UNICEF implores all donors to continue to fund critical aid programs for the world’s children by Catherine Russell UNICEF Executive Director, agencies   Mar. 2025   Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on global foreign aid reductions:   “Announced and anticipated funding cuts will limit UNICEF’s ability to reach millions of children in dire need.   “These cuts by numerous donor countries follow two years of aid reductions at a time of unprecedented need. Millions of children are affected by conflict, need to be vaccinated against deadly diseases such as measles and polio, and must be educated and kept healthy.   “As needs continue to outpace resources, UNICEF has consistently brought efficiencies and innovations to our work, and we have stretched every contribution to reach vulnerable children. But there is no way around it, these new cuts are creating a global funding crisis that will put the lives of millions of additional children at risk.   “UNICEF is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from governments, private sector partners, and individuals. This support has helped save millions of children’s lives, helped ensure infectious diseases do not spread across borders, and helped mitigate the risks of instability and violence.   “With our partners, we have made historic progress. Since 2000, global under-5 mortality has dropped by 50 per cent. Millions of children are alive today thanks to this work. Millions more have been protected with improved health and brighter futures.   “UNICEF implores all donors to continue to fund critical aid programs for the world’s children. We cannot fail them now.”   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/statement-unicef-executive-director-catherine-russell-global-foreign-aid-reductions   Mar. 2025   Decades of progress in reducing child deaths and stillbirths under threat, warns the United Nations   Decades of progress in child survival are now at risk as major donors have announced or indicated significant funding cuts to aid ahead. Reduced global funding for life-saving child survival programmes is causing health-care worker shortages, clinic closures, vaccination programme disruptions, and a lack of essential supplies, such as malaria treatments.   These cuts are severely impacting regions in humanitarian crises, debt-stricken countries, and areas with already high child mortality rates. Global funding cuts could also undermine monitoring and tracking efforts, making it harder to reach the most vulnerable children, the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) warned.   “From tackling malaria to preventing stillbirths and ensuring evidence-based care for the tiniest babies, we can make a difference for millions of families,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “In the face of global funding cuts, there is a need more than ever to step up collaboration to protect and improve children’s health.”   Even before the current funding crisis, the pace of progress on child survival had already slowed. Since 2015, the annual rate of reduction of under-five mortality has slowed by 42%, and stillbirth reduction has slowed by 53%, compared to 2000–2015.   Almost half of under-five deaths happen within the first month of life, mostly due to premature birth and complications during labour. Beyond the newborn period, infectious diseases, including acute respiratory infections such as pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhoea, are the leading causes of preventable child death. Meanwhile, 45% of late stillbirths occur during labour, often due to maternal infections, prolonged or obstructed labour, and lack of timely medical intervention.   Better access to quality maternal, newborn, and child health care at all levels of the health system will save many more lives, according to the reports. This includes promotive and preventive care in communities, timely visits to health facilities and health professionals at birth, high-quality antenatal and postnatal care, well-child preventive care such as routine vaccinations and comprehensive nutrition programmes, diagnosis and treatment for common childhood illnesses, and specialized care for small and sick newborns.   Most preventable child deaths occur in low-income countries, where essential services, vaccines, and treatments are often inaccessible. The report also show that where a child is born greatly influences their chances of survival.   The risk of death before age five is 80 times higher in the highest-mortality country than the lowest-mortality country, for example, while a child born in sub-Saharan Africa is on average 18 times more likely to die before turning five than one born in Australia and New Zealand. Within countries, the poorest children, those living in rural areas, and those with less-educated mothers face the higher risks.   Stillbirth disparities are just as severe, with nearly 80% occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, where women are six to eight times more likely to experience a stillbirth than women in Europe or North America. Meanwhile, women in low-income countries are eight times more likely to experience a stillbirth than those in high-income countries.   “Disparities in child mortality across and within nations remain one of the greatest challenges of our time,” said the UN DESA Under-Secretary-General, Li Junhua. “Reducing such differences is not just a moral imperative but also a fundamental step towards sustainable development and global equity. Every child deserves a fair chance at life, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that no child is left behind.”   We call on governments, donors, and partners across the private and public sectors to protect the hard-won gains in saving children’s lives and accelerate efforts. Increased investments are urgently needed to scale up access to proven life-saving health, nutrition, and social protection services for children and pregnant mothers.   * The number of children dying globally before their fifth birthday declined to 4.8 million in 2023, while stillbirths declined modestly, still remaining around 1.9 million, according to reports released today by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). Since 2000, child deaths have dropped by more than half and stillbirths by over a third, fuelled by sustained investments in child survival worldwide. However, progress has slowed and too many children are still being lost to preventable causes.   "Millions of children are alive today because of the global commitment to proven interventions, such as vaccines, nutrition, and access to safe water and basic sanitation,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “But without adequate investments we risk reversing hard-earned gains, with millions more children dying from preventable causes. We cannot allow that to happen.”   http://data.unicef.org/resources/levels-and-trends-in-child-mortality-2024/ http://www.who.int/news/item/25-03-2025-decades-of-progress-in-reducing-child-deaths-and-stillbirths-under-threat--warns-the-united-nations   Mar. 2025   At least 14 million children face disruptions to critical nutrition services in 2025   At least 14 million children are expected to face disruptions to nutrition support and services because of recent and expected global funding cuts, leaving them at heightened risk of severe malnutrition and death – according to analyses issued by UNICEF.   The funding crisis comes at a time of unprecedented need for children who continue to face record levels of displacement, new and protracted conflicts, disease outbreaks, and the deadly consequences of climate change – all of which are undermining their access to adequate nutrition.   “Over the last decades, we have made impressive progress in reducing child malnutrition globally because of a shared commitment and sustained investment,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Since 2000, the number of stunted children under the age of five has fallen by 55 million, and the lives of millions of severely malnourished children have been saved. But steep funding cuts will dramatically reverse these gains and put the lives of millions more children at risk."   Additional impacts across 17 high priority countries due to funding cuts include:   More than 2.4 million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition could go without Ready-to-use-Therapeutic-Food (RUTF) for the remainder of 2025.   Up to 2,300 life-saving stabilisation centres – providing critical care for children suffering from severe wasting with medical complications – are at risk of closing or severely scaling back services.   Almost 28,000 UNICEF-supported outpatient therapeutic centres for the treatment of malnutrition are at risk, and in some cases have already stopped operating.   Today, levels of severe wasting in children under five remain gravely high in some fragile contexts and humanitarian emergencies. Adolescent girls and women are especially vulnerable. Even before the funding cuts, the number of pregnant and breastfeeding women and adolescent girls suffering from acute malnutrition soared from 5.5 million to 6.9 million – or 25 per cent – since 2020.   UNICEF expects these figures to rise without urgent action from donors as well as adequate investments from national governments.   “UNICEF is calling on governments and donors to prioritise investments in health and nutrition programmes for children and is urging national governments to allocate more funding to domestic nutrition and health services. Good nutrition is the foundation of child survival and development, with impressive returns on investment. Dividends will be measured in stronger families, societies and countries, and a more stable world,” said Russell.   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/least-14-million-children-face-disruptions-critical-nutrition-services-2025-unicef http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-calls-urgent-investment-prevent-child-wasting-leaders-convene-nutrition-growth-summit http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1161541   * IPC Child Acute Malnutrition Classification latest: http://tinyurl.com/4n25jjbz   Mar. 2025   U.S. to End Vaccine Funding for Poor Children. (NYT, agencies)   The Trump administration intends to terminate the United States’ financial support for Gavi, the organization that has helped purchase critical vaccines for children in developing countries, saving millions of lives over the past quarter century, and to significantly scale back support for efforts to combat malaria, one of the biggest killers globally.   Gavi is estimated to have saved the lives of 19 million children since it was set up 25 years ago with the US contributing 13% of its budget, the New York Times said.   