UNICEF UK

“As the scale of challenges facing children continues to grow, UNICEF UK urgently calls on UK businesses to donate to our appeal and demonstrate their commitment to protecting the lives of children and families in #Myanmar at this critical time.” Read the full statement from #UNICEF UK’s CEO, Dr Philip Goodwin, on the private sector response to the devastating earthquakes in Myanmar. Donate to our appeal: https://lnkd.in/dy9xd8Pn Contact our #Partnerships team to find out how your organisation can support UNICEF’s work: https://lnkd.in/ePiD54xf 

Following the devastating earthquakes in Myanmar easyJet have launched an onboard collection to support children and families at risk.   UNICEF teams are situated in the hardest-hit areas, working around the clock to assess needs and deliver emergency assistance.   All the funds raised will enable UNICEF’s emergency response teams to continue to deliver essential resources to help save and protect lives.   Thank you to easyJet's cabin crew and customers for their generous support towards our work at this critical time.   Read more here https://lnkd.in/eaJsmHa6 To donate https://lnkd.in/dy9xd8Pn

Read full statement by Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (United Nations OCHA), Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UNICEF, Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director, UNOPS, Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UNRWA, Cindy McCain, Executive Director, World Food Programme, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization. https://lnkd.in/eJsMXcUG

In our latest article for #WorldHealthDay, UNICEF UK's Senior Policy Advisor for Child Health, Sian Williams, examines the complex reality behind global child mortality statistics. While brilliant progress has been made, millions of children worldwide still face precarious situations that put their futures at risk. Read more to discover UNICEF UK's recommendations for reinvigorating progress on child health and ensuring all children not only survive but thrive.

This week we were with our partners Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club on their home turf as we took over two of their matches as part of our partnership which is making a real difference to children around world.   As well as showcasing a special film at half time to highlight the work our #partnership supports – introduced by comedian, #Brighton resident and UNICEF supporter, Maisie Adam and Steven Blackwood, Head of Sport and Gaming at UNICEF UK - players wore special warm-up t-shirts dedicated ‘for every child’ and fans were also be able to donate via QR codes around the stadiums and show their support by choosing from a unique selection of BHAFC and UNICEF face painting and temporary tattoo designs.    The generous support of the Club and their fans means we can scale up our efforts to support the wellbeing of children everywhere – thank you #BHAFC. 

The amount of international bilateral aid the government spends on children could be a quarter of what it was in 2019 by 2027 according to new UNICEF UK analysis - falling to £600 million.    We’ve made great progress - under-five mortality has more than halved since 1990. But 4.8 million children still died before their fifth birthday in 2023. In 2024, more children than ever lived in a conflict zone or were forced away from their home by violence. Futures are at risk - now is not the time to scale back UK support to the most vulnerable children.     Today, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office published provisional statistics for Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending in 2024.  £14 billion was spent as overseas aid, with 20% spent in the UK to support refugees and asylum seekers. This means that ODA spent outside of the UK was only 0.4% of GNI - the lowest in over 15 years.     UNICEF UK is calling for the Government to phase out the use of aid in the UK within the next year, ensuring that all savings are returned to the FCDO. This is all the more urgent as cuts to the ODA budget begin this year. We know that children were disproportionately impacted by cuts made in 2021. Our new analysis shows that if this is allowed to happen again, then child-focused bilateral aid will fall by a further £500 million by 2027. This would be equivalent to cutting all bilateral aid focused on nutrition in 2023.    This is utterly insufficient for children, who comprise more than half of the population of developing countries. So we’re also calling for the government to commit to protect aid for children from cuts and to commit to spending at least 25% of ODA on child focused programmes. In our latest blog post, we’ve written why investing in children is not only the right thing but the smart thing to do.    Phasing out the use of ODA for IDRCs (while making sure refugees and asylum seekers are supported with dignity) and maintaining the ODA budget at 0.5% of GNI before 2027, would mean £6 billion more for children in developing countries between 2025 and 2028. With this sum, the UK Government could change the lives of millions of children: the Government could fulfil and replenish its commitments to key multilateral funds like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, enabling at least 87 million more children to be vaccinated. https://lnkd.in/e6cUVx4p

Following last week’s devastating earthquakes, the situation in Myanmar remains critical for children and families in affected regions. We want to express our deepest gratitude to our partners and donors who support our efforts, including those who already provide crucial flexible funding for our emergency work, including 111 Harley St., BT Group, Clipper Ventures // Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, Clyde & Co, easyJet, Formula 1, KELLER, People's Postcode Lottery and Revolut. Join our partners in solidarity with our work for children and families in Myanmar. Together, we can ensure children receive the protection and support that they need. Donate to our appeal: https://lnkd.in/dy9xd8Pn Contact our Partnerships team to find out how your organisation can support UNICEF’s work: https://lnkd.in/dKuZfG4v Photo: © UNICEF/Htet 5-year-old Phone poses for a photograph with his mother after receiving a box of UNICEF's WASH supplies in the Sagaing region, following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar.

“With a pool of flexible funding to respond to any crisis as it happens, as well as the combined reach of its members, I firmly believe that UNICEF UK’s Emergency Alliance can generate significant support within the private sector  for children who currently bear the brunt of the world’s biggest challenges.”    UNICEF UK’s Chief Executive Philip Goodwin spoke to The Times about our Emergency Alliance and urges decision makers to join us and take collective action to uphold children’s rights in the most challenging of circumstances.    Read more in today’s paper. ©The Times

UNICEF is on the ground, responding to the ongoing crisis in Myanmar that is impacting millions of children. You can support our urgent appeal here: https://lnkd.in/dy9xd8Pn

Initial reports from the earthquakes in Myanmar show severe damage to buildings and roads in Sagaing as well as in Nay Pyi Daw and Mandalay, which are home to hundreds of thousands of children. Damage has also been reported in Bangkok and other parts of Thailand.   UNICEF teams are on the ground assessing the impact and are preparing to respond.