Children who rely on support from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) worldwide including Kenya are facing a threat of limited or no longer getting the support after UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell explained the effects of the anticipated funding cuts.
According to Russell, UNICEF is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from governments, private sector partners, and individuals. However, over the last two years, there have been cuts by numerous donor countries which is limiting its ability to reach millions of children in dire need.
“As needs continue to outpace resources, UNICEF has consistently brought efficiencies and innovations to our work and we have stretched every contribution to reach vulnerable children. But there is no way around it, these new cuts are creating a global funding crisis that will put the lives of millions of additional children at risk," Rusell revealed in an official statement.
Children around the world, especially those under five years old, have benefited from the support of UNICEF which saved their lives, helped ensure infectious diseases do not spread across borders, and helped mitigate the risks of instability and violence.
Now, UNICEF is pleading with donor countries to continue funding the program so that they can continue supporting the children who largely rely on them.
“UNICEF implores all donors to continue to fund critical aid programs for the world’s children. We cannot fail them now,” Russel pleaded in the statement.
Partnership between UNICEF and donor countries since 2000 has made historic progress and changes in the lives of children worldwide. Since then, global under-five mortality has dropped by 50 per cent.
Millions of children are alive today thanks to UNICEF's work. Millions more have been protected with improved health and brighter futures.
In Kenya, UNICEF supports newborns, children, adolescents, and women, particularly in deprived areas, they ensure they survive and thrive. They help children and adolescents in deprived areas learn and acquire foundational and transferable skills for the future.
Additionally, they ensure children and adolescents are safer and better protected from violence, exploitation abuse, neglect, harm, and HIV.
UNICEF’s Kenya program is designed, coordinated, managed, and supported, in order to achieve results for children. This includes cross-cutting issues such as adolescents, climate change, gender, and private-sector partnerships.
Apart from Kenya, other African countries that benefit from UNICEF are Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia. South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
