WIREDGOV

UNICEF, the world's leading children’s organisation, has assembled teams of experts to fly into Tunisia and Egypt and another on standby for Libya as the agency launches the Libya Crisis Children's Appeal for £4.5 million (US$7.2 million) to meet humanitarian needs of women and children in all three countries over the coming months.

‘We are expecting the number of refugees to climb into the hundreds of thousands if the unrest continues. We are very concerned for children and their families and are launching the Libya Crisis Children’s Appeal for £4.5 million to help them,’ says David Bull, Executive Director of UNICEF UK in London.

‘Critical facilities such as clinics and hospitals are not open for a variety of reasons, food supply routes have been disrupted and Libyan children and their families are facing a potential humanitarian crisis’.

Up to 100,000 people have so far fled unrest in Libya.

Immediate concerns for children include child protection, water, sanitation and hygiene, and health and nutrition.

In Tunisia, the immediate priority will be to provide water, sanitation and hygiene services to the people who have already crossed the border.

In Tunisia and Egypt, UNICEF’s child protection work includes psychosocial support and family tracing and reunification efforts in anticipation of increasing numbers of unaccompanied or separated children.

As soon as the security situation in Libya allows UNICEF will deploy a core response team whose initial focus will be around child protection and psychosocial support, water, sanitation, hygiene nutrition and emergency health care.

Donations to the UNICEF Libya Crisis Children's Appeal can be made by telephoning 0800 037 9797 or via our website: www.unicef.org.uk/libya.

###

For further information, please contact:

Stephen Pattison
Senior Media Officer, Children's Rights and Campaigns

stephenp@unicef.org.uk
Tel: 020 7375 6085
Press Line: 020 7336 8922