The terminated U.S. grant to Gavi was worth $2.6 billion through 2030. Gavi was counting on a pledge made last year by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for its next funding cycle.   New vaccines with the promise to save millions of lives in low-income countries, such as one to protect children from severe malaria and another to protect teenage girls against the virus that causes cervical cancer, have recently become available, and Gavi was expanding the portfolio of support it could give those countries.   The loss of U.S. funds will set back the organization’s ability to continue to provide its basic range of services — such as immunization for measles and polio — to children in the poorest countries, let alone expand to include new vaccines.   By Gavi’s own estimate, the loss of U.S. support may mean 75 million children do not receive routine vaccinations in the next five years, with more than 1.2 million children dying as a result.   Mark Suzman’s CEO of the Gates Foundation said: "I am deeply disturbed by news reports that the U.S. Administration is considering withdrawing its support for Gavi. If true, and if Congress allows this to happen, the impacts will be devastating, including possibility of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of preventable deaths, especially among mothers and children.   http://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/26/health/usaid-cuts-gavi-bird-flu.html http://www.gavi.org/our-alliance/about http://www.gavi.org/news/media-room/statement-global-high-level-summit-support-gavi-replenishment http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/msf-statement-us-decision-withdraw-who http://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-center/press-releases/2025/01/us-withdrawal-world-health-organization http://www.who.int/news/item/16-01-2025-who-launches-us-1.5-billion-health-emergency-appeal-to-tackle-unprecedented-global-health-crises   * The Forbes 2024 Billionaires list reports 2,781 people holding combined assets of $14.2 trillion. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reports global military spending of $2440 billion in 2023.   http://www.caritas.org/2025/02/closure-of-usaid-foreign-aid-will-kill-millions/ http://actalliance.org/act-news/act-general-secretary-statement-of-concern-over-us-administration-policies-impacts-on-humanitarian-aid/ http://www.interaction.org/statement/60-ngos-respond-to-terminations-of-life-saving-programs/ http://www.interaction.org/statements http://reliefweb.int/report/world/children-facing-extreme-hunger-crisis-put-risk-aid-cuts-clinics-close http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1161366 http://www.unhcr.org/news/press-releases/statement-unhcr-s-filippo-grandi-impact-global-aid-cuts-refugees http://www.unaids.org/en/impact-US-funding-cuts http://www.acaps.org/en/thematics/all-topics/us-funding-freeze http://www.icvanetwork.org/uploads/2025/03/Lives-on-the-Line-Final-Report.pdf http://www.icvanetwork.org/uploads/2025/02/Impact-of-US-Funding-Suspension-Survey-Results-ICVA.pdf http://www.icvanetwork.org/90-day-suspension-order-resources/ http://humanitarianaction.info/document/us-funding-freeze-global-survey http://www.taxobservatory.eu/publication/a-blueprint-for-a-coordinated-minimum-effective-taxation-standard-for-ultra-high-net-worth-individuals/   Mar. 2025   United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk remarks to UN Human Rights Council meeting on the Rights of the Child Theme: Early Childhood Development:   "In recent years, we have all seen appalling images of people suffering the horrific effects of conflict, but when it comes to children, they clearly played no part in stoking the violence. They could never be fighters, or armed rebels, or militia members. Because they are small children. Sometimes, babies.   From Sudan to Gaza, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Ukraine, children are bearing the brunt of the global failure to uphold human rights. As international human rights and humanitarian law are broken with impunity, children are the most vulnerable victims.   Even in countries that are at peace, children are routinely denied their rights to food, water and shelter; to education, healthcare and a clean environment.   Children make up a third of humanity. Our experiences during childhood can affect us for our entire lives. And children’s small bodies make them more vulnerable to physical and environmental harms than adults.   Upholding the rights of children is at the heart of our commitment to advancing and safeguarding human rights for all. The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in the world. This shows the strong commitment of States to protect and promote the rights of every child, without discrimination. Today, we must find our way back to that pledge.   Some 80 percent of our brain develops in the three years after our birth. Early childhood development is an essential foundation for a happy, healthy, fulfilling life. This, in turn, is the basis for strong communities and resilient economies.   Yet the gap between the Convention and reality is increasing. Many children face a precarious future. As action on hunger, poverty and the 2030 Agenda falters, inequality and climate chaos increase.   In the next thirty years, eight times as many children could be exposed to extreme heatwaves, and twice as many to extreme wildfires.   