NEW YORK, November 25, 2002 - Star News has been named as the winner of the special International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) Award, conferred jointly by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (IATAS) and UNICEF. UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Mia Farrow, presented the award on Monday, 25 November at the 30th International Emmy Awards Gala at the Sheraton New York. The award highlights the efforts of broadcasters worldwide to promote children’s rights and children’s participation in broadcasting.

The winner, Star News from New Delhi, India, primarily a news channel, actively participated in ICDB 2001 with five programmes, the Big Fight, Small Talk with Amitabh Bachchan, Assignment, Dil Se and International Children’s Day of Broadcasting interstitial. It is the first time that India won this award. Star News India won the competition over 30 other TV broadcasters who were in the running worldwide. The other three finalists were TV Cultura from Brazil - a three-time winner of the ICDB Award; Canal Capital from Colombia - last year’s winner of the ICDB Award, and Channels Television from Nigeria - first-time nomination.

“The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is pleased to once again present the important International Children’s Day of Broadcasting Award. The IATAS mission is to promote quality programming and it is extremely important that we promote quality children’s programming, which this award encourages,” said Fred Cohen, President, International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

ICDB, celebrated annually by more than 2,000 stations worldwide on the second Sunday of each December, gives children a chance to express themselves by producing, presenting and reporting for television and radio shows around the world. Marking its tenth anniversary on 8 December, ICDB has grown to be the world’s largest child rights broadcasting campaign, aimed specially at encouraging children’s participation in the media.

“We’re excited that Star News has won this award. It’s the first time for India and a sign that children’s voices and issues are reaching larger and larger audiences. We look forward to ICDB turning into a year-round phenomenon,” said Marjorie Newman Williams, UNICEF’s Director of Communication.

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, a division of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, was chartered in 1969 and is the largest organization of global broadcasters, with representatives from over 50 countries on its Board. It was created to honor excellence in television programming outside the United States by awarding the International Emmy Award. The International Academy is a unique, independent organization including the world’s top television and media leaders who come together to exchange ideas, discuss standards and promote new strategies for the future of quality global television programming.

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For further information, please contact:
Denise Searle
Division of Communication, UNICEF
Tel: 212-824-6127 Fax: 212-326-7731; dsearle@unicef.org

MJ Sorenson
International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Tel: 212-489-6969 Fax: 212-489-6557; mjs@iemmys.tv

New York, 26 November 2002 - A distinguished group of imminent Iberoamerican writers and celebrities led by Nobel prizewinner José Saramago and former President of the Republic of Colombia, Mr. Belisario Betancur issued an urgent call on behalf of chidren Wednesday.

In the “Manifesto for an Economy and Democracy for Children and Adolescents” the group states that:

“Responsibility for the well-being of children rests not only with parents, teachers, and parents,” the tract says. “But also with international financial corporations, multinational companies, the system of multilateral cooperation and private investors, all of whom must ensure that:

• No child and/or adolescent suffer from hunger
• All children and adolescents go to school.
• No child and/or adolescent has to work and suffer from any type of exploitation and/or abuse.

The Notables, as the group is known, also appealed to UNICEF “to assume the task of impelling the dialogue between society and governments, of course involving children and adolescents in each of our countries.”

UNICEF’s upcoming flagship publication, The State of the World’s Children - 2003 calls for greater inter-generational dialogue. The report asserts that participation of children is essential to preparing them for the responsibilities they will assume as adults, as well as to more cohesive societies.

Signatures were put to the document in a public ceremony Wednesday afternoon at the Salamanca University in Spain. Speaking up for children were Nobel laureate José Saramago and coordinator, former President of the Republic of Colombia, Mr. Belisario Betancur. Also: Ernesto Sabato, Jorge Enrique Adoum, Arturo Corcuera, Thiago de Mello, Carmen Alborch, Mario Benedetti, Carlos Fuentes, Ángeles Mastretta, Álvaro Mutis, Héctor Aguilar Camin, Rosa Montero, Rigoberta Menchu, Fernando Savater, Elena Poniatowska, Alfredo Bryce Echenique, Monseñor Gregorio Rosa Chavez, Antonio Skarmeta, Cristovam Buarque, Eulalio Ferrer, Manuel Viçent y Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

NEW YORK, 24 November 2002 — UNICEF launched a new website which showcases media projects by, with and for children called MAGIC at the International Emmys Festival in New York today.

