UNICEF NZ worked on a number of projects last year, including projects in Haiti, the Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.

This year we have already completed projects in Paraguay and Vanuatu.

Haiti

Following the devastating 2010 earthquake, UNICEF NZ, through funds from the Government of New Zealand and public donations, contributed to the overall UNICEF response which achieved the following results:

• 333,000 earthquake affected people with access to safe water
• 42,449 hygiene kits distributed
• 9,000 toilets for people living in temporary, spontaneous sites 
• 185,616 children provided with learning materials
• 62,800 children benefited from 220 child-friendly spaces
• 2,300 teachers and 3,000 education personnel were trained in child counseling, disaster risk reduction and the adapted curriculum
• 2,245 temporary learning spaces set up
• 2,047 separated and/or unaccompanied children registered
• 307 children reunited with their families

Pacific Islands

UNICEF NZ helped prepare children for natural disasters in the Pacific Islands, with a focus on disaster prone areas in Fiji, Kiribati, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

200 collapsible water containers and 21 metres of tarpaulin were pre-positioned, to create safe care areas for young children after emergencies.

100 culturally-appropriate kits with educational and recreational activities for up to 50 young children were produced. Teachers were trained how to use these materials.

Papua New Guinea

In Papua New Guinea three quarters of all children are affected by violence, exploitation and abuse. This often occurs at home.

Papua New Guinea also has many serious natural hazards and occasional severe disasters, on a larger scale than anywhere else in the Pacific. During disasters women and children are very vulnerable, and the government has even more trouble protecting its people.

Supporting children in disasters

We trained adults in Papua New Guinea on aspects of child protection and rehabilitation. This included training about gender based violence and techniques for advocacy and counseling.

• 300 people attended a one-day seminar on child protection
• 295 people were trained to raise community awareness about child protection and gender based violence
• 228 other adults were trained on child protection and gender based violence issues
• 60 child counsellors are receiving ongoing training, supervision and support
• 46 people were trained to protect children during emergencies, with a focus on counseling to help children function normally again

Preparing children for disasters through the ‘Riskland’ boardgame

‘Riskland’ is a boardgame about disaster preparedness that was specifically tailored to the Papua New Guinea environment.

It teaches children how to respond to the natural disasters which commonly occur in Papua New Guinea in a fun way. It includes when to warn their communities and how to keep themselves and their families safer.

5,000 copies were distributed through especially vulnerable areas. The game was used in schools and by child welfare and emergency response staff, and has had good results.

Solomon Islands

In 2008, 72% of parents in the Solomon Islands admitted to physically hurting their children at home, and many children said they did not feel safe at school.

Protecting children from violence, abuse and exploitation

UNICEF NZ worked in high-risk areas of the Solomon Islands to help children grow up in home and community environments that are increasingly free from violence, abuse and exploitation.

We trained 100 community welfare volunteers in 58 communities (approximately 25,000 people). These volunteers help people understand why child protection is important, help keep children safe through activities such as counselling and problem solving, and notify the relevant authorities when children are seriously abused.

Children in these communities know their rights and express their views. Parents and caregivers recognised "the need to change perspective on the way we raise our children" and have made changes to create safe home and community environments.

Less children are being abused, and more children are going to school.

Child friendly schools

UNICEF NZ helped provide quality basic primary education to all children in three provinces of the Solomon Islands, by ensuring a welcoming, safe and healthy learning environment and a child-centred teaching approach.

Safe and inclusive programmes were designed, implemented and monitored with the help of primary school personnel, Provincial Education Officers, School Committies, parents and communities. Teachers were given training and support for teaching in child friendly schools.

As a result of this project children are getting a better education and are safer at school. Another result is that all schools in these provinces now have fully-functioning libraries and the teachers know how best to use them.

Paraguay

In July 2011 UNICEF NZ completed a project in Paraguay. We helped give working children the opportunity to get an education, and improved their sanitation and recreation facilities.

The ABRAZO programme for the Progressive Elimination of Child Labour runs open centres where children engaged in child labour can come to participate in educational and recreational activities. UNICEF supported this programme by improving the resources and facilities avaliable to children:

• 993 children were given school and recreational materials
• New furniture
• Refurbished bathrooms, including showers and seperate girls' and boys' facilities
• New small libraries to encourage reading
• Re-decoration to make centres more attractive to children

This contributed to children's academic performance improving by 75%, recruiting more chldren into the programme, retaining more children in the centres (78%) and maintaining a high level of children attending open centres that go to school (90%). In addition, 350 parents increased their participation in the program and improved their parenting skills.

Vanuatu

In January 2011, Tropical Cyclone Vania damaged food crops and facilities for water and sanitation in Tafea, Vanuatu. Many people became ill with diarrhoea.

UNICEF NZ worked with other agencies to help the people affected. Immediately after the cyclone water purification tablets, water containers and soap were distributed to over 6,000 people. Water systems were repaired or replaced, and public health concerns monitored (e.g. diarrhea, malaria and malnutrition).

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