All articles tagged with #unicef
Guinea-Bissau declared a national mpox outbreak in July, with seven confirmed and 46 suspected cases; more than half are children, including 16 under four, prompting UNICEF to warn that fragile health surveillance may hide ongoing transmission, while authorities and partners push door-to-door awareness and bolster frontline capacity amid broader infrastructure and political challenges; no deaths have been reported yet.
Jorge Messi, 68, Lionel Messi’s father and longtime adviser, died after an illness, with a Buenos Aires clinic confirming the death; UNICEF mourned his passing, and his health had been a topic during the 2026 World Cup.
Lionel Messi described the famous UNICEF baby photo with Lamine Yamal as 'crazy' as the 39-year-old faces the 19-year-old in the 2026 World Cup Final, underscoring Yamal’s rise, Messi's admiration, and the historic, highly anticipated clash in New Jersey.
Messi addressed the now-iconic 2007 UNICEF calendar photo of him bathing a months-old Lamine Yamal, calling the image “crazy” and noting the surreal future where they might face each other in the World Cup; he praised Yamal as one of the best in the world and reflected on the historic link between their careers as the tournament unfolds.
Argentina's Lionel Messi and Spain's Lamine Yamal—who once shared a bath for a UNICEF charity calendar—will clash in the 2026 World Cup final after Messi's late comeback win over England, marking a symbolic generational passing of the torch on football's biggest stage.
A toddler was pulled from the rubble in La Guaira six days after twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela, the only confirmed survivor found during ongoing rescues. The child, identified as Klieber Moran by Reuters, was rescued from the Los Corales Garden building by Jordanian rescuers with Venezuelan authorities and is receiving medical care. The disaster has killed more than 1,900 and injured over 10,000, as UN agencies warn of a growing humanitarian crisis; UNICEF delivered 47 metric tons of aid to help children and families, with about 680,000 children in need nationwide.
As Ebola cases rise toward 1,000, UNICEF estimates about 2.95 million children and adolescents in eastern DRC are at risk due to the outbreak and disrupted services; 135 Ituri children have been orphaned and are receiving protection as nurseries for unaccompanied kids begin operating. Malnutrition and low vaccination rates heighten risk, and UNICEF is seeking $70.7 million for a six‑month response (with $20 million unfunded) to sustain health, nutrition, immunisation, protection and other essential services.
UNICEF’s Children’s Climate Risk Report warns that about 50% of the world’s children live with at least three overlapping climate hazards—such as heatwaves, droughts, floods and storms—putting health, education and safety at risk. More than a billion children face multiple threats, with the Sahel region and places like Italy highlighted for severe exposure; the agency urges action to strengthen health, education and infrastructure and to cut emissions so communities can better adapt and protect children’s futures.
Bangladesh faces a deadly measles surge, with over 60,000 suspected cases in just over two months and more than 500 child deaths since March. The crisis is linked to vaccine procurement delays under an interim government and recurrent supply gaps, despite a government and UNICEF vaccination drive. Immunity from the jab takes weeks to develop, hospitals are overwhelmed, and concerns loom about further spread during Eid travel.
Prof Sayedur Rahman, former aide to the interim government’s health ministry, rejects UNICEF’s claim that it warned of a measles vaccine shortage, saying there was no discussion of shortages in 2025 and that vaccine coverage data through December showed no shortfall; he adds that decisions on campaigns are made by the Inter-Agency Coordination Committee with UNICEF and WHO, and UNICEF communications did not warn of a measles outbreak.
UNICEF says about 59 Lebanese children were killed or injured in the past week despite a ceasefire that began on 17 April 2026. The Ministry of Public Health reports 23 children killed and 93 injured since the ceasefire, and since 2 March a total of 200 killed and 806 injured (roughly 14 per day). UNICEF urged protection of children under international humanitarian law and called for urgent mental health and psychosocial support, noting about 770,000 children are experiencing heightened distress from violence and displacement.
Israeli strikes in mid-April killed a water engineer and two UNICEF-supported drivers, deepening Gaza’s chronic water and sanitation crisis as damaged pipes, fuel and spare-parts shortages, and rising prices for soap and hygiene products limit access to clean water for millions; Gaza’s current water supply averages around 7 litres per person per day (drinking) and 16 litres for domestic use—well below the UN standard of 50–100 litres—leaving about 1.1 million people in camps without proper sewage networks and increasing disease risks as summer approaches.
UNICEF condemned the killing of two UNICEF-contracted water truck drivers in Gaza at the Mansoura water filling point during routine deliveries, with two others injured. The agency suspended onsite activities until security conditions improve and urged Israeli authorities to investigate and ensure accountability, stressing that civilians and life-saving aid must be protected under international humanitarian law.
A French UN UNICEF aid worker, Karine Buisset, was killed along with two others when drones struck a two-storey residence in the rebel-held city of Goma, DR Congo. President Macron confirmed her death and UN officials condemned the attack as it underscored the risks to civilians and aid workers amid fighting between government forces and M23 rebels, including the increasing use of drones by both sides. The incident comes as M23 controls parts of eastern Congo and international concerns over regional involvement persist.
Global oral cholera vaccine stockpile has surged to about 70 million doses in 2025, allowing preventive vaccination campaigns to resume after more than three years. Mozambique has received 3.6 million doses, the Democratic Republic of the Congo 6.1 million, and Bangladesh 10.3 million are planned as part of a first allocation of 20 million. Vaccines are safe for people over 1 year old, with a one-dose approach used for outbreaks and two doses for longer protection. The effort is financed by Gavi and delivered by UNICEF; sustained cholera control will require investments in water, sanitation and health systems in addition to vaccination.