The appeal is 31 per cent larger than last year’s campaign, as humanitarian needs continue to grow globally, exacerbated by conflict, the climate crisis and now the pandemic. 
 
“Millions of children around the world are suffering from the impacts of conflict, extreme weather events and the climate crisis,” said Executive Director Henrietta Fore. 

‘Urgent help’ 

“As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches its third year, the plight of these children is made even worse with faltering economies, growing poverty and rising inequality. As always, it is the children already living through crises who are the hardest hit. They need urgent help,” she said. 
 
As the pandemic continues to set back the education, health, nutrition and well-being of children around the globe, providing the tools to bring it under control requires urgent support.  $933 million of appeal funds will be allocated to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. 
 
Climate change is worsening the scale and intensity of emergencies according to the reports, as the agency reported that the number of climate-related disasters had tripled in the last 30 years. Over 400 million children live in areas of high, or extremely high, water vulnerability, it said. 

Afghanistan focus

The appeal includes $2 billion for UNICEF’s response in Afghanistan in the agency’s largest ever single-country appeal, where 13 million children need urgent humanitarian assistance.  These include one million children facing severe acute malnutrition, living with national health systems on the brink of collapse, according to the agency's statement. 
 
UNICEF will also allocate funds for Syria, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Ethiopia, where brutal fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands of children. 
 
The funds appealed for by the agency will support essential programs for over 177 million children in need across 145 countries and territories through 2022.  

Global Forum for Children and Youth

On its 75th anniversary, UNICEF is also teaming up on Tuesday, with the governments of Botswana and Sweden to host the  bringing together leaders, experts, change makers and influencers, along with children and youth.  In a three-day programme with more than 40 sessions and 100 top speakers, it will focus on priority themes such as climate, mental health, education, poverty and protection from violence.  

The appeal is 31 per cent larger than last year’s campaign, as humanitarian needs continue to grow globally, exacerbated by conflict, the climate crisis and now the pandemic. 
 
“Millions of children around the world are suffering from the impacts of conflict, extreme weather events and the climate crisis,” said Executive Director Henrietta Fore. 

‘Urgent help’ 

“As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches its third year, the plight of these children is made even worse with faltering economies, growing poverty and rising inequality. As always, it is the children already living through crises who are the hardest hit. They need urgent help,” she said. 
 
As the pandemic continues to set back the education, health, nutrition and well-being of children around the globe, providing the tools to bring it under control requires urgent support.  $933 million of appeal funds will be allocated to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. 
 
Climate change is worsening the scale and intensity of emergencies according to the reports, as the agency reported that the number of climate-related disasters had tripled in the last 30 years. Over 400 million children live in areas of high, or extremely high, water vulnerability, it said. 

Afghanistan focus

The appeal includes $2 billion for UNICEF’s response in Afghanistan in the agency’s largest ever single-country appeal, where 13 million children need urgent humanitarian assistance.  These include one million children facing severe acute malnutrition, living with national health systems on the brink of collapse, according to the agency's statement. 
 
UNICEF will also allocate funds for Syria, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Ethiopia, where brutal fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands of children. 
 
The funds appealed for by the agency will support essential programs for over 177 million children in need across 145 countries and territories through 2022.  

Global Forum for Children and Youth

On its 75th anniversary, UNICEF is also teaming up on Tuesday, with the governments of Botswana and Sweden to host the  bringing together leaders, experts, change makers and influencers, along with children and youth.  In a three-day programme with more than 40 sessions and 100 top speakers, it will focus on priority themes such as climate, mental health, education, poverty and protection from violence.  

The appeal is 31 per cent larger than last year’s campaign, as humanitarian needs continue to grow globally, exacerbated by conflict, the climate crisis and now the pandemic. 
 
“Millions of children around the world are suffering from the impacts of conflict, extreme weather events and the climate crisis,” said Executive Director Henrietta Fore. 

‘Urgent help’ 

“As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches its third year, the plight of these children is made even worse with faltering economies, growing poverty and rising inequality. As always, it is the children already living through crises who are the hardest hit. They need urgent help,” she said. 
 
As the pandemic continues to set back the education, health, nutrition and well-being of children around the globe, providing the tools to bring it under control requires urgent support.  $933 million of appeal funds will be allocated to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines. 
 
