Latest UNICEF News & Updates

Kabul, Jan 29 (IANS) The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has predicted that 14.4 million people in Afghanistan will require health services in 2026, local media reported on Thursday. Among these people, only 7.2 million people are expected to be covered by existing programmes, according to OCHA statement. It stated that 54 per cent of those who need health services are children, 24 per cent are women and 10 per cent are specially-abled people, Afghanista…

Canberra, Jan 29 (IANS) Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has announced 50 million Australian dollars in support for Afghanistan to address the deteriorating situation. She condemned Taliban’s oppression of women and girls and stated that Australia is continuing legal action against Afghanistan for violations of Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). In a statement shared on X, Wong stated, “The people of Afghanistan are enduring one of the world…

Kabul, Jan 28 (IANS) United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said that Afghanistan is facing one of the worst child malnutrition crises, with around 3.7 million children facing acute malnutrition annually, local media reported on Wednesday. UNICEF representative in Afghanistan, Tajudeen Oyewale, stressed the need to address the crisis during the launch of malnutrition prevention and treatment guidelines on Tuesday, Afghanistan’s leading news agency Khaama Press reported.The malnutrition cris…

New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is set to launch initiatives, including PANCHAM – Panchayat Assistance and Messaging Chatbot — developed in collaboration with UNICEF, it was announced on Saturday.The Ministry will organise a felicitation function on Sunday to honour elected Panchayat representatives invited as Special Guests to witness the Republic Day Parade 2026 at Kartavya Path in New Delhi.The honourees will be felicitated by Union Minister of State for Panchayati …

Ahmedabad, Jan 23 (IANS) In a major push to strengthen leadership skills among adolescent girls and familiarise them with democratic processes, the Gujarat government has constituted ‘Balika Panchayats’ in over 13,000 gram panchayats across the state. With this initiative, Gujarat has emerged as the first state in the country to implement such a model on a statewide scale.The programme, which began as a pilot in Mota Angiya and Maska villages of Kutch district, has now been expanded to every…

New Delhi, Jan 17 (IANS) Vaccination against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) as well as improving access to DNA-based screening is crucial to eliminate cervical cancer in India, said officials from the Health Ministry on Saturday.The experts were speaking at India’s first national summit organised by AIIMS to accelerate the cervical cancer elimination agenda.Aradhana Patnaik, Additional Secretary and Managing Director, National Health Mission (NHM), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, reaffi…

New Delhi, Jan 16 (IANS) In Pakistan, menstrual pads are a luxury item, and the government continues to impose a 40 per cent tax on period products, according to a media report.While menstrual health has gained significant attention, and many countries, including Malawi and Ethiopia, have worked in the last five years to remove different types of taxes and import duties, Pakistan continues to see menstrual pads as a luxury good, the NPR.org reported.“Pakistan imposes a luxury tax on period pro…