Press Release: Government of Japan supports UNICEF with US$4.9 million to address urgent humanitarian needs for children
2016/3/14
KHARTOUM, Sudan – 13th March 2016:- The Government of Japan today responded to the urgent humanitarian call to address the growing children’s emergency in Sudan with a US$4.9 million grant to UNICEF. The grant is a part of the overall support to address the basic needs of children in nutrition, health, water, and sanitation and hygiene promotion in the conflict affected states of South Darfur, East Darfur, South Kordofan and West Kordofan.
Announcing the latest Japanese contribution, His Excellency Hideki ITO, the Japanese Ambassador to Sudan, said “I am pleased to announce the commencement of this project that particularly targets vulnerable IDPs, refugees and host communities in the four conflict affected states of South Kordofan, West Kordofan, South Darfur, and East Darfur. I hope our contribution enables UNICEF to tackle the challenges faced by children and women affected by emergencies in the targeted areas”.
The funds will specifically support the provision of improved water drinking sources and adequate sanitation for 50,000 people; screening services for 140,000 children under the age of five for severe acute malnutrition and treatment for 10,000 identified severely acutely malnourished children. Additionally, 140,000 children with will be reached with essential vaccines, 36,000 pregnant women will receive Tetanus toxoid vaccines as well as an integrated health package and 37,000 children will receive quality treatment for common childhood illnesses. Some 10,000 girls and boys will have access to friendly education services and 5,000 children will receive psychosocial support. 100,000 mothers and caregivers will receive infant and Young child feeding counselling in adopting good nutritional practices such as exclusive breast feeding, appropriate complementary feeding, adequate diet diversity and frequency of meals.
The UNICEF Representative Geert Cappelaere expressed appreciation to the Government and people of Japan and partnership with JICA (Japanese International Cooperation Agency) for the sustained and continued support to the well-being of the children in Sudan. “Investing in children remains an urgent imperative for Sudan as they increasingly continue to bear the brunt of protracted emergencies and chronic underdevelopment. This valuable support from the Government of Japan will advance UNICEF’s emergency response plan and enhance the resilience of Sudanese children and their caregivers especially in the face of the recent escalation in violence in some areas,” Cappelaere emphasised.
The situation of children in Sudan remains a concern with thousands displaced, some 2,000,000 children under the age of five suffering from acute malnutrition of which 550,000 are severely acutely malnourished and at risk of death. This has been worsened with multiple displacements in the past weeks with attendant increased risk in disease outbreaks such as acute water diarrhoea and measles, threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of children.
For more information, please follow UNICEF on Twitter (https://twitter.com/unicefsudan Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/UnicefSudan123)
And contact:
Alison Parker, Chief of Communication, UNICEF Sudan, +249-912 179 116, aparker@unicef.org
About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org
Announcing the latest Japanese contribution, His Excellency Hideki ITO, the Japanese Ambassador to Sudan, said “I am pleased to announce the commencement of this project that particularly targets vulnerable IDPs, refugees and host communities in the four conflict affected states of South Kordofan, West Kordofan, South Darfur, and East Darfur. I hope our contribution enables UNICEF to tackle the challenges faced by children and women affected by emergencies in the targeted areas”.
The funds will specifically support the provision of improved water drinking sources and adequate sanitation for 50,000 people; screening services for 140,000 children under the age of five for severe acute malnutrition and treatment for 10,000 identified severely acutely malnourished children. Additionally, 140,000 children with will be reached with essential vaccines, 36,000 pregnant women will receive Tetanus toxoid vaccines as well as an integrated health package and 37,000 children will receive quality treatment for common childhood illnesses. Some 10,000 girls and boys will have access to friendly education services and 5,000 children will receive psychosocial support. 100,000 mothers and caregivers will receive infant and Young child feeding counselling in adopting good nutritional practices such as exclusive breast feeding, appropriate complementary feeding, adequate diet diversity and frequency of meals.
The UNICEF Representative Geert Cappelaere expressed appreciation to the Government and people of Japan and partnership with JICA (Japanese International Cooperation Agency) for the sustained and continued support to the well-being of the children in Sudan. “Investing in children remains an urgent imperative for Sudan as they increasingly continue to bear the brunt of protracted emergencies and chronic underdevelopment. This valuable support from the Government of Japan will advance UNICEF’s emergency response plan and enhance the resilience of Sudanese children and their caregivers especially in the face of the recent escalation in violence in some areas,” Cappelaere emphasised.
The situation of children in Sudan remains a concern with thousands displaced, some 2,000,000 children under the age of five suffering from acute malnutrition of which 550,000 are severely acutely malnourished and at risk of death. This has been worsened with multiple displacements in the past weeks with attendant increased risk in disease outbreaks such as acute water diarrhoea and measles, threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of children.
For more information, please follow UNICEF on Twitter (https://twitter.com/unicefsudan Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/UnicefSudan123)
And contact:
Alison Parker, Chief of Communication, UNICEF Sudan, +249-912 179 116, aparker@unicef.org
About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org