Climate change is worsening the scale and intensity of emergencies according to the reports, as the agency reported that the number of climate-related disasters had tripled in the last 30 years. Over 400 million children live in areas of high, or extremely high, water vulnerability, it said. 

Afghanistan focus

The appeal includes $2 billion for UNICEF’s response in Afghanistan in the agency’s largest ever single-country appeal, where 13 million children need urgent humanitarian assistance.  These include one million children facing severe acute malnutrition, living with national health systems on the brink of collapse, according to the agency's statement. 
 
UNICEF will also allocate funds for Syria, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Ethiopia, where brutal fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands of children. 
 
The funds appealed for by the agency will support essential programs for over 177 million children in need across 145 countries and territories through 2022.  

Global Forum for Children and Youth

On its 75th anniversary, UNICEF is also teaming up on Tuesday, with the governments of Botswana and Sweden to host the  bringing together leaders, experts, change makers and influencers, along with children and youth.  In a three-day programme with more than 40 sessions and 100 top speakers, it will focus on priority themes such as climate, mental health, education, poverty and protection from violence.  

In a  released on Friday, the agency’s Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, said that she was “deeply concerned” over reports that child marriage is on the rise.   Even before the latest political instability, ’s partners registered 183 child marriages and 10 cases of selling of children in Herat and Baghdis provinces between the ages of six months and 17 years from 2018 to 2019.   The agency estimates that 28 per cent of Afghan women between the ages 15 and 49 were married before they reached their 18th birthday. 

A growing crisis 

The pandemic, the ongoing food crisis and the onset of winter have further exacerbated the situation for families.  In 2020, almost half of Afghanistan’s population was so poor that they lacked basic necessities, such as nutrition or clean water.  And the extremely dire economic situation is pushing more families deeper into poverty and forcing them to make desperate choices, such as putting children to work and marrying girls off at a young age.  “As most teenage girls are still not allowed to go back to school, the risk of child marriage is now even higher”, Ms. Fore said. “Education is often the best protection against negative coping mechanisms such as child marriage and child labour”.-* 

Lifetime of suffering 

UNICEF is working with partners to raise the awareness of communities on the risks girls face when marrying early, such as a lifetime of suffering.  Girls who marry before they turn 18 are less likely to remain in school and more likely to experience domestic violence, discrimination, abuse and poor mental health. They are also more vulnerable to complications in pregnancy and childbirth.  The agency has started a cash assistance programme to help offset the risk of hunger, child labour and child marriage among the most vulnerable families. The plan is to scale up this and other social services programmes in the months to come.  UNICEF will also work with religious leaders to ensure that they are not involved in the “Nekah”, or marriage contract, for young girls.  “But this is not enough”, said Ms. Fore, calling on central, provincial and local authorities to support and safeguard the most vulnerable families and girls.  She also urged the de facto authorities to prioritize the reopening of all secondary schools for girls and allow all-female teachers to resume their jobs without any further delays.  “The future of an entire generation is at stake”, she concluded.  

‘Dramatic situation’ 

In parallel coverage, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women () closed its 18th session.  In her concluding , Gladys Acosta Vargas, the Committee Chairperson, said all Members were “deeply concerned about the dramatic situation” of women and girls in Afghanistan.  She argued that it was “crucial” that the Committee decided to request an exceptional report on their situation, at an opportune time.  The Committee also asked for the creation of an informal task force to consider the impact of the evolving political, economic and social situation on the rights of women and girls. 

In a  released on Friday, the agency’s Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, said that she was “deeply concerned” over reports that child marriage is on the rise.   Even before the latest political instability, ’s partners registered 183 child marriages and 10 cases of selling of children in Herat and Baghdis provinces between the ages of six months and 17 years from 2018 to 2019.   The agency estimates that 28 per cent of Afghan women between the ages 15 and 49 were married before they reached their 18th birthday. 