The digital divide means just 25 percent of children in low-income countries are online, compared with more than 95 percent in high-income countries. And children in all countries lack the protections needed to stay safe online.   Decades of progress on children’s rights and development are stagnating and even being rolled back, directly threatening children’s early development and even survival.   Almost one in three children worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water. Two in five children lack access to basic sanitation. One in three children under 5 are not growing and developing as they should, because of malnutrition. Over 385 million children are living in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $1.90 per day.   And for children marginalized by their ethnicity, or their socioeconomic, migration or disability status, the situation is far worse. We are letting children down, instead of lifting them up.   We know what children need to survive and thrive: health care and nutrition, clean air and water, protection from harm, and a sense of nurturing and security.   Initiatives that target the most marginalized children help to break cycles of poverty, for the benefit of entire communities. Investments in early childhood are one of the smartest ways to achieve sustainable economic development. Studies indicate that the economic return can be up to thirteen times the amount invested.   Governments have the primary responsibility to fulfil children’s rights. But the private sector, civil society, educational institutions and many other stakeholders have an interest – and a responsibility, when it comes to the wellbeing of children. We must all work together to provide children with the best possible chances in life.   A child’s early years are a vital window of opportunity, and their life chances should not depend on luck. In these troubling times, we must stand up together for the full implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We must revitalize investment in children – all children, everywhere".   http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1161111   * UN Human Rights Council 2025 Annual discussion on rights of the child; Early Childhood Development: UN WebTV: Day 1 video broadcast starts at 1hr 05 minutes in:   http://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1y/k1ygkhegr5 http://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k16/k16ycl95hy Visit the related web page
	Busting myths about child marriage by UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund   “I was married at 14, and I lost my first child at 16 during pregnancy,” Ranu Chakma told UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Child marriage is common in her village of Teknaf Upazila, on the southern coast of Bangladesh – even though it is illegal and a human rights violation.   On Valentine’s Day, UNFPA is urging countries to say “I don’t” to child marriage, a practice that is almost universally condemned, and yet which remains widespread globally. Today, almost one in five young women were married off while still children.   We delve into five common misconceptions about child marriage, and highlight the need for action at all levels.   Myth 1: It’s always illegal   Child marriage is banned under many international agreements, from the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women to the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994. And still, there are 640 million women and girls in the world who were child brides – with more child marriages taking place every day.   How is that possible? Many countries ban child marriage in principle, but define the permissible age of marriage as something other than 18, or permit exceptions with parental consent or under religious or customary law. And in many cases these marriages, and marriages in general, are not legally registered, making enforcement of the law difficult.   But addressing child marriage requires more than laws – it requires rethinking how society values girls.   Programmes like Taalim-i-Naubalighan, in Bihar, India, where two in five children marry before age 18, are having an impact. These programmes encourage young people to think about topics such as gender roles and human rights.   “That's why I was able to help my sister,” said Altamash, a male student whose sister wanted to avoid child marriage and continue her studies. “When I understood her desire and how it would help her, I advocated for her to my father. She is now going to complete her education, and I am so proud of her.”   Myth 2: In some cases, child marriage is necessary   Child marriage remains pervasive in part because it is seen as a solution to other problems. In humanitarian crises, child marriage rates often rise, with parents believing marriage will secure a daughter’s future by making a husband responsible for economically supporting her and protecting her from violence.   Child marriage is seen as a solution that will preserve the honour of a girl and her family after – or in some cases before – she becomes pregnant. In fact, in developing countries the majority of adolescent births take place within a marriage.   Yet child marriage is not a real solution to any of these issues. Child marriage itself leads to girls experiencing high levels of sexual, physical and emotional violence from their intimate partners. And pregnancy is dangerous for girls; complications of pregnancy and childbirth are one of the leading causes of death among adolescent girls. Child brides and adolescent mothers are often forced to drop out of school, upending their future prospects.   