United News of Bangladesh

Chief Adviser Prof Yunus has described the cut in donor funding as a serious challenge, saying that it has already caused school closures and the loss of thousands of jobs for Rohingya teachers. "This is a disaster. Education in the camps provided a glimmer of hope for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya children. Our concern is for these children, who are growing up as angry young people and that anger could erupt in unpredictable ways," Prof Yunus told Unicef Executive Director Catherine Russell. She met with the Chief Adviser on Monday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly at a hotel in New York. Prof Yunus, UNHCR chief push for justice, new resources for Rohingya Their discussion focused on the ongoing Rohingya crisis, particularly the severe funding shortfall affecting humanitarian operations for the over one million refugees currently sheltered in Bangladesh. A key concern was the impact of these funding cuts on education services for Rohingya children in the camps, said Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder on Tuesday. Unicef Executive Director Russell painted a grim picture of the global funding climate, noting that even traditionally generous European nations are reducing their humanitarian contributions to agencies such as Unicef.

Despite growing awareness of healthy eating, vegetable consumption among children in Bangladesh remains alarmingly low, posing serious threats to child nutrition and long-term health, nutritionists and public health experts have warned. Recent estimates suggest that more than 1.5 crore children across the country are at nutritional risk due to the lack of vegetables, fruits, and milk in their daily food intake. Experts say this deficiency is causing a shortfall of at least five key nutrients essential for healthy growth and development. Nutritionists recommend that children aged 2 to 5 years should consume at least 40% of their daily food intake in the form of vegetables to lay a strong foundation for lifelong health. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that children consume at least 400g, or five portions, of fruits and vegetables per day.  Adequate vegetable intake is linked to a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers later in life, it also said. On the other hand, poor dietary habits, including low vegetable intake, can increase the risk of developing chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes later in life, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ICDDR,B). A recent analysis of dietary patterns reveals that a significant number of Bangladeshi children under the age of five consume little to no vegetables on a daily basis. According to data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), more than 60% of children aged 6 to 23 months had not consumed any fruits or vegetables on the day before the survey. “This trend is deeply concerning,” said Dr. Nusrat Jahan, a pediatric nutritionist at the National Institute of Public Health. “Vegetables are essential for a child’s physical and cognitive development. When children miss out on this group of foods early in life, it can lead to vitamin deficiencies, weakened immunity, and poor eating habits in the future.” Richest countries damaging child health worldwide: Unicef Experts say the avoidance of vegetables stems from multiple factors—ranging from taste preferences and lack of awareness to the increasing influence of ultra-processed food marketing. Many children show a natural aversion to bitter flavors, especially those found in green leafy vegetables, and without repeated exposure or encouragement, these foods are often rejected both at home and in schools. In lower-income households, affordability and accessibility pose additional challenges. “There is a clear link between food insecurity and poor dietary diversity,” said Shamsul Alam, a food policy researcher. “When families struggle to make ends meet, vegetables are often replaced with calorie-dense staples like rice and lentils.” However, the issue cuts across class lines. Dr. Kamrul Hasan, senior pediatrician at Mugda Medical College and Hospital, told UNB that vegetable intake is commonly neglected in both poor and affluent families. “Our meals are made up of several essential components. Yet vegetables—critical for boosting the immune system—are often overlooked by parents, rich and poor alike,” he said. “Fruits and vegetables provide essential nutrients such as Vitamin A, C, K, iron, potassium, folic acid, calcium, and even protein.” He emphasized the need for integrating vegetables and fruits into children’s daily meal plans to address widespread micronutrient deficiencies. “My son doesn’t like vegetables, so I just give him rice with eggs,” said Rina Akhter, a mother from Mirpur. “I didn’t realize skipping vegetables every day could be harmful.” Neonatal-child healthcare project to be greatly helpful: Japanese envoy Indeed, many families avoid vegetables fearing they might be harmful due to the practise of selling outdated produce as fresh by applying a chemical called formalin by vendors. When its widespread use was exposed in the media, the public grew even more apprehensive about consuming vegetables.  Encouragingly, some initiatives have begun showing promise. In a pilot project in Khulna and Rangpur districts, primary school students were introduced to school gardens, vegetable-based meals, and basic nutrition education. Teachers reported noticeable improvements in children's willingness to eat vegetables like spinach and amaranth. Nutritionists recommend involving children in food preparation, offering vegetables in fun and creative forms, and modeling positive eating behaviors. “Children are more likely to eat vegetables when they see parents or peers enjoying them,” said Dr. Nusrat. Public health advocates are calling for stronger policy-level interventions, including mandatory school meals with vegetables, subsidized vegetable markets, and restrictions on junk food marketing targeted at children. As Bangladesh continues its fight against malnutrition, experts agree that ensuring vegetables are a regular part of children’s diets must become a national priority. “It’s not just about full bellies,” said Dr. Nusrat. “It’s about nourishing our next generation—both body and mind.” Despite progress in reducing poverty and improving health indicators, malnutrition remains a major public health concern for children in Bangladesh. According to recent national and international data, approximately 28% of children under the age of five are stunted, indicating chronic undernutrition that hampers physical and cognitive development. Urban poor get less access to maternal and child health service: Experts Additionally, around 9.8% of children suffer from wasting - a result of acute malnutrition—while 22–23% are underweight. Experts warn that over 40% of children face some form of anthropometric failure when combined indicators are considered. Alarmingly, a small but rising percentage (3.3%) are overweight, pointing to an emerging double burden of malnutrition.

