"Plans are in place to reach Iraq's most vulnerable children with basic health, water, sanitation and education support – particularly displaced children living in host communities, as well as children living in Iraq's most violent districts".
Reaching the hard to reach children with basic health services is a basic right for every child and a special challenge to UNICEF.
In the aftermath of natural disasters or other large-scale catastrophes - Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and the Ebola quarantines in West Africa come to mind - ChildFund regularly sets up "child-centered spaces," safe zones where we can not only tend to children's basic health and nutritional needs, but also ensure that they are in an environment that is conducive to play.
Poor families which are saved by a vaccine from the struggle to pay for the care of a sick child can better afford to buy more nourishing food, or to provide their children with basic health care or an education.
During Rapid Response Missions WFP delivers food, while UNICEF screens for malnutrition, treats severely malnourished children, provides basic health services and vaccination, provides expertise and supplies for safe water and sanitation, registers unaccompanied children for reunification with their families, and supports basic education activities.
Few would deny that if a system were to be designed de novo to meet children's basic health needs, it would be radically different from the confusing and fragmented patchwork of programs in place today.
In my work I get to listen to the people behind inspiring stories who unceasingly help vulnerable mothers and children access basic health care.
"We are trying to ensure that all children have basic health and hygiene needs taken care of," said Mr. Perks.
He saw how teams of community health workers travel to remote villages deep in the mountains to vaccinate children, provide basic health care and educate the communities about nutrition, health and hygiene.
Under the scheme, a small amount of cash is provided to qualified households every three months, allowing them to buy food and meet their children's basic health and educational needs.
