Destruction of Ukraine ports have major impact on global food supply.
On 21 July, Ukrainian ports along the Black Sea were attacked and destroyed. These ports deliver essential grain and food supplies to other countries, with sixty-nine countries depending on these food exports impacted by these attacks. Causing an interruption of the global food supply.
This is yet another attack on the well-being of children and families in Ukraine and around the world. UNICEF teams are on the ground providing children and families with essential emergency supplies.
Millions of children from Bangladesh, the Pacific and South Sudan face devastating losses and uncertain futures.
Children in emergencies often lose their homes, school and their loved ones. Their access to food, water and healthcare is affected, and although parents and caregivers are doing all they can to keep their children safe, devastatingly, many children are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
We can’t stop emergencies from happening, but we can ensure that more children survive. That means being on the ground, delivering life-saving support during emergencies and being there long after a crisis has struck to help restore vital health and nutrition programs.
"Today, there are more children in need of humanitarian assistance than at any other time in recent history."
Every year, UNICEF responds to hundreds of emergencies, delivering life-saving care, safeguarding children’s rights and protecting them from harm. From emergency relief to long-term development solutions, UNICEF is 100 per cent donor funded.
An unprecedented number of humanitarian emergencies are unfolding around the world, from conflicts to public health crises to devastating natural disasters. We must continue to be there before, during and after emergencies for all children who need us, but we need your help to reach every child.
Donate to Children in Emergencies
Share your hope for a child’s future. Make your end of financial year tax-deductible donation before 30 June to provide children with the essential healthcare, nutrition and clean water they need to survive in an emergency.
An unfolding emergency: Sudan conflict leaves 1 in 2 children in desperate need of humanitarian support.
As violence continues in Sudan, over 1.5 million children have been displaced across Sudan and into neighbouring countries since the conflict began on 15 April. Children and their families who remain trapped in the crossfire of Sudan’s ongoing conflict, are terrified about the fighting and the possibility of running out of food, water and medicine. As of 11 July, over 330 children have reportedly been killed and nearly 1,900 children injured. There are increasing reports of gender-based violence against girls and women, and families are continuing to flee, seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, such as Chad, Central African Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya and South Sudan.
UNICEF is working with our partners to deliver water, emergency health kits, essential supplies and medicines to hospitals and primary healthcare centres, and safe learning spaces. UNICEF is also in Chad, providing humanitarian relief to children and their families.
Even before the conflict, humanitarian needs in Sudan were dire.
Before the escalating conflict began in April 2023, more than 8.5 million children in Sudan already required humanitarian assistance. Children faced many complex challenges – malnutrition, disease outbreak, child protection and access to quality education, healthcare and routine vaccinations.
Sadly, Sudan has one of the highest rates of child malnutrition in the world. The crisis has disrupted life-saving treatment for an estimated 50,000 children suffering severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and who are currently enrolled in treatment programs. With 16 of the 34 hospitals in Khartoum having been destroyed and the rest damaged, children’s survival is at higher risk.
Even before the current crisis, 7 million children were not in school. School closures have forced millions out of their classrooms. This not only exacerbates the learning crisis in Sudan, where 70 per cent of ten-year-olds are unable to read. Devastatingly, school closure also removes a protective environment for children against physical and mental threats such as exploitation, abuse, and involuntary recruitment into armed groups.
UNICEF’s priority is to provide safe passage and protection for children and their families.
Around the world, we are always there for children during times of crisis
Children around the world are facing a deadly mix of crises, from conflict and displacement to disease outbreaks and soaring rates of malnutrition. Alongside our partners, UNICEF is working around the clock to help children and families impacted by emergencies.
Disease Prevention
In countries like Ukraine and Syria, access to medical services and vaccines can be challenging and dangerous, leaving children vulnerable to preventable, life-threatening diseases.
Nutrition
Children in countries like Somalia, Afghanistan and Timor-Leste face the constant threat of malnutrition, which can have lifelong impacts on their physical and cognitive development.
Clean Water
For many children in emergencies, a lack of access to clean water can affect their health and nutrition and expose them to the threat of waterborne diseases such as cholera.
Donate to Children in Emergencies
Share your hope for a child’s future. Make your end of financial year tax-deductible donation before 30 June to provide children with the essential healthcare, nutrition and clean water they need to survive in an emergency.
How will my donation help children?
Your gift today will help our teams on the ground reach more children in urgent need in places like Syria, Somalia, Sudan, Ukraine and other countries experiencing crises. Tax-deductible donations like yours could help provide pathways to access clean water for an entire community.
- $85 could help provide a Vaccine Pack so 233 children can be protected from preventable disease.
- $142 could help provide 252 sachets of Plumpy’Nut®, a therapeutic peanut paste, to help save the lives of two children.
- $492 could help provide access to clean water for an entire community.
- 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?