The government of Bangladesh and Unicef on Saturday marked a ‘significant milestone’ in education for out-of-school adolescents, with the successful completion of the Skill-Focused Literacy for Out-of-School Adolescents (SKILFO) pilot project. The project has reached almost 7,000 adolescents, and with proven success is now ready to be scaled up nationally. "The success of the SKILFO proves that out-of-school adolescents and NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) youth with poor levels of literacy can be meaningfully empowered with the right training approaches and the right levels of support and opportunities,” said Rana Flowers, Unicef Representative in Bangladesh. "Strengthening government’s commitment to inclusive education and youth empowerment, the next essential steps to the institutionalising and scale up of SKILFO across Bangladesh through sustained collaboration between the relevant ministries,” Rana Flowers said. Implemented in Cox’s Bazar, this pilot initiative will now expand to 16 districts, offering over 100,000 out-of-school and NEET adolescents a transformative pathway to foundational literacy and market-relevant skills. 6 Popular Bangladeshi Banks Offering Personal Loans for Marriage, Education, Travel, Medical and Other Purposes Target areas were selected based on youth demographics, local skills demand, job market potential and institutional capacity, said Unicef. The SKILFO pilot in the community of Cox’s Bazar focused on functional literacy & numeracy, vocational skills, and digital & financial literacy, all aligned with the Bangladesh National Qualification Framework (BNQF). Primary and Mass Education Adviser Prof Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder expected that the expansion of the project in 16 districts following the 'SKILFO' model and with a slightly updated model to be implemented in the all 64 districts. “If we can achieve this, I believe the current traditional mindset about education in Bangladesh will shift and skill focused education will lead,” he said. The Bureau of Non-Formal Education (BNFE), under the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MoPME), with technical support from Unicef and funding from the Global Partnership for Education Accelerated Fund, designed and piloted the SKILFO initiative in response to Bangladesh’s urgent need for a more inclusive and skills-driven education approach. With 2.2 million people entering the labor market annually, but only 1.9% receiving formal skills training1, the SKILFO model aims to directly address the country’s skills gap and contribute to the informal economy, Unicef said. BGMEA, AYAT Education, Integral Global Unite to promote wellness in RMG sector The expansion plans include the integration of SKILFO into the Core Non-Formal Education program and national projects. This will create more options for NEET adolescents through institutionalized Alternative Learning Pathways, with the BNFE–Technical Institute partnership setting a 21st-century benchmark for skill-based education using existing facilities and enterprises, Unicef added.  

