UNICEF Belgium, the Belgian branch of the United Nations Children's Fund, raised more than €28 million last year for children around the world, the organisation announced in a press release on Monday.
The result was achieved thanks to the support of nearly 95,000 godmothers and godfathers.
More than €19 million of the €28 million raised went to emergency aid and development programmes for vulnerable children around the world. Regions such as Syria, Turkey, Morocco, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Gaza have been affected by natural disasters, protracted conflicts, or both, UNICEF pointed out.
Immediate aid is provided to families living in these areas, while at the same time "the foundations for structural development are laid to improve the prospects of tomorrow's adults." Children can thus have access to healthcare, drinking water, nutritious meals, and quality education.
In addition to global aid, the organisation also focuses on the promotion and protection of children's rights and addresses urgent problems in Belgium. In 2023, the focus has been on child poverty, well-being and climate.
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In the weeks leading up to the elections, UNICEF Belgium is launching a memorandum and an awareness-raising campaign aimed at politicians and the general public.
Entitled 'Taking the children's side', it states, among other things, that nearly half a million children in Belgium are at risk of poverty, and that too many suffer from mental health problems and inequalities in terms of access to early childhood services and education.