Nicolette, 16, in Madagascar was so accustomed to seeing her classmates disappear from school after marrying and becoming pregnant, she never thought to question the practice. That’s until she attended a UNFPA-supported awareness session. “I didn't know that we could be victims of child marriage,” she said. But now, she wants all the girls in her community to know: “Everyone has the right to realize their ambitions, and marriage is a choice!”   Myth 3: This problem is going away   Child marriage may sound like a problem of the past, or of faraway places, but in fact it remains a serious threat to girls around the world.   While global child marriage rates are slowly falling, the places with the highest rates also have the most population growth, meaning the absolute number of child marriages is expected to increase. And the problem is global: The largest number of child brides live in the Asia and Pacific region, the highest rate of child marriage is seen in sub-Saharan Africa, and lack of progress in Latin America and the Caribbean mean that this region is expected to have the second highest prevalence of child marriage by 2030. Yet the issue is not limited to developing nations: It takes place in countries like the United Kingdom and United States, too.   “I was basically introduced to somebody in the morning, and I was forced to marry him that night,” Sara Tasneem told UNFPA, recalling her marriage, first an informal spiritual union at age 15, then legally at age 16. “I got pregnant right away, and we were legally married in Reno, Nevada, where it only required permission signed by my dad.”   To change this, we must accelerate our actions to end child marriage – especially by empowering girls. “I was 13 years old when my father gave my hand in marriage to a cousin,” 16-year-old Hadiza, in Niger, told UNFPA. Fortunately, she had access to a safe space through a UNFPA-supported youth programme. “I spoke to a safe space mentor, who, with the help of the neighbourhood chief, negotiated with my parents to postpone the wedding.”   Today, Hadiza is an apprentice to a tailor, learning the skills to become economically self-sufficient. “And in three years I plan to get married to the man I love,” she said.   Myth 4: It’s a cultural or religious issue that we should not interfere with   Child marriage is sometimes misrepresented as a religiously or culturally mandated practice. But there are no major religious traditions that require child marriage. In fact cultural and religious leaders around the world often take a strong stance against child marriage, especially when provided evidence about the consequences of the practice.   “We have always taught young people that, both religiously and legally, it was not advisable. We also explained to those young people that they had to accomplish other tasks, primarily concerning their education, before thinking about starting a family,” Shirkhan Chobanov, the imam of Jumah Mosque in Tbilisi, Georgia, told UNFPA in August.   UNFPA works with faith leaders around the world who are working to end child marriage, including priests, monks, nuns and imams.   “We are seeing very good results as far as warding off child marriage is concerned,” said Gebreegziabher Tiku, a priest in Ethiopia.   Myth 5: It only happens to girls   While the vast majority of child marriages involve girls, boys can also be married off.   Globally, 115 million boys and men were married before age 18, according to 2019 data, with the highest averages seen in Latin America and the Caribbean. These unions are also linked to early fatherhood, constrained education and reduced opportunities in life.   Still, girls are disproportionately affected by the practice, with about 1 in 5 young women aged 20 to 24 years old married before their 18th birthday, compared to 1 in 30 young men. Child marriage rates for boys are very low even in countries where child marriage among girls is relatively high.   No matter the gender of the child affected, nor the country in which the union takes place, child marriage is a harmful practice that requires addressing a common set of root causes, including economic inequality, limited access to sexual and reproductive health services and information, and factors such as conflict. And one of the biggest root causes, gender inequality, requires urgent and renewed focus.   “While we have abolished child marriage, we have not abolished predatory masculinity,” said Dr. Gabrielle Hosein, director of the Institute of Gender and Development Studies at the University of the West Indies, in Trinidad and Tobago, shortly after that country had outlawed child marriage.   Kevin Liverpool, an activist with the advocacy group CariMAN, said men and boys have a critical role to play. “It’s important to raise awareness among these groups, among these individuals, about what feminism is, why gender equality is important for women, but also for men and for all of society,” he said.   http://www.unfpa.org/news/valentines-day-busting-5-common-myths-about-child-marriage http://www.girlsnotbrides.org/articles/ http://data.unicef.org/topic/child-protection/child-marriage/
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