Bangladesh is facing significant challenges in maternal and newborn care, according to latest reports released by the United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). While progress has been made since 1990, the country continues to record the highest rate of stillbirths in South Asia, demanding immediate and scaled-up interventions. The UN IGME child mortality report highlights that over 100,000 children in Bangladesh died before their fifth birthday in 2023, with nearly two-thirds of these casualties occurring within the first 28 days of life. The second report, focused on stillbirths, indicates that Bangladesh records over 63,000 stillbirths annually, equating to 1 in every 41 births resulting in a stillbirth - the highest in South Asia. To meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) related target, Bangladesh must save an additional 28,000 newborns each year, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced maternal and newborn care. "Over 100,000 newborns in Bangladesh die yearly from preventable causes such as premature birth, complications during delivery, and infections like sepsis and pneumonia, a violation of their basic right to survive and thrive,” said Farook Adrian Doomun, Unicef Representative in Bangladesh. “We can save millions of babies and mothers if we invest more in strengthening the health system, focusing in priority on primary health care, and increase the number of trained health professionals, especially midwife at all levels, providing them the right tools so that every newborn is in a safe pair of hands,” he said. Unicef, in collaboration with WHO, is committed to working with the interim government of Bangladesh and partners to achieve quality health care to prevent maternal and child mortality, Farook Adrian added. Key challenges contributing to high newborn mortality and stillbirth rates in Bangladesh include a higher number of home deliveries (30%), limited access to small and sick newborn care, and the absence of midwives closer to their homes for normal vaginal delivery. Besides, other risks for mothers and newborns include inadequate 24/7 quality services at Upazila level, inadequate postnatal care at primary healthcare level and unregulated private sector, leading to preventable deaths from birth asphyxia, prematurity and infections. Dr Yunus arrives in Bangkok ahead of BIMSTEC Summit Moreover, poor antenatal and labour care, along with inadequate prevention and management of other disease conditions during pregnancy, perpetuate Bangladesh's high stillbirth rate, preventing the country from meeting its SDG targets. Funding and resource limitations exacerbate these issues, hindering progress towards reducing child mortality. “Stillbirths and preventable child deaths remain a heartbreaking reality for millions worldwide. Bangladesh has made significant progress in maternal and child health over the past decades; yet disparities in access to quality and timely care persist,” said Dr Ahmed Jamsheed Mohamed, WHO’s Representative in Bangladesh “We must act now to reverse the trends and end these tragic losses. WHO’s recommendations on antenatal and intrapartum care, the WHO Labour Care Guide, and the Global Strategy for Women, Children, and Adolescents’ Health offer evidence-based actions for the government and stakeholders. With only five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we need accelerated actions for improving maternal and child health,” he said. WHO, in collaboration with Unicef, calls for immediate and collective action to end preventable child deaths and stillbirths. “Through strong government commitment, sustained investment in primary healthcare-oriented systems, and guided by global evidence and best practices, we can prevent these tragic losses and build a healthier future for every child, said Dr Ahmed Jamsheed. Bangladesh's achievements in maternal and child health are commendable; and yet, weakened health systems often lead to inadequate care. A coordinated and unified system is necessary to reduce preventable deaths of mothers and children. Unicef and WHO urge the Interim Government of Bangladesh to increase facility births with skilled birth attendants, including at Union level, through midwives, expand newborn care units, boost trained nurses and midwifes, and improve antenatal, delivery and postnatal care. Increasing funding for trained staff and medical supplies is crucial to reinforce maternal and child health care, according to the Unicef.

UNICEF, a UN agency dedicated to promoting and protecting the rights of children worldwide, has said the interim government and law enforcement agencies should ensure immediate action and accountability for all reported cases of violence against children through strengthened investigation, prosecution, and judicial processes. Establishing a specialised child protection unit within law enforcement, trained in trauma-informed investigations and victim-sensitive approaches, is fundamental, said UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh Rana Flowers. Severe malnutrition among Rohingya children surge by 27%: Unicef Besides, she said, expanding and professionalising the social service workforce would provide gender-sensitive, child-centered support for survivors and their families. To secure justice for victims and survivors, independent and gender-sensitive prosecutors must be appointed to ensure timely prosecution and hold legal actors accountable for meeting the government’s 90-day case resolution target, she mentioned. The UNICEF Representative said she is "profoundly horrified" by the alarming rise in reported cases of sexual violence against children, especially girls, in Bangladesh over the last weeks. "I am especially concerned with the recent surge in horrific cases of child rape and sexual violence, including in places meant to protect and nurture children like educational institutions," Flowers said in a statement on recent cases of violence against children on Sunday. She said their hearts are especially heavy with the tragic death of the eight-year-old child from Magura a few days ago. Her death serves as a "devastating reminder" of how children, especially girls, are being subjected to grave violations of their fundamental rights and safety. Japan, Unicef sign $ 3.3mn deal to strengthen assistance for Rohingya children Sadly, Flowers said, this young girl´s death is merely one of many horrifying acts against children. According to UNICEF's monitoring, a distressing number of children have reportedly fallen victims of rape and murder in recent months. From January 2025 to March 16, media and local human rights organisations recorded approximately 50 cases of child rape. The trend