unicef @en – European Affairs Magazine

UNICEF calls for stronger ties with ICCIMA.

4 Maggio 2017 BreakingNews @en di

UNICEF representative in Iran has stressed the need to boost banking, hospitality, ICT and transport cooperation with Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA). At a joint meeting with UNICEF Representative in Iran Dr. Will Parks in Tehran, Vice-President of ICCIMA Pedram Soltani recounted on history and performance of chambers of commerce in the world saying “in the past 40 years, in addition to supplying needs of the private sector and their members, chambers have also sought to fulfill social and cultural interests.” The official referred to establishment of Abrar Charitable Society in ICCIMA adding the Chamber has put social and cultural development on agenda. He went on to enumerate major activities of Abrar Charitable Society including development of rural areas, supporting education of students in disadvantaged areas and participation in cultural and educational centers. Later at the meeting, Representative of United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in Iran Dr. Will Parks recounted on his 40-year experience of activities in Iraq and Iran as well as 40 other world countries and voiced optimism that UNICEF’s ties with the private sector, which had remained at a hiatus since 2009, will be resumed. “UNICEF seeks to attract cooperation of state and private sectors as well as other international institutions in order to accomplish its objectives in Iran,” he added. Parks also highlighted the key role played by ICCIMA, as Iran’s largest private sector body, in shaping bonds between UNICEF and firms whose activities are somehow related to children; “these ties could facilitate UNICEF activities and provide them with greater legitimacy”.

Swedish Ambassador visits Hermel, says his country keen on supporting Syrian refugees in Lebanon

28 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Wedish Ambassador to Lebanon, Peter Semneby, expressed on Thursday his country’s deep concern for Middle Eastern affairs, especially those involving Syrian refugees. “Despite the evacuation of the Swedish Embassy in Syria, we remain in contact with the Syrian state. We are also assisting Syrian refugees on Lebanese territories”, the Swedish diplomat said, confirming his country’s relentless efforts to provide support to Syria and other neighboring countries. He made clear that during the second half of 2017, funding will take place through UNICEF. “This will take place following a thorough study on the needs of Syrian refugees and their hosting societies”, he added.

Nigeria gets 500,000 doses of meningitis vaccines to combat outbreak.

3 Aprile 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Minister of Health Isaac Adewole has confiermed that so far 328 people have died of suspected meningitis in Zamfara and Katsina states. The minister said extensive efforts had been deployed to avoid the further spread of the epidemic, also the discussion with WHO (World Health Organization) and UNICEF for supplies of vaccines and injections. Till now 500,000 doses of meningococcal vaccines have been secured, with an additional 800,000 units from the British government, By next Tuesday, there will be a meeting with the International Review Group of The World Health Organization (WHO) where request for additional vaccines shall be approved. Nigeria had always been bedeviled with the stereotype A in years past, but this new bacteria vaccine, Meningitis Stereotype C, is not commercially available, can only be shipped to the country by WHO. All Nigerians especially residents of Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Niger, Zamfara and Jigawa states are advised to pay attention to symptoms of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) and avoid clogging together in unventilated and over-crowded rooms.

Child marriage soars in Yemen as famine looms.

28 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

To mark the second anniversary of the war UNICEF published a report about child marriages, saying that more than two thirds of girls under 18 are married in Yemen, as there is no minimum age of marriage in the country. The main reason is the escalation of the war, which brought parents to marry off their daughters to reduce costs and the number of people to feed in the family. Moreover dowry payments, which are paid by the husband’s family, are an incentive for poor parents to marry off daughters early. Early marriages are especially common in Al-Hudaydah, Hajah and Ibb governorates. A new UNICEF study also found that around 44% of girls and women are married under the age of 15 in some parts of Yemen. In fine child marriage deprives girls of education and opportunities and increases the risk of domestic and sexual violence.

2016 worst year yet for Syria's children

14 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

At least 652 children were killed in Syria in 2016, making it the worst year yet for the country’s rising generation, the United Nations’ child relief agency said Monday. UNICEF said at least 255 children were killed in or near schools last year and 1.7 million youngsters are out of school. One of every three schools in Syria is unusable, some because militant groups occupy them. An additional 2.3 million Syrian children are refugees elsewhere in the Middle East.

UNICEF: Yemeni children are on the brink of starvation, urged the necessity of vaccinations

9 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

The UNICEF Resident Representative MaritxellRelano said in a press conference held at UNICEF’s headquarter that a large segment of Yemeni children are suffering famine due to malnutrition, which increases also the risk of infections and she added that many children were died in the past two years because of preventable diseases. Moreover due to the arm conflict the number of dead children is exceeding and the UNICEF Resident Representative urged the necessity of vaccinations, such as the one against polio that UNICEF and its partners are doing to children under the age of five, for children across Yemen to save their lives. In fine MeritxellRelano said that UNICEF exerted efforts to reach Mocha city via Hodeida province road or Aden province road.

Unicef said: Women and children in Africa are beaten and raped, Armed groups have taken control of detention centres for migrants

2 Marzo 2017 BreakingNews @en di

Women and children making the dangerous journey to Europe to flee poverty and conflicts in Africa are being beaten, raped and starved in “living hellholes” in Libya, the United Nations children’s agency (Unicef) said on Tuesday. There were a quarter of a million migrants in Libya as of last September, most of whom languish in unsanitary, disease-ridden detention centres which Unicef described in its report as “no more than forced labour camps and makeshift prisons”. Armed groups have taken effective control of official detention centres for migrants amid the political chaos that now reigns in Libya and they also run their own centres, competing and cooperating with criminal gangs and smugglers, according to the United Nations. “For the thousands of migrant women and children incarcerated, (the centres) were living hellholes where people were held for months”, the Unicef report said on Tuesday. In interviews with more than 100 women and children, nearly half said they had been raped or abused several times during their journey, it said. Most of the children said they were beaten by adults along the way, with girls suffering more abuse than boys. “So many people are dying here, dying from disease, freezing to death”, he was quoted as saying in the report. Unicef said women and unaccompanied child migrants rely on people smugglers to get to Europe, often under a “pay as you go system” leaving them vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking and violence, including prostitution and rape.

UNICEF urges for investment in Afghan children’s education

8 Ottobre 2016 Asia @en di

UNICEF urged for more investment in meeting the basic needs of Afghan children’s education and health on Friday.

Welcoming the commitments made by the international donors at the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan, the UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia, Jean Gough said that investing in children’s education and other services would help address poverty and other issues that are driving so many families – including children — to leave the country.