A growing crisis 

The pandemic, the ongoing food crisis and the onset of winter have further exacerbated the situation for families.  In 2020, almost half of Afghanistan’s population was so poor that they lacked basic necessities, such as nutrition or clean water.  And the extremely dire economic situation is pushing more families deeper into poverty and forcing them to make desperate choices, such as putting children to work and marrying girls off at a young age.  “As most teenage girls are still not allowed to go back to school, the risk of child marriage is now even higher”, Ms. Fore said. “Education is often the best protection against negative coping mechanisms such as child marriage and child labour”.-* 

Lifetime of suffering 

UNICEF is working with partners to raise the awareness of communities on the risks girls face when marrying early, such as a lifetime of suffering.  Girls who marry before they turn 18 are less likely to remain in school and more likely to experience domestic violence, discrimination, abuse and poor mental health. They are also more vulnerable to complications in pregnancy and childbirth.  The agency has started a cash assistance programme to help offset the risk of hunger, child labour and child marriage among the most vulnerable families. The plan is to scale up this and other social services programmes in the months to come.  UNICEF will also work with religious leaders to ensure that they are not involved in the “Nekah”, or marriage contract, for young girls.  “But this is not enough”, said Ms. Fore, calling on central, provincial and local authorities to support and safeguard the most vulnerable families and girls.  She also urged the de facto authorities to prioritize the reopening of all secondary schools for girls and allow all-female teachers to resume their jobs without any further delays.  “The future of an entire generation is at stake”, she concluded.  

‘Dramatic situation’ 

In parallel coverage, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women () closed its 18th session.  In her concluding , Gladys Acosta Vargas, the Committee Chairperson, said all Members were “deeply concerned about the dramatic situation” of women and girls in Afghanistan.  She argued that it was “crucial” that the Committee decided to request an exceptional report on their situation, at an opportune time.  The Committee also asked for the creation of an informal task force to consider the impact of the evolving political, economic and social situation on the rights of women and girls. 

In a  released on Friday, the agency’s Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, said that she was “deeply concerned” over reports that child marriage is on the rise.   Even before the latest political instability, ’s partners registered 183 child marriages and 10 cases of selling of children in Herat and Baghdis provinces between the ages of six months and 17 years from 2018 to 2019.   The agency estimates that 28 per cent of Afghan women between the ages 15 and 49 were married before they reached their 18th birthday. 

A growing crisis 

The pandemic, the ongoing food crisis and the onset of winter have further exacerbated the situation for families.  In 2020, almost half of Afghanistan’s population was so poor that they lacked basic necessities, such as nutrition or clean water.  And the extremely dire economic situation is pushing more families deeper into poverty and forcing them to make desperate choices, such as putting children to work and marrying girls off at a young age.  “As most teenage girls are still not allowed to go back to school, the risk of child marriage is now even higher”, Ms. Fore said. “Education is often the best protection against negative coping mechanisms such as child marriage and child labour”.-* 

Lifetime of suffering 

UNICEF is working with partners to raise the awareness of communities on the risks girls face when marrying early, such as a lifetime of suffering.  Girls who marry before they turn 18 are less likely to remain in school and more likely to experience domestic violence, discrimination, abuse and poor mental health. They are also more vulnerable to complications in pregnancy and childbirth.  The agency has started a cash assistance programme to help offset the risk of hunger, child labour and child marriage among the most vulnerable families. The plan is to scale up this and other social services programmes in the months to come.  UNICEF will also work with religious leaders to ensure that they are not involved in the “Nekah”, or marriage contract, for young girls.  “But this is not enough”, said Ms. Fore, calling on central, provincial and local authorities to support and safeguard the most vulnerable families and girls.  She also urged the de facto authorities to prioritize the reopening of all secondary schools for girls and allow all-female teachers to resume their jobs without any further delays.  “The future of an entire generation is at stake”, she concluded.  

‘Dramatic situation’ 

In parallel coverage, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women () closed its 18th session.  In her concluding , Gladys Acosta Vargas, the Committee Chairperson, said all Members were “deeply concerned about the dramatic situation” of women and girls in Afghanistan.  She argued that it was “crucial” that the Committee decided to request an exceptional report on their situation, at an opportune time.  The Committee also asked for the creation of an informal task force to consider the impact of the evolving political, economic and social situation on the rights of women and girls. 

In a  released on Friday, the agency’s Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, said that she was “deeply concerned” over reports that child marriage is on the rise.   Even before the latest political instability, ’s partners registered 183 child marriages and 10 cases of selling of children in Herat and Baghdis provinces between the ages of six months and 17 years from 2018 to 2019.   The agency estimates that 28 per cent of Afghan women between the ages 15 and 49 were married before they reached their 18th birthday. 

