Latest news with #UNICEF-supported
Express Tribune
03-08-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Children in besieged Gaza dying at 'an unprecedented rate'
Listen to article The UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, has urged the international community to act swiftly to prevent the mass death of children in the Gaza Strip, where conditions continue to deteriorate amid Israel's deadly war. "Today, I want to keep the focus on Gaza, because it's in Gaza where the suffering is most acute and where children are dying at an unprecedented rate. "We are at a crossroads, and the choices made now will determine whether tens of thousands of children live or die," Ted Chaiban, UNICEF's deputy executive director, said at a briefing on his recent travel to the Middle East. The months-long deprivation of most life-sustaining basic goods has led to a deepening of the crisis. More than 100 people were killed, and hundreds of others injured, along food convoy routes and near Israeli-militarized distribution hubs in the past two days alone. As one in three people currently going days without food, OCHA reiterated that no one should ever be forced to risk their life to get something to eat. Chaiban, who is fresh from a visit to Gaza, noted that "the marks of deep suffering and hunger were visible on the face of families and children." "Gaza now faces a grave risk of famine," he said, briefing reporters in New York about his five-day mission to the enclave, the West Bank and Israel. "This is something that has been building up, but we now have two indicators that have exceeded the famine threshold." The crisis can only be addressed through unrestricted flow of aid into Gaza, with commercial supplies also allowed to enter to help address people's needs. Nearly a week since the Israeli announcement to allow the scale up of aid and tactical pauses to allow safe passage of UN convoys, OCHA reported that the aid that has entered Gaza so far remains insufficient, while UN convoys continue to face impediments and danger along the routes provided by the Israeli authorities. "Civilians must always be protected and community-level aid delivery at scale must be facilitated, not obstructed," said OCHA. "The children I met are not victims of a natural disaster. They are being starved, bombed, and displaced," Mr. Chaiban said. He noted that more than 18,000 boys and girls have been killed since the beginning of the war, "an average of 28 children a day, the size of a classroom, gone." While in Gaza, Chaiban met with the families of the 10 children killed and 19 injured by an Israeli airstrike as they were queuing for food with their mothers and fathers at a UNICEF-supported nutrition clinic in Deir Al-Balah. Engaging with Israeli authorities in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, UNICEF "pressed for a review of [Israel's] military rules of engagement to protect civilians and children," Chaiban said.
Shafaq News
09-07-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Rwanga leads UNICEF-supported youth drive in Duhok
Shafaq News –Duhok Rwanga Foundation on Wednesday launched the 'My Skills' project in Duhok, a UNICEF-supported initiative to train and employ young people across the province. According to an official statement, the project spans three districts—Duhok city, Semel, and Sheikhan—and will unfold in three stages. In the first phase, 600 young men and women will undergo intensive training in essential life skills. From this group, 54 will be selected based on merit to become junior trainers, each mentoring 10 new participants—expanding the total number of direct beneficiaries to 1,140. The second stage will focus on upgrading youth centers and establishing innovation labs in each district as creative platforms for developing ideas linked to the labor market and the digital and social economy. In its final phase, the project will provide financial support to 36 youth-led initiatives in environmental sustainability, social entrepreneurship, and digital innovation. It will also create 30 direct job opportunities for young people in these fields. Established in 2013 by Idris Nechirvan Barzani, the Rwanga Foundation is a nonprofit in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, initially focused on ensuring quality education for all children. Over time, it has expanded its mission to include economic development, youth empowerment, environmental sustainability, and humanitarian aid. It also supports climate action through local initiatives that align with its environmental objectives.
Scoop
23-06-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Bearing The Brunt Of War: UNICEF Chief Meets Some Of Sudan's 700,000 Child Refugees Crossing Into Chad
23 June 2025 In neighbouring Chad, children make up 61 per cent of the 860,000 Sudanese refugees and a staggering 68 per cent of the 274,000 Chadian returnees – that's over 700,000 young lives uprooted by violence. Chad, already one of the world's poorest countries, has the fourth-highest child mortality rate in the world, despite significant progress in recent years. The Government of Chad and humanitarian partners have been providing support, but the migration crisis remains overwhelming: measles and malnutrition are spreading, the risk of Sudan's cholera outbreak spilling into Chad remains high. Only one in three children are enrolled in school and essential services are stretched to the brink. Horrific memories UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Catherine Russell concluded a three-day visit to Chad on Monday, where she met with refugee children and families displaced by the fighting and chaos across the Sudanese border. ' Hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable children are bearing the brunt of both the war in Sudan and the lack of essential services for those who have fled to Chad,' Russell said. In eastern Chad, Ms. Russell 'met women and children who arrived with little but the horrific memories they carry' and heard their stories of killings, mass rapes and homes burned to the ground. She visited families newly arrived in Adré, an overwhelmed border town now hosting six refugees for every resident. Russell also met President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno to reaffirm UNICEF's long-term commitment to Chad and discuss support for the country's newly launched National Development Plan 2030. ' The people of Chad have shown extraordinary generosity,' she said. 'But they cannot face this crisis alone. We must stand in solidarity with them – and with the children of Sudan – by strengthening national systems and communities on the frontlines.' Ramping up response In Adré and surrounding areas, UNICEF-supported teams have vaccinated thousands of children, provided safe drinking water to tens of thousands, established child-friendly spaces and set up services for survivors of gender-based violence. The agency is also working closely with Chadian authorities to scale up system-wide investments in health, including polio vaccination campaigns, as well as education and social protection. But urgent funding gaps remain. Of the $114 million required for UNICEF's 2025 humanitarian response in Chad, only 34 per cent has been secured.
