GENEVA, 4 July 2025 – The verified number of children killed or injured in Ukraine between 1 March and 31 May 2025 increased by more than 200 per cent compared to the previous quarter, according to data from the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine.

Thursday 3 July 2025 - The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) welcomes the 10 Year Health Plan’s focus on prevention, innovation, and community services, and the recognition that “prevention starts with children and young people.”  It is positive to see the Plan’s commitments to extend Start for Life services, restore the value of the Healthy Start scheme for young children living in poverty, and assurances that neighbourhood health centres will work in partnership with family hubs, schools and nurseries to deliver high quality care for children. Early moments matter – and these are vital steps toward giving every child the best start in life.

AMMAN, 1 July 2025 – At least 12.2 million children have reportedly been killed, maimed or displaced in conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in less than 2 years, the equivalent of one child displaced every five seconds, and one child killed or maimed every fifteen minutes.

25 June 2025 – Dr Philip Goodwin, Chief Executive Officer for the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), said: “This pledge from the UK Government will bring Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, closer to its ambitious goal of reaching another 500 million children worldwide with critical vaccines and vitally, saving another nine million lives by 2030.

23 June 2025 – UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell today concluded a three-day mission to Chad, warning of the worsening crisis affecting children in the eastern part of the country that has seen the arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees from Sudan.

21 June 2025 – At the end of a mission to Burkina Faso, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell called for urgent action to protect children across the Sahel whose lives are upended by insecurity, displacement and climate change.

AMMAN/GENEVA, 20 June 2025 – “In a war already defined by its brutality, Gaza now teeters at its deadliest edge. Currently just 40 per cent of drinking water production facilities remain functional in Gaza (87 out of 217). Without fuel, every one of these will stop operating within weeks.

19 June 2025 – The number of malnourished children in the Gaza Strip is rising at an alarming rate, with 5,119 children between 6 months and 5 years of age admitted for treatment for acute malnutrition in May alone.

NEW YORK, 15 June 2025 – “This weekend’s surge in violence across the Middle East signals a dangerous escalation. Children are once again paying the ultimate price.

Philip Goodwin, UNICEF UK Chief Executive said: “We’re so thrilled that our UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham, has been awarded a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours"MANCHESTER, SUNDAY 15 JUNE – Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2025, broadcast live and exclusively on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player this evening from Old Trafford, Manchester, has raised £15,280,163 for UNICEF’s vital work helping children grow up safe, healthy and able to play. 

Philip Goodwin, UNICEF UK Chief Executive said: “We’re so thrilled that our UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham, has been awarded a knighthood in the King’s Birthday Honours"

JUBA, 12 June 2025 – The population in two counties in South Sudan are at-risk of famine in the coming months, as conflict in Upper Nile state escalates, destroying homes, disrupting livelihoods, and impeding the delivery of humanitarian aid.

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 11 June 2025 – Nearly 138 million children were engaged in child labour in 2024, including around 54 million in hazardous work likely to jeopardize their health, safety, or development, according to new estimates released today by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNICEF.