March 10

2011 Humanitarian Action For Children.UNICEF

Women Children, including infants Disasters and Emergencies Trackbacks (0)

Building resilience: 2011 Humanitarian Action for Children

UNICEF's '2011 Humanitarian Action for Children' report, which appeals for $1.4 billion to aid children and women affected by increasingly severe emergencies worldwide.

 

Download '2011 Humanitarian Action for Children' [PDF]

 “Strengthening communities and enabling them to manage anticipated risks before crisis strikes is not only critical to reducing their suffering when emergencies arise,” said UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Hilde F. Johnson. “It also shortens their road to recovery.”

Catastrophic floods in Pakistan, and an earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands in Haiti, were just two examples of disasters that overwhelmed already fragile nations last year. “We know that the number of natural disasters and people affected is growing year by year,” said UNICEF Director of Emergency Programmes Louis-Georges Arsenault.

Crises in 32 countries

Around the world, millions are affected by drought, famine, violent conflict and long-term displacement. ‘Humanitarian Action for Children’ highlights 32 countries and stresses the need to help vulnerable communities to help themselves.

 
 
 

The report also requests funding to respond to so-called forgotten crises, such as those in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Afghanistan. In addition to basic needs such as water, food and education, the children and families affected by these emergencies need protection from violence and abuse.

“It’s about making sure that communities have a better capacity to absorb risk or threat, triggered either by natural disaster or conflict,” said Mr. Arsenault. “It’s about ensuring that there is a level of preparedness.”


Emergency preparedness

Whether it means teaching children disaster safety techniques or constructing sturdier health clinics and schools, preparation not only saves lives – it builds confidence and hope in the future.

 
 
 

UNICEF is appealing for a 21 per cent increase in emergency funding over the 2010 level. This amount reflects the growing severity and frequency of natural disasters, as well as the need for immediate action to avert the worst impact of crises to come.

“After a year of devastating natural disaster and human tragedy, it has never been more timely to strengthen the resilience of people and communities who are placed in harm’s way again and again,” said Ms. Johnson.

“It’s true that the financial environment is very difficult, but we have to make a strong case that we want to be able to decrease the need in the future,” added Mr. Arsenault. “We need to invest now.

 

July 29

Mother, Infant And Young Child Nutrition &Amp; Malnutrition, A Portal

Children, including infants Nutrition Mothers Trackbacks (0)
Announcing the release of http://motherchildnutrition.org - a new portal
about Mother, Infant and Young Child Nutrition & Malnutrition
 
The fight against persistent underweight, stunting and wasting among
children in developing countries is based on appropriate maternal,
infant and young child feeding practices including micronutrient
deficiencies prevention and control. However, wasted children are those
at immediate risk of dying and will need timely detection and correct
management for their survival.
 
With new technologies, increased resources and greater understanding now
more available than ever for tackling malnutrition, practice on the
ground is still struggling to show results as it attempts to keep up
with the pace.
 
This website and the links contained therein aim to address these
shortfalls by offering online access to the latest worldwide
developments in the fields of preventive and curative nutrition. We
would hope that a growing online community of practitioners,
contributors and an interested public, develops through continued
interest and usage.
 
More than half of all child deaths are associated with malnutrition,
which weakens the body's resistance to illness.
 
I trust that you will find this portal useful. Kindly forward this email
to your health care network, colleagues, friends and relatives. Everyone
should have access to this information. After all, everyone has the
right to make a difference.
 
Nand Wadhwani
Health Education to Villages
http://hetv.org
 
Thanks to Fareeda Jadwat for this. 
April 18

Countdown To 2015 For Maternal, Newborn &Amp; Child Survival. MDG

Health Women United Nations Children, including infants Millenium Development Goals [UN} Trackbacks (0)

A new report, Countdown to 2015: Maternal, Newborn and Child Survival, finds that treatment for potentially fatal illnesses and other vital health services largely fail to reach women and children in need, despite some progress (full text, pdf, 4 MB). The report, a collaborative effort of United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations, universities, and other institutions and individuals, tracks progress towards Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, to reduce child and maternal mortality respectively. UN Pulse   Permanent Link: Countdown to 2015 for Maternal, Newborn & Child Survival