UNICEF UK Trustees Report and Financial Statements 2010

The United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF
Report of the Trustees
For the year ended 31 December 2010
Immunisation, Liberia
In recent years, Liberia has made considerable advances in immunisation coverage
for children, reaching nearly 90 per cent of children less than a year old. In 2009, a
reduction in funding threatened this progress, leaving many thousands of pregnant
women and children once more vulnerable to potentially fatal diseases. To help put
this right, the Isle of Man Overseas Aid Committee made a three-year commitment
worth £300,000 to support UNICEF UK to provide life-saving immunisation services
for more than 90 per cent of children less than a year old and almost 200,000
pregnant women every year. Importantly, immunisation serves as a magnet that
attracts women to health facilities, where they can then receive advice on other
health issues such as pregnancy care and HIV. We are extremely grateful to the Isle
of Man Overseas Aid Committee for its long-term commitment to our immunisation
activities in Liberia, especially at a time when funding was so uncertain.
Child development, Jordan
The first eight years of life are critically important for the future of a child. In Jordan,
the majority of children are cared for at home. With support from the Parthenon
Trust, UNICEF UK is working to improve early child development in Jordan in the
areas of health, nutrition, education, and psychological and development. Around
30,000 children benefit will benefit from improved care and stimulation at home
though better parenting messages. A further 300 health professionals, teachers,
community workers, volunteers, and religious leaders have gained knowledge on
early childhood care practices and we are expecting that at least 1,600 infants will be
exclusively breastfed resulting in improved nutrition, bonding and immunity.
Early childhood development, Malawi
Kantar employees provided £120,000 to UNICEF UK for community-based childcare
centres in Malawi, which cater to the needs of pre-school age orphans and
vulnerable children affected by HIV and AIDS. The centres provide a place to play,
early years’ education and meals for 300,000 children under the age of five.
Baby health and nutrition in the UK
Breastfeeding has a fundamental impact on the short, medium and long-term health
of children and has an important impact on mothers’ health. Even in wealthy
countries, breastfeeding helps protect against a range of illnesses including
gastroenteritis and acute respiratory infections, reduces rates of childhood diabetes
and obesity and adult disease such as coeliac and cardiovascular disease, as well as
reducing risks of breast cancer and diabetes in the mother. 3
Recognising that the support mothers receive in maternity hospitals is crucial to
successful breastfeeding, the World Health Organization and UNICEF have a joint,
worldwide programme – the Baby Friendly Initiative. UNICEF UK runs the Baby
Friendly Initiative in the UK and has accreditation programmes to reward high
3 Breastfeeding and Maternal Health Outcomes in Developed Countries, Ip S., et al., AHRQ
Publication No. 07-E007, Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
6