Category: Child Protection

The holidays are fast approaching, which means last-minute gift shoppers are urgently searching for that special something to give to friends, family or that special someone. In the spirit of the season, UNICEF Canada offers this holiday rescue guide; our top 6 meaningful gifts that will help children in need this season.

In October 2019, six members of UNICEF Canada’s Women Unlimited travelled to Ghana for their first field visit, as part of a four year philanthropic journey. One of the members, Lisa Letwin, provided us this reflection on her experiences and how philanthropy really means the power of possibility.

UNICEF Canada ambassador and teacher Bayan Yammout visited Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan – the world’s largest camp for Syrian refugees – in October 2019, to provide training for facilitators (Syrian refugees who run the UNICEF designated programs) at the camp’s Makani Centres. In a two part series, she shares her reflections on life for children in the camps.

Kawthar is a 25 year old mother, who fled airstrikes in Serekaniye (also known as Ras Al-Ayn) with her only daughter Barcham (2 and a half years old). They are some of the approximately 176,000 people (including almost 80,000 children) who have been displaced inside north-eastern Syria just in the last two weeks.

Twenty-four thousand children were killed or maimed in conflicts in 2018. This is the highest number ever reported by the UN since it began monitoring the six grave violations affecting children nearly 15 years ago. David Morley comments on the situation and how Canada must make children’s rights, safety and wellbeing a global priority.

A Venezuelan migrant gets a surprise from his classmates in Ecuador.

More than 100 children were reported missing after a series of earthquakes struck Central Sulawesi province in September 2018. In the days following the disaster, UNICEF provided training for social workers on how to locate these children and reunite them with their families.

Ayate, Ashe, Biftu, Anifa, and Asiya all said ‘no!’ to marriage. Each girl knew her rights and was brave enough to exercise them. And all of them plan to inspire others to do the same in the hope of stopping the harmful practice of men marrying young girls in their community.

Since 2013, UNICEF and partners have reunified over 6,000 separated and missing children with their families. This is the story of one mother who was reunited with her children after 5 years of separation.

Rohingya children and youth are increasingly frustrated because of the shortfall in education opportunities available to them in the refugee camps. Without access to education and development opportunities, thousands of Rohingya are at risk of becoming a lost generation.