UNICEF EU

This World Polio Day, we celebrate progress and the partnerships that make it possible. Polio eradication is within reach. Thanks to decades of global collaboration, over 20 million people are walking today who would otherwise have been paralyzed. Yet the fight isn’t over. To protect every child, especially those in the hardest-to-reach places, sustained political will and investment remain essential. The European Commission, the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the Gates Foundation have joined forces with UNICEF and World Health Organization to mobilize €500 million to support polio eradication and health systems strengthening. This innovative financing helps reach hundreds of millions of children every year with vaccines and essential services. With transmission at historic lows, the world faces a defining moment: act now to finish the job, or risk resurgence. Together, we can ensure that the next generation grows up in a world where polio is history. #WorldPolioDay #EndPolio #VaccinesWork #UNICEF #EU #EIB #GatesFoundation #GlobalHealth #Partnerships #ChildHealth

Last night’s event and photo exhibition on UNICEF’s response in partnership with the EU for children in Gaza reminded us all of the power of solidarity. The entire child population of around one million children has been deeply traumatized by two years of extreme violence and deprivation. Thanks to our partnership with the European Union, UNICEF will always be on the ground ready to respond to children’s needs. We extend our gratitude to EU in Emergencies and European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib, for their unwavering support to children in Gaza and for her moving words during the event.  

Join us for a high-level and expert panel discussion for World Mental Health Day 2025: A Generation’s Wellbeing: From Rights to Action in Youth Mental Health  📍 European Parliament, Room 1G3 (Spinelli Building), Brussels  📅 Wednesday, 15 October 2025  🕒 15:00 – 16:45 CEST  Together with the European Parliament Intergroup On Mental Health, Mental Health Europe and UNICEF Europe & Central Asia, this event will bring together youth leaders, child rights advocates, the European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef, MEPs, and mental health organizations. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of youth mental health policy in Europe. We hope to see you there. 👉 Register here (for assistants, staff & guests): https://lnkd.in/egcUCQQt Gabriele Fontana Tilly Metz Maria Walsh Renew Europe Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament EPP Group in the European Parliament The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament

“A Question Mark Hangs Over Gaza” - our new photo exhibition is now open in Brussels. What does it mean to grow up in a conflict zone? Where learning, playing, and simply being a child becomes dangerous. Where dreams fade, replaced by the urgency to survive. This free exhibition invites visitors to witness the daily realities of children in Gaza through the powerful lenses of Palestinian photographers and an immersive soundscape directly from the Gaza Strip. Their stories are marked by sorrow, resilience, and – despite everything – a quiet but enduring hope. 🗓️ 3–22 October 📍 Pavillon des Passions humaines, Parc du Cinquantenaire (1000 Brussels) 🎟️ Free entry We warmly invite you to visit and reflect. Your presence is a way to ensure that the children of Gaza are not forgotten. With sincere thanks to EU in Emergencies for their support in bringing this exhibition to life and for their ongoing dedication to delivering life-saving aid to children in Gaza.

 As the #ESRS undergoes revision, #ChildRights must stay front and center. Children make up nearly 1/3 of the global population and their rights must be visible in sustainability reporting. 📄 UNICEF’s response: http://bit.ly/3IKM6kK

🌍 It’s been a busy and impactful week at #UNGA for the UNICEF and European Union partnership for children! Our Executive Director Catherine Russell and Deputy Executive Directors Ted Chaiban, and Kitty van der Heijden held key meetings with EU leaders: Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica, and Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef. 🤝 These important moments reaffirmed the EU’s strong commitment to protecting children in emergencies, upholding their rights, and advancing the well-being of every child in Europe and around the world.  From conflict zones to climate shocks, children are facing unprecedented challenges. We are grateful for the EU's continued partnership in keeping children safe, ensuring access to essential services, and securing a brighter, more equitable future for all. European Commission  EU in Emergencies 

Every child deserves a polio-free future. At the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, we were honoured to welcome Zakaria Sbitri from the European Commission to the High-Level Event on Polio Eradication United to Finish the Job, hosted by KSrelief World Health Organization and UNICEF and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) Initiative. He provided a truly valuable overview of innovative financing for polio, supported by the European Commission, the European Investment Bank (EIB) Bank, the Gates Foundation.   We are grateful for this collaboration and commitment to building a polio-free future #ForEveryChild.  #EndPolio

🌍 Join us in marching for a cleaner, healthier future for all children on Sunday 5 October! We’re proud to be walking alongside our colleagues at @UNICEF Belgium in this year’s Climate March, standing up for a more sustainable world - one where every child can grow up safe, healthy, and hopeful. This isn’t just a walk - it’s a call to action. Together, we’ll raise our voices for climate justice and children’s rights. 👉 Will you march with us? 📍 Brussels  🗓 Sunday, October 5, 2025  🔗 Sign up here:  ▶️ https://lnkd.in/e5HZ4nRa    

We’re grateful to EU in Emergencies for their critical support in helping UNICEF respond to the ongoing cholera outbreak in Chad. Thanks to this partnership, we're reaching vulnerable communities with lifesaving interventions including clean water, essential medical supplies, rapid response teams, and health education that stops the spread before it starts. Cholera is preventable and treatable, but only if we act fast. With the EU’s support, UNICEF can protect children and families from this deadly disease and strengthen local health systems for the future. Together, we’re making a difference - one community, one clean water source, one child at a time. 💧💙 

The new UNICEF Child Nutrition Report highlights a global shift in malnutrition, with obesity surpassing underweight for the first time among school-aged children and adolescents.      The report reveals a concerning trend in high-income countries, where overweight is increasingly a marker of poverty, not affluence. Poorer households often live in areas saturated with fast-food outlets and have limited access to affordable, nutritious food. This is a critical reminder that in the EU, and across the world, social inequities are fueling unhealthy diets.     UNICEF supports the full implementation and expansion of the European Child Guarantee, which aims to ensure that all children in the EU, especially those most at risk, have access education, healthcare, adequate housing, but also healthy nutrition and at least one healthy meal each school day. Our partnership with the European Commission also includes a commitment to protecting children from the aggressive promotion of harmful products. This report underscores the urgency of these efforts. Let's use these findings to strengthen our joint work, advocate for stronger food policies, and ensure every child in the EU has the right to a healthy, nutritious diet.    https://lnkd.in/e4Jgt-yZ     #UNICEF #ChildNutrition #EU #FoodPolicy #PublicHealth