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Children are first to suffer and worst impacted in an emergency.
EMERGENCY UPDATE: Vanuatu Earthquake, 18th December.
On December 17th, Vanuatu was struck by a deadly magnitude 7.3 earthquake, followed by two major aftershocks. Buildings have collapsed, with damage to infrastructure and landslides also reported. Approximately 40,000 children have been affected, with more than 200 people injured and at least 14 fatalities, however this number may rise as more information trickles out of the country.
The immediate needs are for life-saving Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) supplies and psychological support for affected children and their families.
UNICEF has dispatched health kits and first aid kits to healthcare facilities. We also have WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Child Protection, Health ECD, Nutrition, Education kits and supplies, including first aid kits and tents prepositioned in Vanuatu and ready for immediate distribution to reach at least 3,000 people.
UNICEF is standing by to support the Vanuatu Government's response to this deadly disaster.
As in any emergency, kids are first and worst affected - your support for children in greatest need at this time is greatly appreciated.
Any donation you can make will help children in emergency and crisis.
Every moment matters in an emergency.
When a crisis hits, everything stops. Every second, every minute, every hour counts, for vulnerable kids around the world. That’s why we’re always there, in under 48 hours, rapidly responding with our humanitarian supplies so we can save lives. It’s also why we need your help with donations, so we’re always ready for when the next disaster strikes.
Make a donation today, so we’re ready for the next emergency.
For over 77 years, we've strengthened our emergency preparedness through developing our global partner network and working closely with the communities we help. Our response is only as effective as our preparation. We’ve got eyes on the ground, expert minds strengthening our systems, many hands stockpiling supply hubs around the globe, and your donations helping us to be flexible enough to adjust to whatever crisis unfolds – making our response quick and effective, so there's a future for every child.
Our team respond to over
300 emergencies every year.
Reaching kids and families
in over 192 countries.
With life-saving supplies
anywhere in 48 hours.
Our changing landscape
In a world where current climate, conflict, and environmental emergencies have a lasting impact and new crises are constantly emerging - there will always be major challenges for supply chains that have been weakened by the pandemic, shipping delays, rising inflation, and soaring energy prices.
When a disaster strikes, every moment matters for vulnerable kids. We’re there in under 48 hours, responding to emergencies with life-saving supplies.
Our presence in 192 countries affords us a greater understanding of the country, culture, needs and local partners - keeping us ahead of a rapidly evolving landscape and ensuring essential supplies are delivered quickly as possible.
All around the world
See how your support is helping kids right now AND the long-term!
Safe, clean drinking water - sanitation & hygiene – continuous and uplifting education – life-saving vaccines – nutritious foods – and quality healthcare.
Donors have helped UNICEF provide each of these and more despite the cholera epidemic in Somalia, conflict in Sudan and Gaza, flooding in Bangladesh, the fighting in Ukraine and earthquakes in Türkiye & Syria.
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Türkiye & Syria
We were already on the ground supporting kids living through over a decade of conflict in Syria when the quakes struck. This helped us quickly set up spaces throughout both Türkiye & Syria for kids to work through trauma, heal, and rediscover what is means to feel normal again with trained psychologists.
Just as importantly, they're a safe place to play and be with friends.
We're planning to reach 1 million children and caregivers in Türkiye with mental health and psychosocial support and a further 766,000 in Syria.
At service points, tents, camps, and schools - no matter where they are, we’ll continue to provide kids in Türkiye and Syria with the support they need to stand strong in the face of this crisis.
GAZA
No place is safe for kids in Gaza.
Since the conflict escalated in October 2023, 21,000 children and women have been killed, and almost 2 million people have been displaced. Despite the ongoing humanitarian challenges, UNICEF is getting supplies into Gaza, and will continue to do so at every opportunity.
We've provided treatment for more than 42,000 malnourished kids, clean water for 2.9 million people, vaccines to protect 559,000 kids against polio, and sanitation and hygiene supplies and services for 1.1 million people.
However, as the conflict continues, children still urgently need clean water, food, medical supplies and life-saving vaccines.
LEBANON
Deadly attacks in Lebanon put children’s lives at extreme risk.