seems to be getting even more worrisome - only on Monday 10 March, there were 7 children killed and 6 confirmed cases of violence. These statistics are more than just numbers; they represent shattered lives, profound trauma for survivors, and unimaginable grief for families and communities, Flowers said. These incidents have sparked deep concern across the nation, raising urgent questions about the safety and protection of children and adolescents, especially in the hands of people they trust at home and in schools. According to UNICEF estimates, 1 in 8 girls and women alive today globally experienced rape or sexual assault before the age of 18, and studies in Bangladesh confirm that perpetrators are often known to their victims. In response to this crisis, the UNICEF welcomed the order issued by the government to bring the perpetrators to justice immediately, while insisting on calling rape, such a heinous crime, by its rightful name. UNICEF acknowledged the interim government’s commitment to a "zero tolerance" policy against violence against women and girls. "We also commend the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) for its efforts in removing harmful content from online platforms," Flowers said. However, while these measures are crucial, they must be part of a broader, sustained effort to address the root causes of violence against children, she said. To create a society where every child can grow up free from fear and violence, Flowers said, the interim government and all stakeholders need to take immediate and decisive actions to strengthen and invest in child protection systems. The media also plays a crucial role in generating a safer society for children. Authorities should enforce ethical media and child safeguarding policies to protect children’s dignity and well-being during investigations and legal proceedings. Concurrently, Flowers said, media outlets should commit to responsible reporting by safeguarding the identity, privacy, and dignity of child survivors and victims, avoiding sensationalism, and preventing further harm to victims, families and communities. And very important, she said, they need the good men of Bangladesh to stand against all forms of violence and every parent to ensure that boys and girls are raised to respect the other, not to have some false sense of entitlement to abuse. The lack of safety and security for children contributes to the persistence of child marriage and other forms of violence. "Every child has the right to grow up in a safe and protective environment, both at home and in public spaces. Child survivors must be shielded from further trauma, especially during investigations and legal proceedings," Flowers said. Survivors deserve dignity, healing and justice, she said, adding that it is essential to respect their right to privacy—by authorities, media, law enforcement, the judiciary, and the public— to support their recovery. For child victims, Flowers said, justice must be swift and uncompromising, ensuring accountability for those responsible. UNICEF urges safer, fairer future for Bangladesh’s youth; calls for ending criminalization of children "At UNICEF, we remain steadfast in our commitment to child rights and protection and stand ready to support the interim government in strengthening child protection systems and ensuring a safer Bangladesh for all children," Flowers said.

The UN children’s fund on Thursday accused armed men, likely on both sides of the conflict in eastern Congo, of raping scores of children over the past weeks as rebels expand their footprint and push government forces out. The accusation came as the conflict in the mineral-rich region shows no signs of abating. UNICEF cited reports of the abuses, saying the offenders were apparently from among both the M23 rebels and the government forces fighting them. "In the North and South Kivu provinces, we are receiving horrific reports of grave violations against children by parties to the conflict, including rape and other forms of sexual violence at levels surpassing anything we have seen in recent years,” UNICEF's Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement. “One mother recounted to our staff how her six daughters, the youngest just 12 years old, were systematically raped by armed men while searching for food," Russell added. Health facilities in the restive region reported during the week from Jan. 27 to Feb. 2 a total of 572 rape cases — more than a fivefold increase compared to the week before, Lianne Gutcher, UNICEF's communication chief in Congo, told The Associated Press. Of those, 170 of those treated were children, she added. US aid freeze halts NGO support for displaced Somalis Armed men perpetrated the rapes but it was unclear what specific armed group or army they belonged to, Gutcher said. “It is suspected that all parties to the conflict committed sexual violence,” she added. The Rwanda-backed M23 rebels are the most prominent among more than 100 armed groups vying for control of Congo’s mineral-rich east in a decades-long conflict that has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. In late January, the rebels captured Goma, the region’s largest city, in a major escalation of the fighting. Last week, the United Nations Human Rights Council launched a commission that will investigate atrocities, including rapes and killings akin to “summary executions” committed by both the Congolese army and the M23 rebels in the region since the beginning of the year. On Monday, 84 Congolese soldiers accused of murder, rape and other crimes in the country's east went on trial in the city of Bukavu. The city is under the control of government forces but the rebel offensive has inched closer to it recently. Congo's Health Minister Roger Kamba, meanwhile, said 143 patients who were being treated for mpox fled from Goma’s hospitals as the rebels pushed into the city. Some were found or came back on their own but 110 have not returned. The minister said the city has also recorded nearly 100 cases of cholera since the rebel offensive started. Goma is now fully under rebel control. Kamba added that Congolese authorities, with the help of aid groups, were able to send vaccines, medical supplies and medicines to Goma through a humanitarian corridor via neighboring Kenya and Rwanda. He did not provide details. On Thursday, Congolese musician Delcat Idengo was killed in Goma in what authorities described as an “assassination.” Congo's government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya blamed his death on “Rwanda and its accomplices.” The Associated Press was not able to independently verify the circumstances surrounding the death of the artist, known for his politically charged songs.

