UNICEF focuses on children in China earthquake aftermath

14 July 2009. – The UN Children’s Fund will help children affected by the powerful earthquake in southwestern China with psycho-social support, education and recreation materials. The magnitude 6 earthquake hit China’s Yunnan Province late last week, killing one person, injuring more than 300, and displacing some 250,000 people. The quake epicentre was Yao-an County, about 200km northwest of the provincial capital, Kunming. The quake damaged or destroyed more than 75,000 homes in seven counties. Although some families are living with relatives, an estimated 150,000 people, including some 40,000 children, are living in tents or temporary shelters. According to Chinese authorities, the quake caused cracking and minor damage to more than...

Young kiwis to represent NZ at UNICEF climate change forum

Wellington, 8 July 2009. – Five young New Zealanders will get the chance to put their ideas and concerns on climate change to world leaders. The kiwi climate ambassadors...

Children innocent victims of Pakistan conflict

The UN Children’s Fund is deeply concerned about the condition of thousands of children who have been displaced by conflict, or who remain in affected areas, in north-western...

UN Children's Fund country office returns to Baghdad after six years

The UN Children's Fund is reinforcing its presence in Iraq with the arrival of five senior staff to Baghdad. This marks the beginning of the UNICEF Iraq country office’s full...

Education a right for all children in NZ, says UNICEF

UNICEF NZ supports the call by the Human Rights Commission for the New Zealand education system to stop discrimination against children whose parents are not legal immigrants....

Young leaders prepare to tackle global issues

Teams of young people are getting ready to head to Rome for the young people’s summit (J8) in Rome, to be held in parallel with the G8 meeting. The focus of this year’s...

Prime Minister commits to action on child abuse

Wellington, 24 June, 2009. – The UN Children’s Fund in NZ is pleased that the Prime Minister has made an emphatic statement of the Government’s intent to do something about...

Two years since child discipline law

UNICEF NZ notes that it is almost two years since the legislation giving children protection from assault in all situations was passed by an overwhelming majority of Parliament...

Maya's story: One child laborer in Nepal gets a fresh start

Maya was still shy of her 10th birthday when a labor contractor in her impoverished village in the south of Nepal promised her parents that she would receive a decent salary...

Pounding rock and crushing potential: Child labour in DR Congo

Covered in powder, Sylvian, 2, sits alongside his mother, pounding rocks with a mallet in an ore heap in  the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rocks, dust and sun: This...