In 2025, more than 213 million children will need humanitarian aid. This was announced by the head of the UN children’s fund (UNICEF) Katherine Russell, speaking at the first session of the UNISEF Executive Council this year.
The world in 2025 is a world of significant political changes and volatility, economic uncertainty and growth of inequality, discrimination and hatred, as well as deepening humanitarian crises, said Russell.
According to her, the fund was preparing for the fact that in 2025 it may encounter new problems in the field of resource mobilization.
So, UNICEF experts evaluate the influence of the 90-day suspension of the US funding of the Fund and its partners to clarify the long-term consequences.
Russell also noted warnings about reducing the budgets of external assistance in Europe. She recalled that in 2024, almost half of the Humanitarian financing of UNICEF went to only five emergency situations, as the funds were targeted.
The head of the fund urged to urgently change this situation by increasing the share of regular resources and flexible humanitarian financing.
“Regardless of where they are, all children have the same rights in accordance with international norms, and each child must have access to humanitarian assistance,” said Russell.
At the same time, according to UNICEF, more than 213 million children in 146 countries and territories will need humanitarian aid, the head of the fund,
said.
In addition, the percentage of children in the world living in conflict zones almost doubled: from 10 percent in the 1990s to almost 19 percent today, Russell continued.
“These include gas and Lebanon, where the truce regime contributes to the provision of vital assistance and efforts to restore, as well as the release of hostages; either Haiti and Sudan, where terrifying violence, including in relation to children, led to the spread of hunger, Including mass hunger in some areas, and the collapse of vital services, ”Russell recalled.
She urged not to forget the regions that are less likely to fall into the news, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Sachel and Syria.
Unisef is a stronghold of the struggle for the rights of children and their well -being, especially in these complex and unpredictable times, the head of the fund emphasized. “To achieve success, UNICEF should be in its best shape,” she added.