Media Activities and Good Ideas by, with and for Children or MAGIC is a comprehensive, international resource of information, advice and best practice on children and media. The MAGIC Bank, a searchable online database, includes examples of media projects from all over the world that have had a positive effect on children.

“UNICEF has long recognized that the media can be a potent force for change. MAGIC is an attempt to harness the media’s influence for the good of children everywhere. The website highlights media efforts that involve, inform, and empower children and young people,” said Marjorie Newman-Williams, UNICEF’s Director of Communication. “We want adults and children around the globe to share ideas and be inspired by the work of others to create their own imaginative approaches to all media disciplines.”

Child participation is an integral component of all UNICEF endeavors. It is the theme of this year’s State of the World’s Children Report, which will be released on 11 December and is the basis of The International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB), which will celebrate its tenth anniversary on 8 December.

UNICEF developed MAGIC, with funding from the Norwegian Government, in response to the Oslo Challenge of 1999, which called on media professionals, educators, governments, organizations, parents, children and young people themselves to recognize the enormous potential of the media to make the world a better place for children. The website translates this challenge into practical action.

All children have the right to freedom of expression, as affirmed in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The projects featured in the MAGIC Bank are compelling examples of what adults and children can do together to create meaningful, positive media experiences for children.

Among these projects are:

• A network of child journalists across north-west Haiti, trained in media skills and child rights issues, who produce radio programmes, a website and a magazine;
• A community-based human rights and media project by and for girls and young women in Egypt;
• A training programme that helps children affected by war, exploitation, poverty and abuse in Eastern Europe use the media to voice their ideas, needs and opinions;
• A musical production in the Philippines that enables children living or working on the streets to discover and cultivate their talents.

The MAGIC site (www.unicef.org/magic) also contains a full briefing on the Oslo Challenge; an examination of the relationship between children and the media; codes of conduct for media organizations; and extensive links and contacts.

“The media plays an ever increasing role in shaping children’s view of the world, themselves and their future,” said Newman-Williams. “The MAGIC site is a treasure-trove of information and good ideas that will be a powerful tool for all those dedicated to using the media to help children all over the world grow into healthy, productive adults.”

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For more information about MAGIC contact:

Marian Rivman, mrivman@unicef.org, UNICEF NY (++1) 212 326 7270 or

Regine Kachtiane, rkachtiane@unicef.org, UNICEF NY (++1) 212 326 7185

For more information about the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting contact: Jeannette Gonzalez, jgonzalez@unicef.org, UNICEF NY (++1) 212 326 7278

For more information about the State of the World’s Children report contact: Mitchie Topper, mtopper@unicef.org, UNICEF NY (++1) 212 303 7910

Tokyo/Hong Kong/Kuala Lumpur/Bangkok. 7 November 2002 - Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) has been named the winner of the 2002 ABU/CASBAA UNICEF Child Rights Award, which will be presented 7 November at the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union’s annual meeting in Tokyo.

RTHK beat out nine other finalists shortlisted in the competition for the annual Child Rights award, which is given in recognition of the best television programme on an issue related to children’s rights produced in the Asia-Pacific region.

The winning entry by RTHK, “Child Soldiers”, an international standard documentary produced in co-operation with ABC, OPB and Electric Pictures Pty. Ltd., documents the plight of child combatants. According to a report released by the UNICEF last week, up to one quarter of the estimated 300,000 children currently serving in state and non-state armies around the world can be found in the East Asia and Pacific Region.

The 49-minute, four-part documentary was described by one of the competition’s judges as “compelling first-person accounts from young fighters in countries dotted across the globe”. Another judge commented that “the images of child ‘killers’ at work as soldiers are heart-breaking to see. To hear them speak of how they have been dragged, brutalized and indoctrinated is a shame to humanity”.

The production team was commended for their “well-directed” work, which clearly focuses on the issue and the good approach” as well as for their dedication and commitment - even to the extent of risking their lives - to expose the horror of child soldiering.

