ReliefWeb

Sana’a 13th March 2013 - UNICEF announced today that Japan will make the largest humanitarian contribution to the organization in its 67 year history. The government generous contribution of US$189.5 million will support a wide range of projects in 35 developing countries and territories in Africa and the Middle East including Yemen.

The US$8.6 million allocated to UNICEF Yemen will help support lifesaving interventions for the most vulnerable children in the southern conflict affected governorates of Abyan, Lahj, Aden, Shabwa, Al-Bayda and Al Dhale. UNICEF interventions will focus on nutrition, health, education, child protection, water, sanitation and hygiene.

The project will more specifically;

• provide preventative and therapeutic nutrition services for malnourished children, pregnant women and women breastfeeding ;
• facilitate access to life saving maternal and child interventions including immunization, prompt treatment diarrhoea and pneumonia;
• improve access to quality water and sanitation for internally displaced persons and other conflict affected children and communities; and
• promote a protective environment for children through violence prevention and psychosocial support

In January 2013, UNICEF released the Humanitarian Action for Children Report and appealed for almost US$1.4 billion for children in 45 countries and regions gripped by conflict, natural disasters and other complex emergencies. Most of the countries covered by the report have benefited from Japan’s foreign aid assistance.

“This contribution by the Government of Japan could not have been more timely’ states UNICEF Acting Representative, Jeremy Hopkins “Despite positive gains made on the political and humanitarian front, the situation in Yemen remains fragile with children bearing the brunt of it”.

Localized conflicts in the north and south, pervasive poverty, coupled with sub-optimal functioning of basic social services, are all conspiring to worsen the humanitarian situation in 2013. An estimated 1 million children are affected by acute (sever and moderate) malnutrition; 7,500 children are expected to be infected with vaccine preventable diseases with serious consequences; and lack of adequate water and sanitation are impacting more than half of the Yemen population, at the risk of precipitating outbreaks high levels of diarrhoea and worsening the malnutrition situation of children.

“Restoring basic social services for vulnerable communities especially children, pregnant and lactating women in the most underserved districts in the country is an urgent priority at this crucial transition stage the country is going through” Hopkins concluded.

This contribution to UNICEF is part of a US$47.2million allocation in support of UN humanitarian interventions in Yemen by the Government of Japan.

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: http://www.unicef.org

For further information, please contact:

Alison Parker, Chief of Communication and Advocacy, UNICEF Yemen, +967-737-523-048, aparker@unicef.org

UNICEF Yemen Facebook:

www.facebook.com/unicefyemen www.facebook.com/unicefyemen.ar