Express Tribune
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Govt moves to fix teacher shortage
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Education, Faisal Khan Tarakai, has announced a series of measures to tackle the shortage of teachers across the province. Speaking to the media, he stated that recruitment of teachers through the Educational Testing and Evaluation Agency (ETEA) is currently underway to ensure merit-based hiring of qualified educators. Under the Double Shift School Program, teachers are also being appointed on a temporary basis via Parent-Teacher Councils. Additionally, recruitment is ongoing in various districts under a UNICEF-supported initiative. The minister further revealed that interns are also being hired this year under a new scheme to support schools facing acute shortages. Emphasizing the importance of teacher presence in classrooms, Minister Tarakai said, "Every classroom must have a teacher — this is non-negotiable. We are committed to ensuring the availability of at least one teacher in each classroom across the province." He also highlighted the role of the Education Management Information System (EMIS), stating that comprehensive teacher data is being collected to guide effective planning and deployment. "We are focusing heavily on teacher training, and have finalized an agreement with the University of Cambridge to provide professional development for newly recruited teachers through ETEA," he added. The education minister also stressed the government's commitment to digital learning, stating that e-books and digital resources are being prioritized. "Tablets and internet connectivity will be integrated into the education system. We are modernizing our infrastructure to ensure that our children are equipped to meet the demands of the 21st century," said Tarakai.
Glasgow Times
09-06-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Oti Mabuse says trip to visit mothers in Cote d'Ivoire ‘brought everything home'
The 34-year-old visited a neonatal care unit in the west African country to help raise awareness of its work ahead of Soccer Aid, which raises money for Unicef, which funds the unit. Speaking after visiting the country's Abidjan capital, Mabuse said: 'Visiting Cote d'Ivoire with Unicef UK showed me the first-hand impact of the importance of vital care for children and their parents – especially for those that are born prematurely. Mabuse visited Cote d'Ivoire to see the work of the specialist clinic (Unicef/Frank Dejongh/PA) 'My own baby was born prematurely, so seeing the work and meeting mums like Ouattara (one of the mothers at the care unit) brought everything home. I know how vital that care and support is in those early days. 'Worldwide an estimated 4.8 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday in 2024 – deaths that were mostly preventable. 'I also met incredible foster carers like Madame Massandje, who are changing children's lives and helping give them the start in life they deserve. A warm cuddle against her mother's skin can be life-saving for a premature baby. 'Kangaroo care', used here at a UNICEF-supported hospital in Côte d'Ivoire, helps regulate breathing and body temperature and encourages bonding between parents and their newborn. #EveryChildAlive — UNICEF (@UNICEF) November 2, 2019 'These experiences showed me the real difference donations make. That's why I'm so proud to be part of Soccer Aid for Unicef – to help give every child a safe, healthy start in life.' Mabuse's daughter, who she shares with husband Marius Iepure, was born 10 weeks premature in 2023. Speaking of her own experience, Mabuse said: 'I remember the only way I could touch my child and have skin-on-skin was through this glass window – there's no mother who wants to experience that.' Ouattara, who Mabuse met, had seen her first baby die without access to specialised support, however her second baby, Abdul, although born prematurely again, was rushed to the centre where they stayed for three weeks to receive the care needed to allow him to live healthily. The performer, who has also served as a judge on Dancing On Ice, witnessed a Unicef programme called Kangaroo Mother Care at the unit, which promotes the importance of skin-to-skin contact, which is proven to significantly boost survival rates of babies born prematurely, according to the charity. Soccer Aid for UNICEF is back! 🏆💙 🏟️ Old Trafford, Manchester🗓️ Sunday 15th June 🎟️ Get your tickets today 🫡@ManUtd | #SoccerAid — Soccer Aid (@socceraid) March 11, 2025 According to Unicef, globally in 2024 an estimated 4.8 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday, including 2.3 million newborns who died within the first 28 days of life. It says that in Cote D'Ivoire, lack of access to specialised care is one of the reasons that prematurity is the leading cause of death for children under five. A Unicef appeal film of Oti Mabuse's trip will feature during Soccer Aid, which will be broadcast on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player at 6pm on Sunday, June 15. Those wishing to donate to Soccer Aid for Unicef can visit This year, every donation made to Soccer Aid for Unicef will be doubled, thanks to the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, up to £5 million.