“The film crossed numerous cultures and made powerful use of international news footage in explaining the global problem of child and teenage soldiers,” one judge said.

Through the annual competition, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, CASBAA and UNICEF seek to encourage broadcasters to play a more active role in promoting and protecting the rights of children by providing them with a regular diet of quality television programming. The organizations are urging broadcasters to forward overall child development in their countries by producing documentaries that detail the plight of children, dramas that help break down gender stereotypes and reduce discrimination and animation that both teaches and entertains.

Competing for the award were 46 programmes submitted by 22 broadcasters from 10 countries in the Asia-Pacific Region. The other finalists in this year’s competition were:

“A World of Red” (Drama), submitted by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Channel-1
“I ran and ran” (2D animation), submitted by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Channel-1

“The Broken Schoolhouse” (Documentary), submitted by Hong Kong TV Broadcast Ltd., Jade Channel

“My Dad is an Old Man” (Documentary), submitted by Hong Kong TV Broadcast Ltd., Jade Channel

“Dance of Fire - A Rebel Teacher and Sixty Kids” (Documentary), submitted by Mainichi Broadcasting System, Inc.

“Another Bumpy” (Drama), submitted by Doordarshan Kendra Kolkata, Channel DD1

“Decision at Age 18″ (Documentary), submitted by NHK

“Speak Your Mind Special: Regine Velasquez in Philippines” (Documentary), submitted by MTV Networks Asia

“The Big Help - GIVE” (TV spot), submitted by Nickelodeon - Asia.

Note: The Award ceremony will be held at the NHK Hall, inside the compound of NHK Broadcasting Centre where it is also NHK Symphony Orchestra’s home concert hall. The ceremony will take place from 17:30-19:00 on November 7, in conjunction with an Asian music concert that will be live broadcast in BS-2 and HDTV channel.

***

For further information, please contact:

Emily Booker, UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office,
Tel: (66 2) 356 9400; fax: (66 2) 2803563 to 4;
e-mail: ebooker@unicef.org
Urai Singhpaiboonporn Tel: (66 2) 356 9409,
email: usinghpaiboonporn@unicef.org

NEW YORK/GENEVA, 6 December 2002 - Voices and views of children will dominate the airwaves as young people commandeer TV and radio stations to produce programming that reflect their views and dreams. The occasion is the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB), sponsored by UNICEF, which began 10 years ago with the participation of some 200 television stations around the world — and now boasts over 3,000 broadcast outlets as partners, including hundreds of radio stations.

UNICEF officials say widening support for the ICDB over the last decade has made it possible to promote children’s radio programming alongside television. And this year, for the first time, radio will be considered for special recognition. A special prize has been launched with OneWorld for outstanding radio programmes produced for and by children.

“Radio is the most widely used broadcast media in many parts of the world, so it is important to encourage radio stations to participate in ICDB,” said Marjorie Newman-Williams, UNICEF’s Director of Communication. “Radio stations are often locally-based and part of the community, which means they can provide a platform for children to have a say about issues that directly affect their lives.”

The International Children’s Day of Broadcasting takes place every year on the second Sunday in December. Through its 165 field offices, UNICEF encourages broadcasters to open their airwaves and broadcast studios to young people so that they can produce programming from a child’s perspective. ICDB gives children the opportunity to express themselves by creating television and radio shows focusing on their own concerns, hopes and ambitions.

Broadcasters can become part of this international partnership by airing programming by, for or with children. A selection of animated shows, docudrama and television spots are also being offered for broadcast by UNICEF in partnership with Danmarks Radio and MTV Asia. Broadcasters continue to mark ICDB with distinctive and dynamic programming produced in their own countries.

Broadcasters’ efforts are recognized by a special award created by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, along with UNICEF. The award honours the year’s outstanding television contribution to ICDB.

Star News of India won the award at the annual International Emmy Gala in New York in November 2002 for its programming during ICDB 2001. The station, primarily a news channel, gave children the driving seat in programmes that are usually made by adults. For example, Big Fight, a weekend debate on a current topic with three points of view, focused on the school system. Small Talk was a tête-à-tête between young interviewers and the Indian superstar Amitabh Bachancha. Assignment featured children reporting from a rural part of the country. Dil Se had children from all walks of life speaking their minds. ICDB spots were created and run during the week leading up to the day itself. Alongside Star News, the other finalists were TVCultura (Brazil), Canal Capital (Colombia) and Channels Television (Nigeria).

