But despite the record needs, the situation isn’t hopeless. We know how to reach the children at greatest risk. Decisive and timely humanitarian action combined with flexible funding and close work with local partners can save children’s lives now, while also sowing the seeds of future development.
Through its 2024 Humanitarian Action for Children appeal, UNICEF is appealing for $9.3 billion to reach 94 million children with life-saving assistance – whenever and wherever it is needed.
The unpredictability, volatility, and protracted nature of emergencies today is taking a heavy toll on children and families. From earthquakes in Afghanistan, Syria and Türkiye, to conflict and violence in the State of Palestine and Haiti, to massive displacement in Democratic Republic of the Congo, emergencies can strike or escalate with little or no warning.
An overstretched humanitarian system – which also faces shrinking funding from donors – is struggling to respond to the sheer scale of these crises. Too often, action is coming after lives, livelihoods and safety nets have already been destroyed. Even when funding is available, it is often unevenly distributed across emergencies and lacks the flexibility needed to meet rapidly changing needs on the ground.
It’s critical that UNICEF and local partners have the right support, so that children living through an emergency can have the life-saving aid and protection they need, where and when they need it. Timely and flexible funding can help save lives today, while also allowing UNICEF and partners to respond effectively to new and emerging risks before it’s too late or even more costly.
UNICEF works with the public sector, private sector and civil society across the globe to improve children’s health, nutrition, education, and protection, including during humanitarian emergencies.
But local partners are also essential in providing effective humanitarian action – without them, UNICEF wouldn’t be able to do what it does.
Putting national and local partners at the center of humanitarian operations enables UNICEF to be more impactful, inclusive, and responsive after crises hit. This also allows UNICEF to be better prepared and able to identify emerging needs at the community level.
From peace efforts to climate negotiations to deciding where humanitarian funding is spent, local actors must be at the table for decisions that impact their futures.
To further increase our accountability to populations affected by emergencies, UNICEF will therefore continue to work to ensure that children and their families participate in the decision-making process, that they are properly informed and consulted, and that their views are acted upon.
As part of these efforts, UNICEF will actively seek out and partner with local women’s, adolescent and children’s organizations, in line with its Core Commitments to Children.
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