UNICEF report spotlights most severe crises affecting children

As global attention focuses on efforts to provide life-saving support to the people of Haiti, UNICEF releases its Humanitarian Action Report 2010 which includes an appeal for an additional $1.2 billion in emergency assistance for countries in most desperate need.

This year’s report highlights the situation of children and women in 28 countries and territories that have been identified as being in the most desperate need and seeks $1.2 billion (£941 million) to help them. 

Humanitarian Action Report 2010 emphasises the increasing importance of partnerships with donors, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, foundations, research institutions and universities among other to meet the needs of children and families affected.

“Haiti was one of the countries UNICEF classified as ‘in crisis’ when the Humanitarian Action Report went to press, even before the earthquake hit,” said Hilde F. Johnson, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director. “Faced with multiple hurricanes, in addition to civil unrest, the country was still in need of humanitarian assistance.”

“The earthquake is a horrific example of another double disaster, – destroying the lives and livelihoods of the Haitian people and crippling the very infrastructure and systems needed for humanitarian actions to be effective,” she said.  “But we are achieving results. A major immunisation campaign for 700,000 children under seven is being undertaken this week, immunising children against measles, diphtheria and tetanus.”

“Children are suffering in many different places, and for a range of reasons. They all need our help. In 2009, large-scale and repeated natural and man-made disasters struck Southeast Asia, while emergencies in the Horn of Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan intensified,” said Johnson.

Every year, UNICEF responds to 200 emergencies all over the world.  The Humanitarian Action Report 2010 examines the most severe crises, those that require exceptional support.

The 28 countries and territories are included in the report on the basis of the scale and chronic or protracted nature of the crisis, the severity of its impact on children and women and the potential to bring about life-saving results. In these cases, urgent action is imperative to save lives, ensure access to safe water, adequate sanitation and hygiene, health, nutrition and to protect children against the worst forms of violence and abuse, and to provide children with education – even under the worst of circumstances.

The Humanitarian Action Report this year points to evolving global trends which pose cumulative risks to children including climate change, global economic volatility, and the changing nature of conflict – particularly the widespread prevalence of sexual violence against children and women. These factors add to the vulnerability of poor communities and threaten the survival and fundamental rights of children.

The ongoing global financial crisis, compounded by unstable food prices, is causing increases in poverty and malnutrition, and severely threatening progress that has been made for children in some developing countries.

Children and women have been especially hard hit. In 2009 many more poor families were forced to cut meals and reduce the quality of their food intake. According to a report by the Food and Agriculture Organization in 2009, more than one billion people worldwide were hungry – a rise of at least 100 million since 2008.

With the severity of the crises in Asia, be it in Pakistan and Afghanistan or the Philippines, financial needs are expected to more than double in 2010. However, the greatest needs are still in sub-Saharan Africa, where some 24 million people in the Horn of Africa are being affected by drought, chronic food insecurity and armed conflict in 2009. Sudan, Chad, Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are facing internal and/or cross-border violence and mass displacement, and problems of humanitarian access. The situation also remains severe in Zimbabwe, deepening the vulnerability of the country’s children and women.

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