Previous winners were Sabado Chiquito de Corporan of Dominican Republic (1995), TVOntario, Canada (1996), Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (1997), TVCultura (1998, 1999 and 2000) and Canal Capital - Imaginario (2001).

“Children’s voices and issues are reaching large and larger audiences. We look forward to ICDB turning into a year-round phenomenon,” said Marjorie Newman Williams, UNICEF’s Director of Communication.

UNICEF has long recognized that the media can be a potent force for change. With this goal in mind UNICEF has also created a new website MAGIC (Media Activities and Good Ideas for, with and by Children) which is a comprehensive international resource of information, advice and best practice on children and media. MAGIC features a searchable online database with media projects from all over the world where broadcaster can obtain and share ideas. This exciting new online resource is available to all ICDB participants.
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For more information about the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting contact:
Jeannette Gonzalez, jgonzalez@unicef.org, UNICEF NY (++1) 212 326 7278

For more information about MAGIC, visitwww.unicef.org/magic or contact:
Marian Rivman, mrivman@unicef.org, UNICEF NY (++1) 212 326 7270

Entries from Ukraine, Belize, the Philippines, the United States and Senegal selected as finalists for prize

NEW YORK, 23 May 2003 - Children’s Voice from Ukraine has been named the winner of the 2002 OneWorld/UNICEF award for outstanding radio produced by and for children.

The award recognizes radio programming that gives a central role to children – as producers, editors, reporters and presenters – and allows them to give their own perspective on the world around them. It also recognises the great reach of radio into communities often unreachable by other media. The prize was launched for the first time last year by UNICEF and OneWorld Radio. Entries were received from all over the globe.

The winning entry, Children’s Voice – Street Children is a programme featuring powerful interviews with children who live on the street and focuses on their rights and concerns. The broadcast is one of a series on children on the street produced by the Independent Children’s Media Center in Kiev, Ukraine. Children between the ages of ten and eighteen had complete control of the project, which was set up by the Media-Center, with support from the Foundation of Youth Culture and Education.

The other finalists were:

Kid O’Rama
Belize
The Kid O’Rama (KOR) Show is researched and produced by a group of children drawn from different backgrounds. The show focuses on child rights. This edition uses songs, interviews and features a segment on teenage pregnancy. Supported by the National Committee for Families and Children.

Tingog sa Kabataan - Voice of the Children
Philippines
This programme in Tagalog is produced by 18 high school and college students from Cebu City, Philippines, some of whom have been victims of abuse. It’s about children and young people’s rights. Supported by Terre des Hommes and ECPAT (eliminating child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking of children).

Shining in the Ghetto
USA
A disproportionate number of young black and Latino children in the USA grow up in inner-city ghettos. Carlton Taylor, who lives in Harlem, New York looks at the future faced by young people of colour. Supported by Radio Rootz.

Freedom of Expression
Senegal
“I am a Child but I have my rights too!” A mini-drama features children discussing their right to contribute to the communities around them. Supported by Plan International.

“Children’s voices are often overlooked by media”, says Jackie Davies, OneWorld Radio Manager. “We are hoping that this competition will encourage radio stations to give children a voice by including programmes made by and for children in their broadcasts.” OneWorld Radio (www.oneworld.net/radio) — a part of OneWorld.net - a global non-profit network of up to 1,500 NGOs worldwide –- is an online community of radio stations and NGOs sharing programs and ideas on sustainable development and human rights.

“We are delighted that our partnership with OneWorld has produced a competition with such excellent entries,” said Marjorie Newman-Williams, UNICEF’s Director of Communication. “The award highlights how radio – which is the most powerful of all the mass media in reaching people around the world – can also empower children,” she continued. “Radio can give children a chance to speak to the issues that directly affect their lives.”

