190 million children at risk from water-related crises: UNICEF

190 million children at risk from water-related crises: UNICEF

The study, released on Monday ahead of the historic UN Water Conference, reviewed household access to WASH services, the burden of WASH-attributable deaths among children under five, and exposure to climate and environmental hazards, revealing where children face the biggest threat, and where investment in solutions is desperately needed to prevent unnecessary deaths. “Africa is…

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Central Sahel: Lives of 10 million children on the line as conflict rages

Central Sahel: Lives of 10 million children on the line as conflict rages

“Brutal” armed conflict has left 10 million children in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in need of humanitarian assistance – more than double the number in 2020, UNICEF warned in a new report. And hostilities spilling over into neighbouring countries, are putting an extra four million children at risk. “The conflict may not have clear boundaries, there…

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To save a million species, World Wildlife Day underscores crucial role of partnerships

To save a million species, World Wildlife Day underscores crucial role of partnerships

“One million species teeter on the brink of extinction, due to habitat destruction, fossil fuel pollution and the worsening climate crisis. We must end this war on nature,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned in his message for the Day.  The scores of species of fauna and flora under threat from human activities include some that…

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Refugee agency appeals for $137 million to help displaced in Horn of Africa

Refugee agency appeals for $137 million to help displaced in Horn of Africa

Today in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, more than eight million people require food assistance and around 332,000 “urgently need food, otherwise their lives are at risk”, said UNHCR spokesperson Olga Sarrado. A full eight in 10 of the displaced are women and children, the UNHCR official continued, while UN migration agency, IOM, warned that failed rains and conflict…

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1.5 million now homeless in Türkiye after quake disaster, warn UN development experts

1.5 million now homeless in Türkiye after quake disaster, warn UN development experts

“This makes this clearly the largest earthquake disaster in Türkiye’s history and perhaps the largest natural disaster the country has ever faced,” said Louisa Vinton, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Türkiye Resident Representative.  Two further earthquakes measuring 6.4 and 5.8 on the Richter Scale killed six more on the Türkiye-Syria border on Monday, with “another 294…

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78 million children don’t go to school at all, warns UN chief in call for action

78 million children don’t go to school at all, warns UN chief in call for action

Lending his support to a call for more funding for education in emergencies spearheaded by the UN global fund Education Cannot Wait (ECW) the UN chief insisted in a video message that no-one should be denied their chance to learn. A full 222 million children today experience blighted education today, Mr. Guterres noted. To help them, 18…

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Horn of Africa: $84 million appeal to support migrants along risky route to Yemen

Horn of Africa: $84 million appeal to support migrants along risky route to Yemen

The Regional Migrant Response Plan, launched this week, will address the dire needs and protection risks facing people along the treacherous Eastern Route towards the Arabian Peninsula.  Other objectives include scaling-up delivery of lifesaving and resilience-building initiatives and implementing long-term sustainable solutions for both migrants and host communities.  Dangerous journeys  The Eastern Route is one…

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Guterres calls on countries to fully fund $397 million quake appeal for Syria

Guterres calls on countries to fully fund $397 million quake appeal for Syria

António Guterres told reporters outside the Security Council in New York that aid “must get through from all sides” and the funding would cover an initial period of three months. He said a similar appeal is being finalised for survivors across the border in Türkiye. ‘Immense’ need In the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes, the United Nations…

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WHO announces $43 million appeal to scale up response in Syria and Turkiye

WHO announces $43 million appeal to scale up response in Syria and Turkiye

The amount is set to increase as the magnitude of the disaster becomes clearer, he said, speaking during a press conference from the Syrian capital, Damascus. Latest reports put the death toll at more than 33,000, according to international media, with millions more left homeless. Ramping up operations Tedros also reported that the Syrian authorities…

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