Recent News…
The UN has launched a US$3.8-billion appeal to provide emergency aid to 25 million people next year as they struggle to survive conflict, climate-related disasters and other humanitarian crises. “We live in a world of unprecedented prosperity. But despite this, millions of people continue to endure crises where the essentials of existence - clean water, life-saving drugs, and emergency shelter among others - are denied them and where insecurity is a part of everyday life,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated in a forward to the 2008 Humanitarian Appeal, launched at the UN’s European headquarters in Geneva on 10 December.
SOMALIA: Aid appeal broadened to cope with massive displacement - The conflict in Somalia has only continued this year, as a result leaving massive displacement, with an estimated 600,000 fleeing Mogadishu, many of which risk death to reach Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Children are facing extreme suffering after years of suffering. “An estimated 83,000 children [excluding those in displaced families] are moderately or severely malnourished in south/central Somalia. These children are at increased risk of death in a country where, already, one in 12 children will die before his or her first birthday and one in seven will die before reaching the age of five,” humanitarian agencies said.
Myanmar deaths higher than U.N. estimate: The death toll following the uprising in Burma has left the a question of the true number lives lost. Posing as tourist a group of Buddhists entered the country in the wake of the September monk-led uprising to research and document the reality of the causalities. Their numbers, at at least 70, appear more than double of the UN’s estimated death toll of 31.
In the past weeks eyes and ears in Sudan, haven’t been on Darfur, but on a British Teacher who was imprisoned over a blasphemous teddy bear. The bear was part of a primary class project and the out lash arose over the children choice of a name, Mohammad. The act by the teacher was seen as a direct insult to Muslims everywhere, despite many who believed it was a silly or innocent mistake. Crowds in Khartoum called for Gillian Gibbons execution, as uproar over the toy’s insult to Islam ensued. Thankfully for Gibbons, she was pardoned by President Bashir and released on December 6th, while many Muslims and non-Muslims alike waited in anticipation for her save return to the UK. “I have great respect for the Islamic religion and would not knowingly offend anyone and I am sorry if I caused any distress. I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends but I am very sorry that I will be unable to return to Sudan and work in Unity High School as the teacher of 2X.”, stated Gibbons after her pardon (Teddy bear teacher leaves Sudan after pardon).
Anti-polio campaign targets four million children in Yemen, as a three-day national anti-polio campaign began on 15 December in to ensure the complete eradication of the disease. Spearheaded by Yemen’s Ministry of Health - with support from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and USAID - the immunization drive is targeting just over four million children aged five and under.
In Pakistan the eradication of Polio has been a high priority throughout the year, and now the government’s in a further drive to eradicate polio. From December 11th-13th, approximately 14 million children under the age of five, where immunized in 44 high-risk districts, including Swat, where anti-immunization efforts have been met with opposition. The vaccination drive was the joint effort of of the government of Pakistan, WHO and UNICEF.
In South Africa the rules are simple no registration, no benefits and this includes benefits such as child support. UNICEF estimates that only half of the countries children’s births have been registered, which will prohibit many from receiving benefits as a birth certificate is required to obtain an identity document. However a new outreach program is underway, using schools to reach tens of thousands of rural South Africans get grants and benefit services.
According to a new report, The Yemen Poverty Assessment, which was released on 3 December, poverty is severely effecting the children of Yemen. The report which was jointly prepared by the government of Yemen, the World Bank, and UN Development Program (UNDP), reveled that some 30 percent of children aged 2-5 severely stunted. “According to the UN World Food Program (WFP), child malnutrition rates in Yemen are amongst the highest in the world, with infant and under-five mortality rates estimated at 76 and 102 per 1,000 live births, respectively.”
UN launches regional human rights office, The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) signed an agreement with the Senegalese government on 3 December to set up a regional office in the capital, Dakar. The office which will be the UN’s fourth African regional office in Africa is expected to open in early 2008, and on top of the agenda are issues of human trafficking and violence against women and girls.
Despite years of improvement since the drought of 2005 in Malawi malnutrition is still a threat to the countries children. Inadequate healthcare and food security are largely to blame, as some 39,000 are still being treated for malnutrition and related illnesses. “The scale of the malnutrition problem in Malawi is clearly very large and, given its consequences for economic development and child survival, calls for immediate and large-scale action,” said Aida Girma, UNICEF Resident Representative.