UNICEF East Asia and Pacific

128 million young people in Asia-Pacific were out of school before COVID-19. In Thailand, students see AI as a key to coding and personalised learning, but access remains a challenge. UNICEF Thailand is working with partners to make AI in education inclusive for all. 👉 https://lnkd.in/eu9zFvzp Mitsue Uemura Antonia Mandry Linda Jonsson UNICEF Thailand

Separated by 7,000 kilometers, 2 young people in Lao PDR and Poland are driving solutions important to them and finding common ground through UPSHIFT, UNICEF’s social innovator accelerator for youth. 💡 To combat air pollution, James in Lao PDR has a plan to transform rice straw waste into useful products instead of burning it. And to expand her social circle and combat loneliness in a new country, Kseniia is creating ‘emotion zones’ in the hallways of her school. 💙 Learn more about how they're building transferable skills and mindsets to shape their communities and lives 👉🏽 https://lnkd.in/dqX5Xmbp Visma, Crocs

How are climate change and education connected? 50 millions of children in the Pacific are facing school closures due to climate-related disasters, making learning and challenge and putting their futures at risk. 🌍🔥 Governments, business and communities all have a role to play in safeguarding children's right to learn. Every child deserves a chance to thrive, no matter what the weather brings. That is why UNICEF is joining Climate Group Asia Action Summit in May—to ensure children’s voices are heard, explore public-private collaboration on climate adaptation, and engage business leaders who are investing in climate solutions that prioritize the next generation. June Kunugi Ann Putnam Marks Nicole N. Kanrawee Sisandsaup Chiara Frisone Thitawan Berananda UNICEF Thailand Mitsue Uemura Antonia Mandry Katherine Curtiss Linda Jonsson Raweekarn (Paopao) Amarachgul Ticiana Garcia-Tapia Mirjana Unčanin Shreyasi Jha

This recent UNICEF piece in the Business Post highlights the grave impacts that foreign aid cuts are having for the world’s most vulnerable children. As the globe experiences the highest number of conflicts since World War Two, nearly 1 in 5 children are fleeing or living in #conflict zones and 1 in 4 children under five are facing #hunger. Now, just when #children need us most, institutions that have long protected the world’s most vulnerable are stepping back. We must be very clear about this. Every reduction in funding puts more children's lives at risk. Last month, I witnessed first-hand the situation on the ground in #Sudan where two years of civil war have created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. 📌 More than 30 million people in Sudan need humanitarian assistance – half of them children. 📌Nearly 25 million people are hungry, and famine is confirmed in at least five localities. 📌The number of grave violations against children has surged by 1000% in two years. It is a categorical fact that funding cuts will limit our ability to reach millions of children in dire need – both in Sudan and around the world. Indeed they are already impacting some UNICEF programmes. My colleague and Cork native Ettie Higgins, the UNICEF Deputy Representative in Lebanon, has stated, "We have been forced to suspend or cut back or drastically reduce many of our programmes and that includes nutrition". This in a context where the number of children facing food shortages has more than doubled in the past two years. We must confront the fact that it is children's lives at stake here. The question now stands: When others are stepping back, who is going step forward for children? As UNICEF we are committed to staying and delivering. But we cannot do it alone. As the Business Post article notes, support from #philanthropy has a crucial role to play. As do partnerships with the corporate community. We are calling on you to join us. Get in touch so that together we can explore potential synergies with your philanthropic priorities and discuss how you can step forward #ForEveryChild. Full article here: https://lnkd.in/eamNZqHN

Good nutrition is the foundation of child survival and lifelong development. From pregnancy through early childhood, nutrition shapes brain development, physical growth and well-being. Yet across Asia-Pacific: 🔹 1 in 7 preschoolers are stunted 🔹 Over 50% lack essential nutrients 🔹 1.5 million children are severely malnourished With proven solutions—like breastfeeding support, better early diets, and fortified foods—we can change the story. June Kunugi, UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific, will be joining The Nutrition Challenge panel on Day 1 of Philanthropy Asia Summit to explore strategies to improve food quality and access for children—especially in the face of climate change. Swipe for details on the panel and watch this space for more insights. #PhilanthropyAsiaAlliance #PhilanthropyAsiaSummit