Since late September 2024, more than 17,000 children and adults have been killed or injured and over 1.2 million people have been forced to flee their homes due to hostilities. Hospitals are under immense strain, water infrastructure has been crippled, and children's schooling disrupted.
UNICEF is supporting displaced families in 683 collective shelters by providing relief items and critical services, including bottled water, mattresses, sleeping bags and hygiene kits. 300 shelters have received an integrated package of child-centred services, such as clean water, sanitation, learning, health, nutrition, psychosocial support, child protection, and youth engagement. We've also provided 167 tons of medical equipment to support around 2 million people.
As hostilities continue, children's needs in Lebanon will keep growing. We'll be supporting the immediate needs of kids now, and help families recover in the long-term.
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SOMALIA
The climate crisis isn't just going to affect the future of our tamariki, it's an era they're living right now.
The children in Somalia are feeling the full force of the climate crisis. Not only are they at risk of severe droughts but also intense flooding with over 4.5 million kids in need of humanitarian assistance.
Kids and their families face constant barriers to accessing sustainable water and sanitation, heightening their risk for water borne diseases. Thanks to donors, we were ready for the next crisis and were able to deliver 1.4 million virals of oral cholera vaccine to help protect vulnerable children from the current cholera outbreak.
SUDAN
UNICEF Spokesperson James Elder speaks from an IDP camp for Sudanese families in Chad.
The conflict in the Sudan is a children’s crisis - 13.6 million children urgently need humanitarian assistance, including 3.5 million kids for whom a hunger catastrophe is looming. 5 million children have fled their homes, making Sudan the largest child displacement crisis in the world.
Children in Sudan deserve the dignity of having a safe place to sleep, food to eat, medicine for the sick, and to realise a good, decent life for themselves and their families. We're sounding the alarm, because there is a chance to do something.
With your help we can support children in Sudan with the supplies and services they need.
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Bangladesh
We’re making sure there’s a future for every child by being ready for when any emergency strikes.
In Bangladesh, 1.3 million people including 480,000 children we heavily affected by flash floods. Thousands were left without the essentials such as food, clean water and functional latrines.
Every second, every minute, every hour counts. Just as quickly as this disaster hit, we were there rapidly responding with 600 hygiene kits and constructing 202 climate-resilient latrines.
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Ukraine
8-year-old Yehor and his family were left without water in their home after shelling and fighting caused power blackouts for over 60,000 people in Kherson, Ukraine.
We've been in Ukraine for over 25 years, meaning we could rapidly truck in water and can stay on to see through the massive repairs needed to get power & water back to families desperately in need throughout the region, for a future with stable, sustainable water.
Since the war escalated in 2022, UNICEF has been able to provide access to safe water to more than 6.4 million people across Ukraine, including nearly one million children.Water is the basis of all life on earth - and something all children have a right to!
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Pakistan
Even today floodwaters remain, leaving millions of children cut off from school and in need of hope for the future.
8-year-old Shahana and her classmates are absorbed in their textbooks in Rajanpur District, Pakistan, where many schools were destroyed or damaged.
Being already in-country meant we could quickly deliver the tools, set up the spaces, and provide ongoing support as Pakistani kids continued to learn, be inspired, and shape their own futures filled with endless possibilities.
Despite roads being washed away and villages disconnected - UNICEF has provided 180,000 kids in Pakistan with formal and informal education opportunities so far.UN0784174
Türkiye & Syria
We were already on the ground supporting kids living through over a decade of conflict in Syria when the quakes struck. This helped us quickly set up spaces throughout both Türkiye & Syria for kids to work through trauma, heal, and rediscover what is means to feel normal again with trained psychologists.
Just as importantly, they're a safe place to play and be with friends.
We're planning to reach 1 million children and caregivers in Türkiye with mental health and psychosocial support and a further 766,000 in Syria.
At service points, tents, camps, and schools - no matter where they are, we’ll continue to provide kids in Türkiye and Syria with the support they need to stand strong in the face of this crisis.GAZA
No place is safe for kids in Gaza.
Since the conflict escalated in October 2023, 21,000 children and women have been killed, and almost 2 million people have been displaced. Despite the ongoing humanitarian challenges, UNICEF is getting supplies into Gaza, and will continue to do so at every opportunity.