A growing crisis 

The pandemic, the ongoing food crisis and the onset of winter have further exacerbated the situation for families.  In 2020, almost half of Afghanistan’s population was so poor that they lacked basic necessities, such as nutrition or clean water.  And the extremely dire economic situation is pushing more families deeper into poverty and forcing them to make desperate choices, such as putting children to work and marrying girls off at a young age.  “As most teenage girls are still not allowed to go back to school, the risk of child marriage is now even higher”, Ms. Fore said. “Education is often the best protection against negative coping mechanisms such as child marriage and child labour”.-* 

Lifetime of suffering 

UNICEF is working with partners to raise the awareness of communities on the risks girls face when marrying early, such as a lifetime of suffering.  Girls who marry before they turn 18 are less likely to remain in school and more likely to experience domestic violence, discrimination, abuse and poor mental health. They are also more vulnerable to complications in pregnancy and childbirth.  The agency has started a cash assistance programme to help offset the risk of hunger, child labour and child marriage among the most vulnerable families. The plan is to scale up this and other social services programmes in the months to come.  UNICEF will also work with religious leaders to ensure that they are not involved in the “Nekah”, or marriage contract, for young girls.  “But this is not enough”, said Ms. Fore, calling on central, provincial and local authorities to support and safeguard the most vulnerable families and girls.  She also urged the de facto authorities to prioritize the reopening of all secondary schools for girls and allow all-female teachers to resume their jobs without any further delays.  “The future of an entire generation is at stake”, she concluded.  

‘Dramatic situation’ 

In parallel coverage, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women () closed its 18th session.  In her concluding , Gladys Acosta Vargas, the Committee Chairperson, said all Members were “deeply concerned about the dramatic situation” of women and girls in Afghanistan.  She argued that it was “crucial” that the Committee decided to request an exceptional report on their situation, at an opportune time.  The Committee also asked for the creation of an informal task force to consider the impact of the evolving political, economic and social situation on the rights of women and girls. 

In a  released on Friday, the agency’s Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, said that she was “deeply concerned” over reports that child marriage is on the rise.   Even before the latest political instability, ’s partners registered 183 child marriages and 10 cases of selling of children in Herat and Baghdis provinces between the ages of six months and 17 years from 2018 to 2019.   The agency estimates that 28 per cent of Afghan women between the ages 15 and 49 were married before they reached their 18th birthday. 

A growing crisis 

The pandemic, the ongoing food crisis and the onset of winter have further exacerbated the situation for families.  In 2020, almost half of Afghanistan’s population was so poor that they lacked basic necessities, such as nutrition or clean water.  And the extremely dire economic situation is pushing more families deeper into poverty and forcing them to make desperate choices, such as putting children to work and marrying girls off at a young age.  “As most teenage girls are still not allowed to go back to school, the risk of child marriage is now even higher”, Ms. Fore said. “Education is often the best protection against negative coping mechanisms such as child marriage and child labour”.-* 

Lifetime of suffering 

UNICEF is working with partners to raise the awareness of communities on the risks girls face when marrying early, such as a lifetime of suffering.  Girls who marry before they turn 18 are less likely to remain in school and more likely to experience domestic violence, discrimination, abuse and poor mental health. They are also more vulnerable to complications in pregnancy and childbirth.  The agency has started a cash assistance programme to help offset the risk of hunger, child labour and child marriage among the most vulnerable families. The plan is to scale up this and other social services programmes in the months to come.  UNICEF will also work with religious leaders to ensure that they are not involved in the “Nekah”, or marriage contract, for young girls.  “But this is not enough”, said Ms. Fore, calling on central, provincial and local authorities to support and safeguard the most vulnerable families and girls.  She also urged the de facto authorities to prioritize the reopening of all secondary schools for girls and allow all-female teachers to resume their jobs without any further delays.  “The future of an entire generation is at stake”, she concluded.  

‘Dramatic situation’ 

In parallel coverage, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women () closed its 18th session.  In her concluding , Gladys Acosta Vargas, the Committee Chairperson, said all Members were “deeply concerned about the dramatic situation” of women and girls in Afghanistan.  She argued that it was “crucial” that the Committee decided to request an exceptional report on their situation, at an opportune time.  The Committee also asked for the creation of an informal task force to consider the impact of the evolving political, economic and social situation on the rights of women and girls. 

