UNICEF Is There—Before, During and After a Crisis
Cyclones. Tsunamis. Wars. Political conflicts. Among the scores of people whose lives are upended by natural and man–made disasters every year, children are the most vulnerable. In the last decade, millions of children have died as a result of emergencies, and countless others have been deprived of lifesaving health care, food, water and protection from violence and abuse. And in the unfolding chaos of these catastrophic events, many boys and girls have been separated from their parents.
UNICEF was created after World War II to help children living in war–ravaged areas. And though its work has grown exponentially since then, UNICEF is still the leader when it comes to disaster relief for children, providing both immediate and long–term necessities—food, water, shelter, protection and physical as well as mental health care. UNICEF also works to reunite children with family and provides care for those who are orphaned.
Each year, UNICEF aids children and families affected by hundreds of emergencies around the world (see the links below for the most recent news).
Before an emergency even develops, UNICEF can often anticipate where and how it will respond, thanks to its one–of–a–kind operations center (OPSCEN)—an extraordinary, 24–hour emergency information and communications hub. Every minute of every day, members of the multilingual OPSCEN staff monitor potential emergencies and enable UNICEF workers to react almost instantly whenever and wherever disaster strikes. But it’s not just that UNICEF gets there fast—it’s that UNICEF is there already. Because it has permanent programs in so many countries, UNICEF can instantly deploy pre-positioned supplies, quickly giving children and families the lifeline they need to survive. UNICEF's commitment to comprehensive recovery means it stays to help communities rebuild long after others have left.
Related Links
February 8, 2010
Port-au-Prince's Champ de Mars now home to thousands in need
Before January 12, the Champ de Mars in downtown Port-au-Prince was the city’s main park and seat of political power. Today, the Champ de Mars is home to roughly 15,000 people left homeless by the earthquake.
February 8, 2010
UNICEF Executive Director meets quake-affected children and families in Haiti
UNICEF Executive Director Ann M.Veneman visited the Haitian capital last week, meeting with UNICEF staff, government leaders and survivors of the massive earthquake that struck here on 12 January.
February 5, 2010
UNICEF flagship report: children in 28 countries face exceptional crises
In 28 countries, crises are exacerbated by larger trends—climate change, on-going conflict and the international financial downturn—and are beyond the capacity of any one agency to address. The 2010 Humanitarian Action Report emphasizes the power of partnerships to help children in crises situations.
