Emergencies. UNICEF prepares, responds, and helps build back after emergencies strike - to protect our children. We make sure every moment counts - when it matters most. With our established global network of supply hubs and partners we're able to rapidly respond to any emergency with life-saving supplies. Thanks to generous UNICEF donors we can get clean water, vaccines, medical supplies, and treatment for malnutrition & illness to kids and families most in need -anywhere in the world - in under 48 hours.

Emergencies

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UNICEF prepares, responds, and helps build back after emergencies strike - to protect our children.


We make sure every moment counts - when it matters most. With our established global network of supply hubs and partners we're able to rapidly respond to any emergency with life-saving supplies. Thanks to generous UNICEF donors we can get clean water, vaccines, medical supplies, and treatment for malnutrition & illness to kids and families most in need - anywhere in the world - in under 48 hours.

  • 483

    humanitarian crises were each met by a tailored UNICEF response in 2021

  • 33

    million

    people accessed safe water as part of our emergency work in 2021

  • 5.3

    million

    Ukrainian children & women have been provided lifesaving medical supplies

 
Emergency- A child smiles during a festive performance and gift-giving event supported by UNICEF at Kamatorsk railway station in eastern Ukraine.

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When kids need us most

Conflict, climate change, natural disasters & food crises

When a crisis strikes, we're already there. In the wake of war and disaster, children and their families lose their homes, schools and often loved ones. Their access to food, water and health care is affected, and many kids are left vulnerable to abuse.   

 

With a presence on the ground in 192 countries we can quickly determine the immediate needs of the most vulnerable and hard to reach communities so we can provide rapid life-saving support and begin their recovery.

When food became scarce in Yemen and across the Horn of Africa, we were there to provide kids with nutrition and health care. When schools were destroyed in Syria, we set up tented classrooms. When kids in Ukraine braved shelling and explosions through constant blackouts and water-less winters, we repaired water systems, set up generators and provided warm clothing. 

Building back better

We respond to over 300 emergencies every year - though meeting the immediate needs of kids isn't our only priority. We holistically develop innovative and long-lasting solutions so that the impact of conflict and disasters won't prevent kids and their communities from enjoying a happy, healthy tomorrow. 

 

Kids faced a number of emergencies in 2022. The war in Ukraine, catastrophic flooding in Pakistan, drought in the Horn of Africa and the earthquake in Afghanistan. 

 

The earthquake devastated many rural homes, villages and lives while putting increased pressure on already struggling health, nutrition, hygiene, and education services.

Because we've been on the ground in Afghanistan for over 70 years, we were able to quickly help these disconnected communities recover from disaster and continue our work to build back a future filled with hope!
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Emergency- A mother and child attend the UNICEF-supported mobile health and nutrition clinic in Safeedi-Mish village in Nili District in Daikundi Province, central Afghanistan.
Healthcare

Our mobile health teams in Afghanistan help kids in remote areas overcome malnutrition. We'll keep promoting good nutrition and strengthening health services to prevent malnutrition altogether!

Emergency- 8-year-old Kefyatullah reads a story about the jungle while learning his local language, Pashto, in a UNICEF supported community education class in Spera District, Afghanistan.
Education

Community based classrooms in disconnected villages help kids continue learning. UNICEF will advocate to get all children back in school – for as long as it takes!

Emergency- Children play at the UNICEF-supported Child Friendly Space (CFS) in Chata village, Badakhshan Province in Afghanistan.
Safe Spaces

UNICEF child-friendly spaces are set up to help kids laugh, play, and process the trauma of disaster and the ongoing conflict. We'll continue to scale up these services to help kids find a sense of normalcy.

Emergency- The UNICEF water tower overseeing Tarinkot District in Sola Village.
Water

We quickly trucked water to earthquake affected villages without nearby water sources. Our solar water towers provide a sustainable and long-term water source to hundreds of thousands of people in the drought-stricken South Afghanistan - with more towers under construction as we speak!

Emergency- A UNICEF WASH Officer, distributes hygiene items to the survivors of June’s devastating earthquake in Barmal District, Paktika Province, Afghanistan.
Sanitation & Hygiene

Prepositioned hygiene supplies were sent within hours of the earthquake. We're scaling up the rehabilitation of water, sanitation, and hygiene services to be more resilient in the face of disaster.

When you donate to help UNICEF respond to an emergency, your support reaches children fast and lasts long after the headlines fade.

A changing landscape

In a world where current humanitarian emergencies take prolonged turns, 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.


But when disaster strikes, we're a few steps ahead!


With a presence in 192 countries, we're already there to jump into action with pre-positioned supplies. Our presence also 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 reach children as quickly as possible. Being agile and adaptive is everything in an emergency!


No matter the obstacles, we'll never stop delivering hope to kids!
Emergency supply response video

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The beating heart of UNICEF

See where it all begins!


At the centre of UNICEF's rapid response journey are our supply hubs around the world! Ready to ship our life-saving pre-positioned supplies at a moment’s notice.


Take a look around our Global Supply and Logistics Hub in Copenhagen which is over 60 years old! That's 60 years of reaching kids around the clock and around the world. 

Our supply hubs around the world tactfully coordinate responses to emergencies and help accelerate the rights of children through access to essential supplies.

This is how we get supplies around the world in under 48 hours!

Emergency - UNICEF supply map

Hear more stories about our Emergency work around the world!

We’re committed to transparency. To see how we split up expenses and manage our costs, read our annual report or visit UNICEF Open to see a live overview of all our projects.

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UNICEF Aotearoa is a registered charity with the New Zealand Charities Commission (CC35979), making you eligible for a tax refund of up to a third of your donation. All transactions are billed in New Zealand dollars.

UNICEF Aotearoa operates from Level 5, 86 Victoria Street, Wellington 6011, New Zealand.