Nepal, June 1 — Children worldwide face unprecedented crises daily. Emergencies break out globally, filling our screens with tales of hardship: kids affected by the strife in Gaza; youngsters grappling with starvation in Sudan; children requiring safeguarding in Afghanistan. With each passing day, another emergency emerges, leaving both children and parents shaken.
Groups like UNICEF are dedicated to assisting children facing crises and ensuring they receive the necessary support and safeguarding. However, our capacity to carry out this mission relies heavily on the financial contributions from governments, businesses, and people globally who back our efforts. Over the past few years, global assistance funds have seen a consistent decrease; however, these reductions have recently become even more drastic and concerning.
The massive scope and rapid pace of changes are disturbing essential services and endangering the lives and welfare of millions of children. Such reductions are without precedent and pose an urgent and serious danger to children’s rights.
For instance, regarding nutrition, UNICEF suggests that almost 15 million children and mothers might face disruptions in accessing nutritional services like therapeutic food. This situation could render them susceptible to severe malnutrition and even death.
Efforts to immunize people are encountering an increasing challenge. A worldwide financial shortfall is significantly hampering UNICEF and the World Health Organization’s capacity to inoculate over 15 million susceptible children against measles in unstable and war-torn nations. Immunization programs, disease monitoring, and epidemic responses in almost 50 countries have been interrupted, with disruptions matching those experienced during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To put it differently, UNICEF’s humanitarian efforts are under threat. Specifically, we face a deficit exceeding 40% in allocated emergency funds for just East and Southern Africa. Due to this shortage, children will perish from avoidable conditions—not only starvation but also due to the absence of clean water, secure sanitation facilities, and vital healthcare services. Additionally, numerous others will be deprived of educational opportunities and protective programs against exploitation and abuse.
The safety of children hangs in the balance just when they require our assistance the most. Over the course of UNICEF’s history, we have collaborated with our partners to protect children’s rights, deliver crucial humanitarian relief, and promote their growth and welfare.
Currently, the demands have never been higher: An unprecedented large number of children (almost one out of every five) reside in areas plagued by conflict; an all-time high figure of young people (close to 50 million) have been forced from their homes due to wars and natural calamities, with almost half the global child population inhabiting nations highly susceptible to severe consequences from climate shifts. According to UNICEF projections, over 213 million children worldwide may necessitate emergency aid come 2025.
In our interlinked globe, reductions in assistance in one place pose risks to stability and financial success globally. Below are several actions we must undertake.
To start with, safeguarding kids from lethal yet avoidable illnesses ranks among the most significant actions we can undertake collectively as an international society. This effort is equally sensible. In the last half-century, vaccination efforts have rescued 146 million children from death, representing about 40% of the decline in child mortality over this timeframe. Immunizing a single child not only shields them from fatal pediatric ailments but also defends everyone by thwarting potential epidemic flare-ups capable of crossing national boundaries and posing worldwide public health risks.
Secondly, by enhancing accessibility to clean water, secure sanitation facilities, and proper nutrition, we can shield children from illnesses and malnutrition—thus establishing a strong base for robust, flourishing, and harmonious societies. Over the span of merely 25 years, international efforts have successfully cut the mortality rate among children under five by half and diminished child stunting rates by one-third globally.
Thirdly, providing humanitarian aid for conflicts and natural disasters, along with investments aimed at safeguarding children, can help stop cross-border displacements. If left unaddressed, political unrest weakens societal structures and fosters extremism.
Fourthly, high-quality education enhances children’s capacity to face difficulties and boosts their chances of securing jobs when they become adults, thereby promoting broader societal progress.
Preserving and safeguarding the lives of millions of children around the globe is a shared responsibility. Significant advancements achieved globally over recent years have been due to the kindness of contributors and the relentless efforts of numerous aid professionals across the planet.
UNICEF is committed to advocating for the globe’s children, particularly in this era marked by extraordinary demands. Each dollar or yuan allocated towards assistance and progress yields substantial long-term advantages for both children and their communities, contributing to an overall safer and more stable global environment.
