Star Rihanna campaigning for UNICEF TAP water Project


The Umbrella Lady- Rihanna along with three celebrities Disney queen-Selene Gomez, country superstar Taylor Swift and Entourage actor Adrian Grenier has joined hands with UNICEF for an international charity. As March 20th – 26th is considered as the ‘Water Week’, the TAP water project tries persuading the fans to donate $5 by signing on the UNICEF Tap website. Fans who contribute to this cause alone can enter the competition to win 'The Ultimate Deluxe Platinum Celebrity Tap Pack’. This features Rihanna’s limited edition bottle for the winner and the same goes for Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift and Adrian Grenier fans. Celebrities face will be imprinted on their own bottle with Word TAP on it. The marketing slogan for this project is, 'Rihanna, now collaborating with her kitchen sink. And adds that ‘only $5 to win some ridiculously famous water,' Contribute to the UNICEF Tap Project for a chance to win this luxurious and desire collection of water from the most famous celebrities in world history. History. Yes, the history of the world.'

Fans who are willing to donate can log onto www.uniceftapproject.org and can get a chance to win ‘The celebrity Water bottle’.

Sympathy and support to the survivors of Japan quake tragedy- UNICEF Executive Director




In New York (USA), UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake announced a statement expressing the organization’s deep concern and support for the Japanese people after the Tsunami disaster that stuck Japan on March 11, 2011.
UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said “As the world unites in support for the people of Japan, we at UNICEF express our heartfelt sympathy for the tragic loss of life following the massive earthquake and Tsunami. This double catastrophe has left the country and its friend’s stunned and bereaved, and new threats caused by the quake and its aftermath continue to be of utmost concern to us all.”

In Japan:Cleaning the debris by the rescue workers


Children and their mothers at emergency evacuation centre

Mr. Lake continued his speech “As in all emergencies of such devastating magnitude, children are the most vulnerable. Working in close cooperation with the Japan Committee for UNICEF, we have offered our support to protect the children affected by this catastrophe and to provide critical services in the days ahead.” UNICEF has a headquarters office in Tokyo to manage advocacy and communication work with Government Policy makers. In his speech, Mr. Lake confirmed the organization’s gratefulness for the remarkable assistance that Japan has provided for vulnerable children and families. Adding to this Mr. Lake said that UNICEF is willing to help Japan in whatever means it can help. He also said “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Japan, one of the world's most generous nations,”

“We stand ready to assist them as they have helped so many others, in these, their days of greatest need” said Mr. Lake.

New programme in Lesotho intends to stop the increase of HIV



Life saving Programmes: This programme is specifically for pregnant HIV infected mothers. This programme provides ARV drugs for the pregnant mothers as it was effective during 2008 and 2009. Only three of the 198 children born in that district were HIV-positive while rest of them was safe. This past January, 100 pregnant women walked three kilometers led by a police band, to focus the launch ceremony.

Many were present for this such as Lesotho’s Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Mphu Ramatlapeng, UNICEF Chief of HIV and AIDS, Jimmy Kolker, WHO, Elizabeth Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Baylor International AIDS Initiative, Pediatric AIDS Institute and Mothers2Mothers , along with chiefs of diplomatic missions and NGO partners.
Dr. Ramatlapeng said “It is the aim of the Government of Lesotho to ensure that all children in this country are born HIV free. Lesotho is committed to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV before 2015,” She also confirmed that she aims to make the Mother-Baby Pack available in all of the country’s 194 health centre’s by the end of the year.
UNICEF’s ultimate purpose: Every Antenatal Care Clinics in the country will provide this package of ARV medicines and antibiotics in order to protect the health both mother and the child. This package will include HIV positive pregnant women who are already on anti-retroviral treatment, pregnant women who test HIV positive during their first antenatal visit and HIV negative pregnant women who are receiving vitamin tablets. The three boxes come with a leaflet with understandable instructions on which drugs the mothers and babies should take.
Mr. Kolker said “UNICEF’s goal is to eliminate vertical transmission of HIV from mother to child and to ensure that all children are born HIV negative,”

Vulnerable Indian Adolescent Girls


India has the highest adolescent population and the real challenge is to provide health, nutrition and education in this segment, specifically for girls, according to a UNICEF report. “Adolescence: Age of Opportunities” report focus on nutrition, educational conditions and health of Indian adolescents.
Lawmaker Naveen Jindal- Representative of UNICEF India said that rapid economic growth in the past two decades has helped better the condition of adolescents in India. He continues saying that despite the improved scenario, partiality between girls and boys still present. The major health problem among Indian female adolescents is Anemia. "We have seen that parents, they try to feed the boys better, than the girl, which must change. Adolescent girls in India are the most vulnerable. About 56 per cent girls in India in the age group of 15-19 are anemic” said by Jindal.
Karin Hulshof, UNICEF India Representative, said: “The available data shows that maximum adolescence today, do not get to enjoy or have access to quality education, basic sexual reproductive health care, support for mental health issue and disability and protection from violence, abuse and exploitation and a forum for their participation. Worldwide, one third of all new HIV cases involve young people between the ages of 15-24. The risk of HIV is considerably higher amongst the adolescent females and young women than adolescent males and young men," he added. “Girls were the core source of India's growth, therefore their progress needs to be given importance” said D.K Sikri, Ministry of Women and Child Development Secretary.