International Youth Day – Myitkyina, 12th August 2014

Thirteen year old Mai Zinbu from Kachin, won first prize in the essay competition during the celebrations for International Youth Day in Myitkyina Township in Kachin State. ©UNICEF Myanmar/2014

“The world changes with your example, not with your opinions”: that’s what I found written on a wall somewhere during a trip in Central America. I was still a student, my last year of University. And that sentence contributed to inspiring all the following steps I’ve taken. That’s why probably it came back to my mind today, entering the compound of Myitkyina University.

Mine Action in Kachin State

Children helping to prepare a display at Mine Action Day
©UNICEF Myanmar/2014/Phyusin Ngwethaw

Kachin State, 4 April 2014 - Landmines and explosive remnants of war injure and kill people every day around the world. Harmful devices left behind from times of conflict or placed intentionally continue to cause harm to vulnerable populations, including women and children. They also deny access to land that could be used for agriculture and livelihoods, inhibit the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and endanger refugees and internally displaced persons. Unfortunately this is also the case in Myanmar.

Voices of Children

“Voices of Children” highlights the key child rights issues affecting Myanmar’s children today. This in-house UNICEF Myanmar production seeks to spotlight commitments made by the Myanmar Government when signing up to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The theme of the video is what Myanmar’s current reform process means to Myanmar’s children themselves. The only words spoken throughout the video are those of children and adolescents. The video thus reinforces the importance of listening to and learning from children and adolescents in a new Myanmar. The video brings together inclusive, diverse footage from across Myanmar in an attempt to highlight the need for equity and ‘strength in diversity’ going forward.

Universal Children’s Day 2013 – children call for peace across Myanmar

 

Anna Richardson works on advocacy, communication and partnerships at UNICEF Myanmar. She was Campaign Coordinator for the launch of ‘Peace not Violence: Joining Hands Across Myanmar’ under the leadership of Campaign Director Kirsten Sjolander with the support of members of the UNICEF Myanmar advocacy and communication and child protection teams including Media Coordinator Pa Pa Khin and Child Protection Officer Khin Thiri Win.

On Saturday 23 November 2013, I was lucky enough to be a part of a show of hands against violence in Myanmar. What made this experience unique was that these were children’s hands with children’s words of peace - words like “love”, “kindness”, “understanding”. Some messages even tapped into societal issues related to violence like inter-communal relations and alcohol abuse. The words – and the children themselves – sent a strong message of non-violence, the sea of hands a striking display.

UNICEF delivers aid to thousands of children and families in Kachin State

Yangon, Myanmar, 11 September 2013:  From 7 to 10 September, UNICEF joined the UN Led Cross Line Mission to provide humanitarian assistance in the non-government controlled conflict-affected areas in Kachin State to deliver aid to thousands of children and families.

Starting from Kachin state capital Myitkyina, the Mission had to cross rough terrain through heavy rain and extreme weather to reach remote locations. Nearly 16,000 people in four IDP camps in Laiza: Woi Chyai Dabang, Je Yang, No 3 Market; Hpun Lum Yang and a Boarding school hosting IDP students in Momauk township, were reached with 11-truck load of supplies. IDPs in these camps will receive further humanitarian assistance. UNICEF staff also conducted brief health awareness sessions and explained the use of distributed items.

UNICEF has provided supplies in Wash, Health and Nutrition, and Education that reached an estimated 5,500 children and their families. Woi Chyai camp alone has over 1500 children under the age of 15.

Five UNICEF staff have also participated in rapid needs assessment to better plan and organize further critical support.

“UNICEF views this convoy as much more than the delivery of humanitarian assistance. It’s about bringing hope, trust, peace and international community support to the children, families and communities of Kachin. It’s about upholding human rights, including children’s rights, enhancing development outcomes and ensuring a brighter, peaceful future for all children and their families,” said Bertrand Bainvel, UNICEF Representative in Yangon, "It is high time normalcy was restored to the lives of children in Kachin.”

UN Led Cross Line Mission to conflict affected areas of Myanmar’s Kachin state is organized under the aegis of UN OCHA and in cooperation with other UN agencies and partners.

Since the beginning of the conflict in 2011, cross-line missions were conducted to border areas, covering only approximately 20 per cent (some 10,000 IDPs) of the total caseload in areas beyond Government control. Full and sustained access to all displaced locations is essential to provide assistance to all people in need.

ENDS//

‘Seven things this year’ encourages mothers of young children to practice key health interventions

© UNICEF Myanmar/2013/Wendy Myint-Myint Hla
Nan Klé Klé (far right), Leader of ‘Seven Things This Year’ Initiative in Taung Tan Su Ward of Hpa-an Township and her seven-member core group with the wife of village Ward (far left)

by Wendy Myint-Myint Hla

Hpa-an, Kayin State, 24 July 2013 – “I now wash my hands with soap before eating” says Nan Klé Klé, 27 years old, a leader of ‘Seven Things This Year’ Initiative of Taung Tan Su Ward in Hpa-an Township.

UNICEF supported Non-Formal Primary Education (NFPE) offers second chance education for out-of-school children in Mon State

© UNICEF Myamar/2013/Myo Thame
Thar Thar Aung in the NFPE class in NO (2) Basic Primary School, Kyauktan Ward in Mawlamyaing

 

By Ye Lwin

 

Mawlamyaing, Mon State, Myanmar, 29 July 2013:  Thar Thar Aung 13, is happy to have his dream come true.  As a school drop-out he had little hope for a second chance until he got back on track with his primary education through Non Formal Primary Education (NFPE) programme.