There are many emergencies which you rarely hear about. They are buried within big newspapers, so small you may not notice them. We call them 'silent' emergencies because they don’t receive the attention or money they deserve.

As of February 2009, UNICEF is seeking $US1 billion ($AU1.5billion) for emergencies affecting children, in 36 countries around the world. Many of these are unreported.

Emergencies that happen away from the media spotlight are not as well funded as those that make big news, like the tsunami in 2004. Money specifically donated to highly publicised emergencies cannot be transferred elsewhere, even if the need for funds is greater.

UNCEF's Silent Emergencies fund works differently. It's a pool of readily available funds for those you may not hear about, but who need aid the most. It's also for crises which have not yet happened, so that when they do hit we're prepared and can act quickly.

Recent examples of silent emergencies include:

Darfur – While the crisis in Darfur has received media attention, it continues to escalate and remains one of the biggest humanitarian crises of our time. Some 4.7 million people out of a total population of around 6.2 million are directly affected by the current conflict, which began in 2004. Last year alone, 310,000 people were displaced, or newly displaced – bringing the current total of displacement to 2.7 million. Through a massive humanitarian operation, UNICEF has helped stabilise the situation through increased primary-school enrolment, improved access to clean water and basic health services, and decreased mortality rates.
Haiti – A month of hurricanes and catastrophic flooding in August 2008 rendered many homes uninhabitable in Gonaïves, a city of 350,000 still recovering from a devastating hurricane in 2004. Not only is Haiti vulnerable to the effects of natural disasters but it has been plagued by violence and lawlessness since 2004, when President Aristide fled into exile. With one of the highest rates of infant, under-five and maternal mortality in the Western hemisphere, Haiti’s leading causes of death are diarrhoea, respiratory infections, malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Thanks to supplies, medical equipment and technical assistance from UNICEF and its partners, routine immunisation coverage has improved significantly in recent years and our work remains ongoing.
Timor-Leste – UNICEF’s 2009 Humanitarian Action Report describes the situation in Timor-Leste as ‘fragile’ with civil unrest and natural disasters gradually eroding the ability of many communities to cope. Timor-Leste has the highest malnutrition prevalence in the region and the numbers are rising still. About half of all children under the age of five are underweight.
Central African Republic - The conflict between the government and rebel forces has affected hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people. These people are in desperate need of food, water and medicine as well as protection from abuse and violence. UNICEF is providing relief to women and children and has supported dozens of water projects, including the repair and maintenance of existing wells and the drilling of hundreds more – all benefiting communities in the north of the country that have been disproportionately affected by violence.
Ethiopia - The combined impact of climate change, global rise in food prices and the resulting low availability of food internationally have contributed to the onset of the most severe humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia since 2003. Women and children face grave humanitarian challenges including malnutrition, diarrhoea, floods, poor access to health care services and critical water and sanitation shortage. UNICEF is responding to the urgent needs of children and women in the drought-affected areas, in the sectors of health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, education and child protection.
Yemen - The Republic of Yemen experienced emergencies on three fronts in 2008: the conflict in the northern Governorate of Sa’ada; the impact of current high prices on the national economy; and the impact of a severe tropical storm on the south-east of the country. All of these are having a strong impact on vulnerable women and children in a country with some of the poorest social indicators in infant, child and maternal mortality within the region. In 2009, UNICEF willprovide leadership in nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and education.

Click on the newspaper link on the right to read about other silent emergencies which do not make big news.

Funds raised for this appeal will help us to provide emergency healthcare and supplies for affected children, such as therapeutic feeding, first aid kits, vaccinations and 'School-in-a-box' kits, containing supplies and materials for a teacher and up to 80 students.

Your donation CAN HELP EASE CHILDREN'S SUFFERING.

$58 can provide 40 packets of high energy biscuits, specially developed for malnourished children.
$173 can buy a basic water kit, containing items such as water containers, buckets, soap and water purification tablets, sufficient to meet the needs of 10 families.
$280 is the cost of a UNICEF 'School-in-a-box kit', containing education materials such as pencils, exercise books, writing slates, blackboard equipment and posters, for the use of up to 80 children.

Click here to make a donation.

JOIN UNICEF'S MONTHLY GIVING PROGRAM.

Join UNICEF's monthly giving program and create lasting change. By becoming a UNICEF Global Parent and making a regular donation of $35 or more, you can help build long-term sustainable communities for many children and their families.

Click here for more information or call 1300 134 071 to become a UNICEF Global Parent today.

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