Climate-induced disasters are threatening children’s education in East Asia & the Pacific.    50 million children already affected by school closures due to climate-related disasters, and an equivalent of 1.5 years of education has already been lost.    We cannot tackle this challenge alone.     We need governments, partners and communities to join us to build more resilient education systems and ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive, no matter the climate.    👉 Read more in our newest report: https://lnkd.in/eGwAshg7 Mitsue Uemura Antonia Mandry Katherine Curtiss Brooke Y. Linda Jonsson UNICEF Viet Nam UNICEF Pacific UNICEF Philippines UNICEF Indonesia UNICEF Cambodia Esomchi Agalamanyi

In remote Preah Vihear, Buor Sak is a beacon of hope, helping families access essential support through Cambodia’s Family Package programme.    With UNICEF’s support, she leverages digital tools to register families quickly, ensuring no one is left behind.    To date, over 640,000 families—1,900 of them with children with disabilities—have been enrolled in the programme, receiving tailored assistance.    Funded by Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the European Union, the Family Package programme is lifting families out of poverty, providing children with the opportunity to thrive, and empowering leaders like Buor Sak to create lasting impact in their communities.    👉 https://lnkd.in/eEb6-N9X UNICEF Cambodia

A public school in Vientiane Capital has become the first of 150 schools nationwide to install an AI-supported air quality sensor—marking a major step toward real-time tracking of harmful pollutants.     Lao PDR is among the most polluted countries in Southeast Asia. This initiative—led by UNICEF Lao PDR and key partners—will provide critical data to protect children’s health.     These sensors feed real-time insights into public platforms like OpenAQ, enabling schools and authorities to act swiftly when air quality drops.     Why it matters?  ✔️ Governments can proactively respond to pollution threats, as seen in Thailand.   ✔️Students and teachers learn how to interpret and act on air quality data.   ✔️With expert training and AI forecasting, every district will have access to real-time monitoring.     As this initiative scales, it sets a precedent for data-driven environmental action across the region. 👏 Kudos to Arm, The Makerbox Lao - ເດີເມັກເກີ້ບອກສລາວ, Lao Telecom Company Ltd., AirGradient Ltd., and many more for making this possible!     👉 https://lnkd.in/e64UpS6F   Simon Nazer Anna-Lisa Robertson Jude Hanan UNICEF Digital Technology UNICEF UNICEF Innovation Achim Haug Sunny Ibeneme Boualiane OBMALAY Thailand Clean Air Network National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand Soheib ELSHEIKH Hugo Ruiz Verastegui Anthony Mockler

A milestone for Southeast Asia—and for the frontline heroes of disaster response. On ASEAN Social Work Day 2025, ASEAN became the first regional body to formally adopt a framework on the role of the social service workforce in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate resilience. Why does this matter? Because while climate-related disasters are increasing across our region, their impact falls heaviest on the most vulnerable—especially children. And yet, social workers—who are often first to respond and last to leave—have historically been overlooked in DRR and climate agendas. This new regional guidance, launched with support from UNICEF East Asia and Pacific and developed through a truly collaborative ASEAN process, is a bold step forward. It was shaped through technical workshops, endorsed at the ASEAN Leaders’ Summit, and spotlighted at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on DRR in Manila. UNICEF Philippines is proud to work alongside The ASEAN Secretariat Secretariat, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Member States to bring this guidance to life—through national rollouts, practical tools like a forthcoming pocket guide, and continued advocacy. Special thanks to the Government of the Philippines for their leadership and to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their support in making this possible. Investing in the social service workforce isn’t just smart policy—it’s how we protect children when they need us most. #ForEveryChild #ASEAN #SocialWork #ClimateResilience #DisasterResponse *Photos from DSWD 

We’re thrilled to be part of the upcoming Philanthropy Asia Summit 2025 in Singapore! This unique gathering of global and regional leaders will catalyse collective action—and we’re especially honoured to help bring children’s voices to the forefront of the solutions, innovations, and actions shaping Asia’s response to global challenges in climate, education, and health. Watch this space for updates on UNICEF speakers and engagements. #PAS2025 Roland Kupka Mera Boulus Grozier Ann Putnam Marks June Kunugi Juan Ignacio Calvo Nicole N. Myo-Zin Nyunt