Browsing: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

• About 23 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are facing acute food insecurity. 
• The worst drought in 40 years in the region has seen people lose cattle, crops, and entire livelihoods in the past three years. 
• While current rains have brought some reprieve, it has also led to floods, leading to displacement, increased risk of disease, livestock loss and crop damage.

About 23 million people from Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are facing acute food insecurity attributable to the worst drought in 40 years and raging floods.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the double whammy of disaster has left communities vulnerable having lost cattle, crops, and entire livelihoods.

“Over the past three years, communities have been forced to take extreme measures to survive, with millions of children and families leaving their homes out of pure desperation in search of food and water,” said Mohamed Fall, UNICEF Regional …

• An estimated 90 percent of African women do not use the internet, UNICEF reveals.
• UNICEF report says millions of girls are less prepared for the digital revolution in Africa.
• Governments in Africa urged to increase women’s safety online

While the digital revolution is believed to be reducing gender inequality globally, in Africa, the internet is largely a preserve of men. According to UNICEF, up to 90 percent of African women do not use the internet yet their male peers are twice as likely to be online.

Titled “Bridging the Digital Divide: Challenges and an Urgent Call for Action for Equitable Digital Skills Development” the survey warns that girls in Africa “are being left behind in the digital world and are the least likely to have the opportunities to develop the skills needed for 21st-century learning and employment.”

Girls less likely than boys to access internet

Released on the International Day …

In the wake of the ongoing devastating drought that continues to ravage the Horn of Africa at an alarming rate, it is imperative to urgently redress Africa’s perennial water crisis. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that communities in the Horn of Africa are experiencing one of the most severe La Niña-induced droughts leading Kenya and Somalia to declare national emergencies due to poor and unpredictable rainy seasons. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), an estimated 13 million people are grappling with a major drought caused by the driest conditions since 1981.

This has been the aftermath of three failed rainy seasons in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia that have led to extreme water shortages, consequently leading to the decimation of crops and livestock deaths, forcing families from their homes and triggering conflict between communities. The root of this deleterious crisis has been climate …

The Government of Sweden gave $4.4 million to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to support Uganda’s COVID-19 response and efforts towards the continued delivery of essential health services for pregnant and breastfeeding women, young children, newborns and adolescents.

UNICEF and its partners have continued to help Uganda in controlling, containing and mitigating the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. The organization is mostly focused on strengthening access to essential services like health care.

Due to restrictions on movement and fears of contracting the virus, many women and children have missed out on much-needed health care, including newborn and maternal care, HIV medications, vaccinations and nutrition services, exposing them to heightened danger.

Also Read:Redefining the health system in Africa after the pandemic

“Few things could be more important right now than supporting people’s health. It is extremely important that antenatal, delivery, and postnatal services, along with different levels of emergency care …

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and UNICEF announced a new partnership aimed at increasing access to quality education and protecting children from climate change.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding signed by EIB Group President Werner Hoyer and UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta Fore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that the two institutions are committed to jointly investing in quality education and skills training for the most vulnerable children. Community-based climate adaptation initiatives in schools and health facilities will be scaled up by both institutions.

“The social agenda of this European Commission aims for a more certain future for our children and young people. We want to protect them from poverty and make sure they have access to the skills and training they need to navigate the green and digital transitions. Nobody should be left behind. I welcome today’s agreement between the EIB and UNICEF which captures that very same ethos.” …