All entries from the competition are available for listening on OneWorld Radio, campaign page http://radio.oneworld.net/index.php?fuseaction=cms.campaignsPage under “Radio Prize 2002”.

For more information on the radio prize please contact:

Jeannette Gonzalez, UNICEF New York, (212) 326-7278, jgonzalez@unicef.org
Mohammad Jalloh, UNICEF Media, New York, (212) 326 7516 mjalloh@unicef.org
Jenny Eschweiler, OneWorld Radio Editor, jenny.eschweiler@oneworld.net

NEW YORK, 16 April 2004 – UNICEF will issue a strong challenge next week to the world’s mass media to harness their power for the good of all children, millions of whom are currently excluded from the potential benefits of globalization and the Information/Communication Revolution.

Executive Director Carol Bellamy will issue the challenge as part of her keynote address at the opening of the 4th World Summit on Media for Children and Adolescents, to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (19-23 April).

Organized by the host city’s MULTIRIO media arm and MIDIATIVA, and co-sponsored by UNICEF, the event is expected to attract some 2,000 media executives, producers, educators, researchers and journalists, as well as 150 young people from around the world who are involved in innovative media projects.

Bellamy will call on participants “not only to celebrate the many examples we have of excellence in programming for children, but also to find creative alternatives to media trends that are harmful to children.”

“Kids everywhere love the media,” Bellamy will tell those at the conference, “but they are demanding something more, something better than what they are getting.”

UNICEF will also call on governments and parliaments everywhere to re-think their current media policies, laws and regulations, taking into account their impact on children.

Young people’s concerns about the media are coming to light in an electronic forum sponsored by UNICEF’s Voices of Youth website on the occasion of the Summit.  Messages posted by children and teens from across the globe are calling for relevant and culturally-diverse programming; a halt to the negative representations of adolescents in the media; and for opportunities to influence the media as consumers and producers of media.

In response, UNICEF will use the opportunity of the Summit – whose theme is “Media for All, Media from All – to host an intergenerational dialogue on 21 April, in which youth and broadcast executives will attempt to bridge the gap between media decision-makers and their young audiences.

A UNICEF-sponsored report on media trends and children’s rights, prepared especially for the Summit, outlines the opportunities and risks for children in the world media landscape.  It notes that the media can “make a real difference in children’s lives around the world by informing them, listening to them and ultimately empowering them.”

The Summit will also see the launch of Action 17, a network of Latin American and Caribbean journalists committed to improving coverage of children’s issues.  Taking its name from media-focused Article 17 of the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the new network is an initiative of UNICEF’s Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean and ANDI, a Brasilia-based NGO with branches in nine countries in the region.

The summit is expected to issue a “Rio Letter on Media for Children and Adolescents” at its closing session next Friday, highlighting the social responsibilities of media and the need for more child-friendly programming, with a human rights perspective.

For nearly 60 years UNICEF has been the world’s leader for children, working on the ground in 158 countries to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence.  The world’s largest provider of vaccines for poor countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS.  UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

ANTANARIVO, 15 November 2004 - A study, launched today, by the Minister of Communication and the National Statistics Institute, in the presence of government officials, UN agencies and the nation’s media, revealed that 76% of all households in the country listen to the radio; 32 percent watch TV and 27 percent read newspapers. The study also pointed to the fact that village meetings remain the first source of information for most people and that children, surprise, surprise, listen to the radio as well!

The study, technically and financially supported by UNICEF, was conducted in 13 sites in the country, amongst some 10,000 households.

The last time Madagascar conducting a similar survey was in 1997,” noted Mahazaka Clermont Gervais, the Minister of Communication. “At that time, 70% of the population listened to the radio. Although the methodologies of the two studies are different, I am confident that access to information has increased and that there are more people today who listen to the radio than ever before,” he beamed.

In addition to answering questions about access to radio, television and newspapers as well as the role of video clubs, mobile cinemas and posters in transmitting messages, the survey also delved into traditional forms of communication, such as the local kabary (a long speech given by elders), and even asked respondents what forms of communication they found most credible.

“What was most revealing to UNICEF,” said the agency’s Representative in Madagascar, Barbara Bentein, “was that 56% of all households interviewed said that local village meetings were their first source of information regarding children’s health issues – both in urban as well as rural areas.”