Two in three young people reported “too much fake news and misinformation”  as the most significant cause of stress on social media in a new anonymous poll of children and young people in Bangladesh by UNICEF. Bullying and negative comments were cited as the most stressful experience by a further one seventh of respondents (slightly more for girls), while one out of seven also pointed to seeing harmful/upsetting content as the main cause of stress when using social media.  Almost 29,000 responded to the poll through UNICEF platform U-Report in Bangladesh, said the UN agency on Tuesday. Among other issues, it asked for opinions about rules governing content on social media. While a minority (23 percent) of respondents said that rules “might stop people from saying what they really think”, more than double that number (52 percent) thought that “rules are important to stop harmful behaviors like bullying and hate speech.” When asked what might happen if rules were relaxed, a staggering 79 percent said vulnerable groups in their community would be harmed, identifying ethnic or religious minorities (30 percent), children and youth (26 per cent) and women and girls (23 per cent) among those they think would be targeted.  “We already know from painful experience that misinformation and hate speech don’t just exist online - they can fuel real-world consequences, putting children at risk of mental and physical harm, especially children that already face discrimination like girls and minorities,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh. Climate crises disrupted schooling for 33 million Bangladeshi children in 2024: UNICEF “Young people in Bangladesh know digital spaces give positive opportunities for connection, learning, and open debate, but they’re also weighing up the risks now, as a lack of rules and regulations make these spaces feel unsafe for some.”  More than half of poll respondents said they had noticed changes to the kind of content they are seeing on social media, with mixed responses on the impact this was having - 17 percent of respondents said they were feeling less safe online. “The responsibility belongs to all of us, including policy makers, regulators, the big tech companies, educators, parents and caregivers, and the young people using the platforms – to ensure children and young people can access accurate and reliable information online, know how to distinguish truth from misinformation, and safely navigate online spaces,” emphasized Flowers.  UNICEF is committed to supporting environments where children in Bangladesh are safe from harmful content, hate and discrimination. In the increasingly complex, globalized digital environment, UNICEF continues to engage with relevant actors to advocate for safe, inclusive digital environments for children and young people.  UNICEF particularly called for urgent actions from policy makers, regulators and technology companies with a presence in Bangladesh to facilitate: Moderation systems and policies that protect children and uphold their right to safety and dignity online; Safe, inclusive, and empowering digital spaces, where every child can express themselves without fear; Digital literacy education for young people, equipping them with cyber safety skills needed to critically assess online information, identify misinformation, and engage in responsible digital interactions.

Severe weather events disrupted education for children around the world, including 33 million in Bangladesh in 2024, according to an analysis released by UNICEF today. The report, "Learning Interrupted: Global Snapshot of Climate-Related School Disruptions in 2024," is the first of its kind, and reveals that heatwaves, cyclones, floods, and other extreme weather events led to multiple rounds of school closures around the world. Globally, at least 247 million students in 77 countries had their schooling disrupted by heatwaves, tropical storms, floods and droughts in 2024. South Asia was the most affected region. In Bangladesh, nationwide heatwaves in April and May 2024 left children at risk of dehydration and heatstroke, forcing schools to close across the whole country for up to two weeks, and several districts went on to suffer subsequent school disruption due to cyclone Remal, followed by intense flooding in June. UNICEF appeals for US$9.9 bln funding to support children hit by conflict, crisis   Up to 18.4 million people were impacted by the floods countrywide, including 7 million children. Sylhet district was the worst hit, with severe flooding causing widespread infrastructure damage and leaving more than 600,000 learners without access to education. According to estimates from UNICEF in Bangladesh, children in Sylhet lost up to 8 weeks of school days cumulatively and areas in Khulna, Chattogram and Rangpur districts each suffered 6 weeks of climate-induced school closures over 12 months. “The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, exacerbated by the climate crisis, is having a knock-on effect on children’s education in Bangladesh and depriving children of their right to learn”, said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh. “Extreme temperatures and other climate hazards don’t only damage schools, they can affect students’ concentration, memory and mental and physical health. Prolonged school closures increase the chance of children – especially adolescent girls – dropping out of school and being married off by families to cope with economic stress”. According to the UNICEF Children’s Climate Risk Index, children in Bangladesh are already