Always there for children before, during and after an emergency.
Widespread devastation as Cyclone Mocha hits Myanmar and Bangladesh
14 May 2023, Cyclone Mocha struck the coast between Bangladesh and Myanmar. With wind speeds reaching approximately 250 kmph, its impact brought widespread devastation to a region that's already in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. UNICEF teams were already on the ground, delivering life-saving care to children and families. They are now working to quickly distribute prepositioned supplies to ensure children have access to safe, clean water, shelter and emergency food.
An unfolding emergency in Sudan as ongoing conflict leaves 13.6 million children in desperate need of humanitarian support.
As violence continues in Sudan, an estimated 175,000 children have fled to neighbouring countries and approximately 600,000 more are newly displaced inside the country. As of 30 May, over 190 children have reportedly been killed and nearly 2,000 children injured. Families are continuing to flee, seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, such as Chad, Central African Republic and Egypt.
"We have reports that, on average, every single hour over this first 11-day period of fighting, seven children have been killed or injured. Seven children. Every hour. It is important to note that these reports of children killed or injured are only those who had contact with a medical facility. So, as ever, the reality is likely to be much worse," says James Elder, UNICEF Spokesperson.
Many families are trapped in the crossfire with little or no access to electricity, terrified about the ongoing fighting and the possibility of running out of food, water and medicine. Thousands of families are on the move, fleeing their homes and communities out of fear for their lives. As the situation worsens, collecting and verifying information is becoming increasingly difficult.
UNICEF has received reports of gender-based violence against children and women, of children sheltering in schools and care centres while fighting rages around them, of children's hospitals forced to evacuate as shelling moves closer, and hospitals, health centres and other critical infrastructure damaged or destroyed, limiting access to essential and life-saving care and medicine.
The fighting has disrupted critical, life-saving care for an estimated 50,000 severely acutely malnourished children. These vulnerable children need ongoing, round-the-clock care, which is being put at risk by the escalating violence. Plus, an estimated 620,000 children will suffer from severe wasting (when a child loses weight rapidly because of a sudden lack of nutritious food) in 2023, half of whom may die if not helped in time.
Even before the escalation in violence, humanitarian needs in Sudan were dire. Now, more than ever, the children of Sudan need your help.
From Sudan and Syria to Afghanistan and Ukraine, UNICEF is working alongside our partners to provide urgent assistance to children and their families.
When natural disasters strike, UNICEF is on the ground, helping to save lives after devastating earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and flooding wreak havoc in communities. And we're there for the long haul, too, staying long after the headlines fade to help build brighter futures for children and their communities.
Thanks to the contributions of our generous supporters, we're able to have a presence in 190 countries around the world. With the scale of our infrastructure, pre-positioned supplies in areas prone to emergencies and our long-term development programs around the world, UNICEF can act quickly, delivering life-saving help to children in just 48 hours.
Your donations also ensure we are ready to respond when emergencies strike, such as the recent earthquake in Türkiye, which has devastated communities in both Türkiye and Syria. Our teams, which have been in the region for over 70 years, are currently working with other UN agency teams and local partners to assess the situation on the ground and are ready to respond to the needs of the communities.
100%
UNICEF is 100% donor funded.
300
we can respond to an average of 300 emergencies a year.
How will my donation help children?
By donating to support UNICEF’s emergency work, you can help us reach the world’s most vulnerable children and their communities.
- $84 could provide an emergency food ration pack containing 216 bars of ready-to-eat fortified food.
- $130 could provide 9660 water purification tablets, each able to create up to 5 litres of clean drinking water.
- $271 could deliver a School-in-a-Box with enough education supplies to keep 40 students learning.
- 82¢last year, 82 cents of every dollar donated went to our emergency response work in the field and helped us to be there for children before, during and after emergencies around the world.
- 18¢last year, 18 cents in every dollar were invested in raising public awareness; fundraising to grow our impact for children and in essential accountability and administration work.
How do we use each dollar donated?
Your generous gift will help support UNICEF's work for children in emergencies and for all children in need around the world.
When war breaks out or disaster strikes, you can make a difference.
UNICEF is on the ground, providing urgent assistance to children and their families. But we can’t do it alone. We need your help to always be there. No matter what.