UNICEF has launched a US$9.9 billion funding appeal aimed at providing lifesaving assistance to 109 million children across 146 countries in 2025.
This appeal comes in response to the anticipated challenges children will face, including conflicts, climate shocks, displacement, and health crises.
In a statement released on Thursday, UNICEF emphasized that around 213 million children globally are currently affected by unpredictable circumstances.
The agency noted that the 109 million children targeted for aid in 2025 are at significant risk, and donor funding is critical to ensure timely, effective, and sufficient humanitarian assistance.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell emphasized the unprecedented scale of children’s humanitarian needs, noting, “Looking ahead to 2025, we estimate that 213 million children in 146 countries and territories will require humanitarian assistance over the course of the year— a staggering number. It is UNICEF’s mandate to reach each of these children with the essential services and supplies they need and to ensure their rights are protected and upheld — a mandate that has guided our work for the past 78 years.”
Impact of conflicts on newborns
In 2024, more than 57.5 million children were born into countries affected by conflict or other humanitarian crises where UNICEF has an emergency appeal. UNICEF predicts that the figure is expected to rise by at least 400,000 in 2025.
“The US$9.9billion appeal for 2025 highlights the pressing need to tackle a growing array of humanitarian challenges confronting children in 146 countries, ” the agency noted.
Key goals for UNICEF’s 2025 humanitarian action for children
As part of its Humanitarian Action for Children, which outlines the agency’s 2025 appeal, UNICEF aims to provide life-saving assistance to millions of children and families worldwide.
- The agency plans to reach 56.9 million children and women with primary healthcare services in UNICEF-supported facilities and to screen 34 million children aged 6-59 months for malnutrition.
- Additionally, UNICEF intends to offer community-based mental health and psychosocial support to 20.6 million children, adolescents, and caregivers, and provide gender-based violence risk mitigation and response interventions to 11.1 million women, girls, and boys.
The agency also targets 24 million children for formal or non-formal education, including early learning programs, and aims to provide 55.3 million people with access to sufficient and quality water.
Focus on the most affected regions
The funding appeal for 2025 highlights the most pressing needs in five key regions: Afghanistan, with an appeal for $1.19 billion; Sudan, $840 million; the Democratic Republic of the Congo, $804 million; the State of Palestine, $716 million; and Lebanon, $658 million.
- In 2024, UNICEF’s response yielded significant results, including providing primary healthcare to 26.4 million children and women, screening 12.2 million children for malnutrition, and ensuring 17.4 million people had access to safe water.
- UNICEF will provide education to 9.7 million children and support 12.6 million children, adolescents, and caregivers with mental health services.
- UNICEF also noted that donors contributed more than 50% of its thematic humanitarian funding in 2024, but funding for many emergencies, particularly in countries like Burkina Faso, Lebanon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, remains severely underfunded.
“Support through flexible humanitarian funding is critical for our work for children affected by crises,” said Russell. “Imagine what we can achieve for children working together through principled humanitarian action, creating a world where the rights of every child are protected and upheld, and where every child can develop and thrive – a world fit for every child.”