We've provided treatment for more than 42,000 malnourished kids, clean water for 2.9 million people, vaccines to protect 559,000 kids against polio, and sanitation and hygiene supplies and services for 1.1 million people.
However, as the conflict continues, children still urgently need clean water, food, medical supplies and life-saving vaccines.
Getting supplies
from A to B!
By foot, boat, truck, plane or drone. No matter the distance, conflict or disaster. We'll always deliver life-saving support when kids need it most. 2022 was no exception as we marked our sixth year in a row of record-breaking supply procurement for children around the world. At the centre of it all are our supply hubs around the world! Ready to ship our life-saving pre-positioned supplies at a moment’s notice in under 48 hours anywhere.
Here’s just a glimpse of our impact, reach and readiness for when the next emergency strikes.
The climate crisis
Every child on the planet is already affected by climate change. Though roughly HALF the world's kids are vulnerable to the severe impacts caused by climate change, including natural disasters. That's over 1 BILLION children whose well-being, health and development is under threat.
Natural disasters cut children off from schooling, shelter, nutrition, health care, and one of the biggest necessities during an emergency, safe water & sanitation. With the increase of storms and rising sea levels - water and sanitation facilities are often destroyed, disease spreads and the salt content of groundwater increases that many communities rely on for their drinking water.
We're constantly strengthening our disaster responses to be more climate resilient and innovative, to creating long-term change for kids and making sure your donations are going the distance!
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Vanuatu is one of many small island clusters vulnerable to increasing cyclones with fragile water sources. Donors help us deliver huge shipments of hygiene kits, soap, water tanks, and water purification tablets. They also help us invest in long-lasting change.
By working with partners and communities on the ground, we've built a process to identify, prioritise and lessen risks to Vanuatu's water supply.
Rehabilitating or replacing water supply systems has strengthened the resilience in some of the islands’ most vulnerable communities.
UNICEF direct support resulted in 5.4 million people using climate-resilient water systems and 3.2 million using climate-resilient sanitation facilities.
Responding to emergencies isn't a quick fix. We’re there to tackle the root cause of the problems affecting kids, and build lasting and innovative solutions to protect them down the line.
Our job’s not done until there’s a future for every child!
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Our focus from 2022 – 2025
Making sure children grow up healthy & strong by accessing good nutrition, quality healthcare and nurturing mental health services.
In 2022 alone we reached 356 million children under 5 - more than ever before – through our malnutrition prevention and treatment programmes. What's more the number of children, young people and caregivers provided with mental health and psychosocial support services more than doubled to 25.2 million while a further 4.5 million children were reached through our disability-inclusive programmes.
We respond immediately to emergencies to make sure kids aren't cut off from crucial services that support their health, growth and happiness.
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Creating opportunities and fostering dreams through continuous and quality education.
We helped almost 40 million out-of-school children access education in 2022, including 3.1 million children on the move and 18.6 million in humanitarian settings.
When a crisis strikes you can’t postpone a child’s education. There is no pause button, only a future that could be lost forever.
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Keeping children safe with fair and inclusive protection programmes.
We scaled up our parenting support programmes to prevent violence, exploitation and harmful practises, reaching almost 12 million caregivers – up from 3 million in 2021.
We're committed to preventing and responding to child abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence during emergencies, when children are most vulnerable.
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Providing sustainable, long-lasting, and clean; water sources, sanitation facilities, and environments for all children.
In 2022, we reached more than 39 million people with clean water and basic sanitation & hygiene services in emergency situations.
During conflict and disaster, water facilities are often damaged or destroyed and water sources contaminated. Donors help us deliver safe water and sanitation while also strengthening and building resilient systems and services, so there’s a future for every child.
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Helping every child live a life free from poverty and reach their full potential.
With support from UNICEF, Governments were able to reach 129 million kids through our cash transfer programmes.
By giving cash to families who need help in emergencies, they have the choice to spend their money on what they need based on their own personal situations. Whether that be for food, housing, education, or other essential items.
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A large number of children impacted in Vanuatu earthquake
An estimated 40,000 children impacted in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake in Vanuatu
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