In a  released on Friday, the agency’s Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, said that she was “deeply concerned” over reports that child marriage is on the rise.   Even before the latest political instability, ’s partners registered 183 child marriages and 10 cases of selling of children in Herat and Baghdis provinces between the ages of six months and 17 years from 2018 to 2019.   The agency estimates that 28 per cent of Afghan women between the ages 15 and 49 were married before they reached their 18th birthday. 

A growing crisis 

The pandemic, the ongoing food crisis and the onset of winter have further exacerbated the situation for families.  In 2020, almost half of Afghanistan’s population was so poor that they lacked basic necessities, such as nutrition or clean water.  And the extremely dire economic situation is pushing more families deeper into poverty and forcing them to make desperate choices, such as putting children to work and marrying girls off at a young age.  “As most teenage girls are still not allowed to go back to school, the risk of child marriage is now even higher”, Ms. Fore said. “Education is often the best protection against negative coping mechanisms such as child marriage and child labour”.-* 

Lifetime of suffering 

UNICEF is working with partners to raise the awareness of communities on the risks girls face when marrying early, such as a lifetime of suffering.  Girls who marry before they turn 18 are less likely to remain in school and more likely to experience domestic violence, discrimination, abuse and poor mental health. They are also more vulnerable to complications in pregnancy and childbirth.  The agency has started a cash assistance programme to help offset the risk of hunger, child labour and child marriage among the most vulnerable families. The plan is to scale up this and other social services programmes in the months to come.  UNICEF will also work with religious leaders to ensure that they are not involved in the “Nekah”, or marriage contract, for young girls.  “But this is not enough”, said Ms. Fore, calling on central, provincial and local authorities to support and safeguard the most vulnerable families and girls.  She also urged the de facto authorities to prioritize the reopening of all secondary schools for girls and allow all-female teachers to resume their jobs without any further delays.  “The future of an entire generation is at stake”, she concluded.  

‘Dramatic situation’ 

In parallel coverage, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women () closed its 18th session.  In her concluding , Gladys Acosta Vargas, the Committee Chairperson, said all Members were “deeply concerned about the dramatic situation” of women and girls in Afghanistan.  She argued that it was “crucial” that the Committee decided to request an exceptional report on their situation, at an opportune time.  The Committee also asked for the creation of an informal task force to consider the impact of the evolving political, economic and social situation on the rights of women and girls. 

According to the UN Children’s Fund (), more than 10,000 children have been killed or maimed since the escalation of the conflict in March 2015, between a pro-Government Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels; the equivalent of four children every day.  These are just the incidents that the United Nations has been able to verify, so the true figure is “likely far higher”, said the agency in a statement released on Wednesday.   In the Marib region alone, where the conflict has recently surged, eleven children have been killed or maimed in the past month. 

The heaviest price 

Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, said that “whenever the conflict in Yemen flares and violence escalates, children are the ones who pay the heaviest price.”  “Families are being torn apart by horrific violence. Children cannot and must not continue to be the victims of this conflict”, she added.   The agency also notes that attacks on civilians, including children, and on civilian property, can violate international humanitarian law.   UNICEF is calling on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians, prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children, and stop attacks on civilian infrastructure and in densely populated areas. 

More violence 

This latest wave of violence makes a desperate situation for children and families even worse. According to the UN, the country’s humanitarian crisis continues to be the worst in the world.  An estimated 1.7 million children are internally displaced, and more than 2 million are out of school.  Nearly 2.3 million boys and girls under the age of five suffer from acute malnutrition and around 8.5 million children do not have access to safe water, sanitation, or hygiene.  To continue its lifesaving work until mid-2022, UNICEF .  The agency has supported the treatment of severe acute malnutrition in 4,000 primary health care facilities and 130 therapeutic feeding centres; provided emergency cash transfers to 1.5 million households every quarter - benefitting around nine million - and provided safe drinking water to more than five million.  Following the outbreak of the conflict in 2015, the UN has repeatedly reiterated that there is no military solution to the Yemeni crisis and has called for a return to peaceful negotiation, through the Office of the  for the country.