among the most exposed and vulnerable in the world to climate and environmental hazards. These disasters often put further strains on the ‘learning poverty’ in the country, where one in two children cannot read at their grade level and two-thirds are unable to do basic counting after completing primary education. In addition, the country loses some of the brightest from their classrooms, as girls and Bangladesh pay the price of ranking among the top 10 countries in the world with the highest percentage of child marriage. The report notes that schools and education systems are largely ill-equipped to protect students from these impacts, and climate-centred finance investments in education remain strikingly low. UNICEF is calling on international climate financing institutions and donors, the private sector and the interim Government of Bangladesh to prioritize the needs of children in policies and plans, including by: Accelerating financing to improve climate resilience in the education sector, including investing in proven and promising solutions to build climate-smart learning facilities that are safe and inclusive for all children. Number of children recruited by gangs in Haiti soars by 70%: UNICEF Ensuring national climate plans – including Nationally Determined Contribution 3.0 and the National Adaptation Plan – strengthen child-critical social services, such as education, to be more climate- smart and disaster- resilient, and contain adequate emission reduction pledges to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Ensuring children and young people are part of the climate decision-making process at all levels. “Children in Bangladesh are at the forefront of two interconnected crises - climate change and deepening learning poverty, threatening both their survival and future. As children continue to speak up and call for urgent action on the devastating impacts of the climate crisis, decision-makers must heed their calls and place their needs at the centre of climate policies and financing plans,” said Flowers.

UNICEF has launched a US$ 9.9 billion funding appeal to reach 109 million children in 146 countries with lifesaving aid next year. Around the world, 213 million children are at the sharp end of unpredictable and volatile humanitarian emergencies. The funds will be utilised in UNICEF’s humanitarian response to multiple conflicts, climate shocks, displacement, and health crises expected next year. With 109 million children targeted by UNICEF for humanitarian assistance in 2025, donor funding is critical to ensure the response is timely, effective, and sufficient.  “The scale of children’s humanitarian needs is at a historically high level, with more children impacted every day,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. In 2024, over 57.5 million children were born into countries affected by conflict or other humanitarian crises where UNICEF has an emergency appeal. That figure is expected to rise by at least 400,000 in 2025, it said. The US$9.9billion appeal for 2025 highlights the pressing need to tackle a growing array of humanitarian challenges confronting children in 146 countries. The top five appeals by funding requirements for 2025 are for Afghanistan, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Palestine and Lebanon.  Afghan economy shows modest signs of growth but recovery remains fragile, says World Bank                              Last year, donors contributed more than 50 per cent of UNICEF’s thematic humanitarian funding to just four emergencies – Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Syria, and Ukraine – a fraction of the 412 emergencies UNICEF responded to in 107 countries. Meanwhile, humanitarian operations in countries like Burkina Faso, Lebanon, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, and Myanmar are the most severely underfunded. “Support through flexible humanitarian funding is critical for our work for children affected by crises,” said Russell.  

UNICEF has appointed Gargee Tanushree Paul as a new youth advocate in Bangladesh for the coming two years. During the signing ceremony for her new role, Gargee met with Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh, and discussed children's rights in the country, said a press release received on Thursday. In her new role as a youth advocate, Gargee will engage with UNICEF in global and national moments to amplify children’s voices and advocate for children’s rights including increasing awareness of climate action, protecting their future from violence, neglect, abuse and childhood traumas, child marriage, learning crisis and prioritising the most vulnerable and marginalised children in all areas of development. Japan providing assistance worth USD 1 million to flood-affected areas through UNHCR, UNICEF Gargee, now 16-year-old, is a dedicated child rights advocate and journalist, currently a student in Grade 10 at Scholastica School, said the release.   She engages in supporting underprivileged children, as well as on projects to improve education for indigenous children. Gargee has published over 200 reports with child journalism media hello.bdnews24.com covering key issues like child marriage, education, and climate change, said UNICEF on Wednesday. She has also led impactful awareness campaigns and charity drives, highlighting her commitment to UNICEF’s mission. Her background and active engagement make her an inspiring role model for children and young people. As a youth advocate, Gargee will inspire other young people to take action towards making the world a better place.