Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The Government of Japan has announced a new contribution of US$2.2 million to support UNICEF’s work to keep children healthy, learning and protected during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to reduce the impact on the most vulnerable families.

The funding will support UNICEF’s health and nutrition, child protection, water and sanitation, and social protection interventions for children and women in Jordan, including Syrian refugees.
"UNICEF, working closely with partners including the Government of Japan, is rapidly scaling up and striving to maintain continuity of programmes at this time, while also responding and adapting to the pandemic and its impact on the most vulnerable," said Tanya Chapuisat, Representative, UNICEF Jordan. "We are very grateful for the continued support from the people of Japan, which is helping children in Jordan to survive and thrive."

Ambassador of Japan to Jordan, Hidenao YANAGI, said "Japan always stands by Jordan as a friend even during difficult times. We attach also great importance to the role of UNICEF in providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable Jordanians and refugees in various sectors such as health,
WASH as well as protection. Given the increasing threat of the COVID-19, it is critically important to enhance humanitarian responses, particularly, in health and WASH sectors. I sincerely hope our assistance will be of help to address the unprecedented crisis as well as to mitigate risks of transmission in the refugee camps and host communities."

The contribution from the Government of Japan will enable UNICEF to scale up water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools across Jordan, as well as supporting the provision of safe water and sanitation to vulnerable Syrian refugees living in remote areas and refugee camps. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, UNICEF has distributed soap to 120,000 refugees and carried out mass hygiene awareness campaigns.

UNICEF’s partnership with the Government of Japan is also supporting lifesaving efforts with the Ministry of Health to deliver health and nutrition services to children in refugee camps and provide routine and catch-up immunization services to children and mothers across the country.

As communities are disrupted by COVID-19, children already at risk of violence, exploitation and abuse have become even more vulnerable. The support from Japan will also support much-needed child protection services to prevent violence and strengthen the protection response for women and girls.

The Government of Japan is a long and valued partner of UNICEF in Jordan and has provided funding of over US$ 36 million since the beginning of the Syrian crisis to support UNICEF’s work to strengthen national systems and provide lifesaving services for children.