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At an event to mark the occasion and to launch the 25th anniversary study, UNICEF's Executive Director, Henrietta Fore, said the  has achieved concrete results for children: "For example, since 2000, at least 170,000 children have been released from armed forces and armed groups, many having survived multiple violations – including abduction or sexual violence." The UN should continue to prioritize helping these children, who have suffered terrible violence, she added. "We should seize all opportunities to increase visibility and awareness of the terrible impact of conflict on children. We should be courageous in taking steps to end impunity and advance accountability for children in situations of armed conflict."

Ho Van Huy in central Viet Nam is happy to be drinking clean water. After storms and floods in the region affected nearly 2 million people in January, UNICEF provided emergency supplies, including water filters, to affected communities. Smiling is contagious and these happy children from around the world are sure to put a smile on your face! Find out what's been making them smile this year.

Grave violations of children’s rights in conflict are on the rise around the world, warns . From Afghanistan to Yemen, and Syria to northern Ethiopia, thousands of children paid a devastating price as armed conflict, inter-communal violence, and insecurity continued. The first three months of 2021 saw a slight decrease in the overall number of verified grave violations; however, verified cases of abduction and sexual violence continued to rise at alarming rates - by more than 50 and 10 per cent, respectively, compared to the previous year.

We are living through an era of rapid and far-reaching transformation. As the world has changed — becoming more digital, more globalized, and more diverse — childhood is changing with it. The Changing Childhood Project — a collaboration of and Gallup — was created to explore these shifts, and to better understand what it means to be a child in the 21st century. UNICEF asked young and older people in 21 countries what is it like to grow up in today’s world? And how do generations view the world differently? Dive in and discover the changing nature of childhood.

At least 300,000 children were newly infected with HIV in 2020, or one child every two minutes, said in a new .

If news headlines get you down sometimes, I’ve got the antidote: it’s youth activist Gitanjali Rao.  

At just 15, Miss Rao was Time Magazine’s first Kid of the Year in 2021 – in recognition of her success in solving problems through science. 

She was in Geneva for the , which is where UN News’s Daniel Johnson with her.

Big changes start small. The impact of COVID-19, climate change and conflict affect us all. Don't give up on adults, only together can we change the world.

More about .

The number of children with disabilities globally is estimated at almost 240 million, according to UNICEF’s most comprehensive to date. “This new research confirms what we already knew: Children with disabilities face multiple and often compounding challenges in realizing their rights,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. The report includes data from 42 countries and covers more than 60 indicators of child well-being – from nutrition and health, to access to water and sanitation, protection from violence, and education. 

“When there are floods, we take our shoes and socks off and put them in our school bags,” says Fathimath. “We have to wade through the water to our classrooms.” Fathimath’s school is on a small island about a 45-minute boat ride from Male, the capital of Maldives – and just 30 metres from the ocean. The only thing protecting the school from rising sea levels are a handful of coconut palms, some of which have already collapsed into the sea, and a line of sandbags packed under the school’s main gate. Even with this precaution, the area still floods a few times a year, covering the school courtyard.

What did you dream of becoming when you were a child?

An astronaut?
A firefighter?
A veterinarian?

Today, 160 million children are trapped in child labour. Most of them in agriculture.

We need to #StopChildLabour so all children can work on their dreams.

The report presents the Children’s Climate Risk Index, which uses data showing new global evidence on how many children are currently exposed to climate hazards, shocks and stresses. 

How parents can start the mental health conversation with their kids #OnMyMind

Who says children shouldn’t play in the kitchen? Cooking healthy food starts young in this Touch Smell Taste cooking class in Rome. The hands-on cooking lab, led by Naheda Slayih and supported by volunteers, invites visually impaired children to learn how to become young chefs and have a good time too.

Producers: Megan Williams, Charlotta Lomas, Anais Hotin, Marina Sánchez Castelo, Nina Coates.
Presenter: Megan Williams.
Photo: ©FAO/Cristiano Minichiello.

The story is a sequel to ‘!’, published in April 2020. The new storybook can be used by parents and teachers in conjunction with a guide entitled ‘.’

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about the mental health of a generation of children. But the pandemic may represent the  – an iceberg we have ignored for far too long. The examines child, adolescent and caregiver mental health. It focuses on risks and protective factors at critical moments in the life course and delves into the social determinants that shape mental health and well-being. It calls for commitment, communication and action as part of a comprehensive approach to promote good mental health for every child.