Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Stay informed on UNICEF's work saving and protecting children around the world

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Submitted by todemko on Wed, 2021-01-27 10:42

Since 1988, Delta Sigma Theta chapters have supported UNICEF's education, health and child protection programs in Africa and the Caribbean, with a focus on gender and women's empowerment. Now, UNICEF USA & Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. have launched a strategic national partnership to raise awareness and support for young girls and boys in Africa and Haiti who are at risk of or have experienced trafficking, exploitation, violence and abuse.

The children of today are facing an entirely new set of challenges. Our climate is changing at an alarming rate, new global health crises have destabilized entire public health systems, technology has changed the way we perceive the world, and an increasing number of children and their families are migrating to new and unknown places. In Africa and in Haiti, millions of children, particularly those in migration, are at risk of trafficking, violence, or exploitation. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for two-thirds of children living in households struggling to survive on an average of $1.90 a day or less per person. And although the rate of extreme poverty decreased between 2013 and 2017, these unprecedented times have undone a significant amount of that progress.

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has in many ways exacerbated the already present strains on ensuring the protection and safety of children. Due to long periods of isolation at home, children are at a higher risk of intrafamilial violence. Additionally, as we find new ways to connect in distanced circumstances, more and more children are spending time on online spaces making them more susceptible to cyberbullying and abuse.

UNICEF USA and Delta Sigma Theta have partnered on a 2-year program that will support child protection programming in Africa and Haiti from January 2021 to December 2022. Most recently, the Regional Southern Chapters of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority raised funds to support emergency education efforts in Africa and Haiti.

UNICEF’s programs help these girls and boys heal, recover and regain their childhood. This means providing them with greater protection and individualized care plans to help them recover and heal from the devastating impacts of abuse.

Together, Delta Sigma Theta and UNICEF USA can help raise awareness and support to protect children from violence and exploitation and create more access to education, health and protection for millions of children throughout Africa and Haiti.