We’re on the ground, working to reach children and their families with lifesaving support while helping communities recover.
When war breaks out and disaster strikes, the chaos and insecurity that follows leaves children and their families at high risk. They lose their home, school and often loved ones. Their access to food, water and healthcare is affected, and many children are left vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.
With the sheer scale of our infrastructure and long-term development work around the world, UNICEF can act quickly, delivering lifesaving help to children in as little as 48 hours. When essential services are destroyed in places like Gaza, Sudan and across the Horn of Africa, we provide the lifesaving nutrition and healthcare they urgently need. When schools are destroyed in Ukraine and Syria, we set up temporary learning spaces. In the hardest to reach places, like in the Pacific, we deliver vaccines to stop preventable diseases that can spread in the aftermath of disasters.
These are just some of the ways UNICEF responds to help children and families impacted by emergencies.
Gaza crisis
After two years of relentless bombardment, deprivation, and unimaginable loss, the situation in Gaza is catastrophic. Since the violence escalated in October 2023, over 21,000 children have been killed, with tens of thousands more injured, many with life-changing injuries.
As the conflict continues, the needs of children are immense. Children are still suffering from severe malnutrition, and many families continue to face extreme hardship after multiple displacements, lack of access to healthcare services, and widespread destruction of homes and vital infrastructure.
UNICEF is on the ground in Gaza, and despite the challenges faced and the escalating conflict, we have remained. We’re continuing our response to deliver nutrition, medicine, clean water, warm clothing, and shelter to those in need, but we urgently need your help to reach more children and families.
Children in Emergencies
In every emergency, every crisis, every moment children need us most – UNICEF is there. And with you standing with us, we always will be.
Learn more about some of the biggest global challenges
From global health crises to man-made disasters, our explainers help you to learn more about unfolding emergencies that are impacting already vulnerable communities.
How UNICEF responds to emergencies
When a crisis hits, children need more than emergency supplies. They need sustained support to recover and grow. UNICEF delivers both. And when Australians stand with us, we can reach every child in need.
In as little as 48 hours, our teams can act quickly after an emergency or disaster strikes to deliver clean, safe water and essential medical supplies to prevent malnutrition and illness. We help new mothers give birth safely, and we provide lifesaving vaccines to protect children from deadly disease outbreaks.
Helping communities recover also means creating safe spaces for children so that they can continue to learn and play, provide innovative tents for children and families to shelter in, and provide psychosocial support to help children process and cope with their trauma.
Always there in emergencies
UNICEF’s humanitarian role during conflict
Amid some of the world’s most complex crises, UNICEF is on the ground delivering lifesaving support and staying to help children rebuild their lives. When Australians stand with us, we can reach every child who needs us.
As conflicts continue to unfold around the world, we answer some of the big questions about UNICEF’s humanitarian role during conflict and war and how we protect, advocate and deliver lifesaving support for children and families caught in these crises.
Our recent work in emergencies around the world.
We are always there for children before, during and after an emergency.
![With his family, Syrian refugee Shadi [NAME CHANGED], 9, has lived with a host family for nine months, in North Lebanon.](https://assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com:443/99f113b4-e5f7-00d2-23c0-c83ca2e4cfa2/01664d5f-21f4-49bf-9a09-2d56b3fe8d7b/UNI638343.jpg?w=500&fm=jpg&auto=format)
