UNICEF Helping Unaccompanied Children In Haiti

Assistance to unaccompanied children, who have lost or became separated from their families, is a focus of UNICEF's Haitian humanitarian operations, in the wake of the deadly earthquake which struck on 12 January.

While it continues daily delivery of critical life-saving supplies such as water, nutrition, shelter and medicine (so far, UNICEF supplies for 250,000 children have arrived and are being distributed), UNICEF and partners like Save the Children have also begun registering unaccompanied children found in the streets of Port au Prince. A programme will then begin to trace the families of these children, if they exist.

"Safe Spaces" for unaccompanied children including infants are now set up in the capital. These locations allow UNICEF and its partners to assist and protect children who have nowhere else to go, until their families are found or alternative arrangements are made.
Unaccompanied children are especially vulnerable to disease, malnutrition and exploitation, including trafficking and need urgent assistance as well as, in many cases, long term support.

The safe spaces are places where unaccompanied children can find shelter, food, water and medicines and they can also serve as make-shift schools and recreation areas.

Safe spaces have been used by UNICEF to protect children in the aftermath of emergencies, most recently in cyclone-hit Myanmar and in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, post-Tsunami and also to reunite them with their families. With nearly 40 per cent of the population under 14 years of age in Haiti, this is clearly a children's emergency, and the need for support and protection, registration and family tracing is widespread.
The earthquake which struck on 12 January caused huge numbers of deaths, injuries and widespread damage to Haiti's already fragile infrastructures. The United Nations and its humanitarian agencies, NGOs, the US Government and many others, have mounted a massive relief and rebuilding operation.

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About UNICEF
UNICEF is the world's leading organisation working for children and their rights in more than 190 countries. As champion of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF works to help every child realise their full potential. Together with our partners, UNICEF delivers health care, nutrition, education and protection to children in urgent need, while working with governments to ensure they deliver on their promise to protect and promote the rights of every child. UNICEF relies entirely on voluntary donations from individuals, governments, institutions and corporations, and is not funded by the UN budget. For more information, please visit http://www.unicef.org.uk.