Another noteworthy finding centered on the fact that children listen to the radio. In fact, out of all the households surveyed, children reportedly listened to the radio in 47%. Their preferred programs included music shows, drama series and the news. Interestingly enough, the highest “child listener audience” came from the province of Fianarantsoa (22%), often thought to be disadvantaged in terms of access to information.
For additional information, please contact:

Misbah M. Sheikh
UNICEF Madagascar
Off :         261-20 22 626 45/46
Fax :        261-20 22 628 45
Mobile :    261-33 11 892 83
Email :      msheikh@unicef.org

NEW YORK, 27 December 2006 – UNICEF’s Voices of Youth (http://www.unicef.org/voy/) and the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting launched today a new online multimedia newsletter which showcases media projects by, with and for children called Media Magic Digest http://www.unicef.org/voy/explore/media/explore_3448.html.

Media Magic Digest is a quarterly e-newsletter for people interested in how young people create media around the world and aims to promote dialogue between broadcasters and young media enthusiasts.

The inaugural issue shares stories of original youth-driven programmers produced in different media, including photography, video, radio and print.

“UNICEF has long recognized that the media can be a potent force for change. Media Magic Digest is an attempt to harness the media’s influence for the good of children everywhere. The e-newsletter highlights media efforts that involve, inform, and empower young people as well as broadcaster,” said Stephen Cassidy, Chief of the Internet, Broadcast and Image Section. “We want adults and children around the globe to share ideas and be inspired by the work of others to create their own imaginative approaches to all media disciplines.”

All children have the right to freedom of expression, as affirmed in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The projects featured in the Media Digest are compelling examples of what adults and children can do together to create meaningful, positive media experiences for children.

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About Voices of Youth (VOY)
since 1995, VOY has focused on exploring the educational and community building potential of the internet, and facilitating the active and substantive participation of young people on child rights and development related issues. Through web boards, interactive quizzes, youth leadership profiles, live chat and more, Voices of Youth provides thousands of young people for over 180 countries with an opportunity to self-inform, engage in lively debate and partner – with their peers and decision makers – to create a world fit for children.
About the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB)
ICDB, celebrated on the second Sunday of every December, is a day when broadcasters around the world “Tune in to Kids”. They air quality programming for and about children. But most of all, they allow children to be part of the programming process, to talk about their hopes and dreams and share information with their peers. The Day is a joint initiative of UNICEF and the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
About UNICEF
For 60 years UNICEF has been the world’s leader for children, working on the ground in 156 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

For Further information, please contact:

Kate Donovan, UNICEF Media Section: +1 212 326 7452; kdonovan@unicef.org

NEW YORK/BEIJING, 15 January 2007 – UNICEF launched its Chinese-language web site today bringing information about HIV/AIDS prevention, girls’ education, avian flu, child protection and other related issues to more than 140 million Chinese internet users around the world.

In addition to information about UNICEF programmes in China, the web site also grants users access to video reports, press materials and news stories from around the globe.

Please visit UNICEF’s Chinese-language global website at www.unicef.org/chinese.

The UNICEF China country website, launched in May 2005, can be found at www.unicef.org/china.

The launch of the web site is particularly timely given the rapid increase in the number of Chinese-speaking internet users. Over the past years usage rates have quadrupled. Indeed, Chinese-speaking internet users now make up more than 13 per cent of the world’s one billion internet users.

The debut of the Chinese web site marks the fifth in a series of UNICEF global language web sites, joining Arabic, English, French and Spanish. There are 120 million internet users in China alone, where UNICEF continues to run programmes to fight infant and maternal mortality, under-nutrition and HIV/AIDS as well as programmes protecting street children, migrant children and those from ethnic minority groups.

“It is important for us to reach out to the fastest growing group of internet users to help them understand the challenges facing children,” said Stephen Cassidy, UNICEF’s Chief of Internet, Broadcast and Image section.

***

About UNICEF
For 60 years UNICEF has been the world’s leader for children, working on the ground in 156 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

For further information, please contact:

Kate Donovan, UNICEF Media NY, 1 212 326 -7452, kdonovan@unicef.org