News & Commentary

(28 November 2019) – Blanket restrictions on children’s internet use prevent them from taking advantage of critical learning and skills development opportunities, according to a new UNICEF report, launched today at the Internet Governance Forum in Berlin. Produced by the UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and based on research by Global Kids Online,

(20 November 2019) The City of Florence today joined UNICEF Innocenti and the Istituto degli Innocenti in '#GoBlue,' an initiative launched by UNICEF around the world to celebrate World Children’s Day Iconic Florentine monuments were illuminated in blue: the six ancient gates of the city; the Basilica of S. Miniato; and the facade of the Istituto degli Innocenti. The ‘blue landmarks’ event commemorates the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the 600th anniversary of the founding of the Istituto degli Innocenti and the 30th year since establishment of the UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti here in Florence, housed in the same complex as the Istituto.

(14 November 2019) The lights have dimmed on the inaugural Leading Minds gathering – UNICEF’s new global conference series to highlight burning issues affecting children and young people in the 21st century – but the notes of Vivaldi and Mozart played by students of the Music Academy of Fiesole at the opening ceremony continue to linger in the air, playing counterpoint to the voices and energy of the many young participants who attended, and who, for three days, shared the reins of an unusual high-level expert conference, helping to change it into an authentic forum for human dialogue, experience exchange, and commitment for action.

(13 November 2019) In commemoration of three significant anniversaries for children in 2019 - the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Convention on the Rights of the Child; the 30th year since UNICEF's Office of Research was founded at Innocenti, and the 600th anniversary of the founding of the Ospedale Degli Innocenti, UNICEF's host institution in Florence - UNICEF Innocenti has produced a new publication: For every child, Answers: 30 Years of Research for Children at UNICEF Innocenti. The publication takes a "30 at 30" approach, providing short, easy-to-read articles covering the 30 most significant areas of UNICEF Innocenti's impact for children over the course of its thirty year history. The thirty articles are grouped according to: Rights of the Child, Education, Adolescence, Gender and Parenting, Child Health and Nutrition, Child Protection and Care, Multidimensional Child Poverty and Well-being, and Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing.Smiling child in the first pre-school in Côte d'Ivoire to be constructed with building materials made from recycled plastic. "We are immensely grateful to the Istituto Degli Innocent, and equally so to the Municipality of Florence, the Regional Administration of Tuscany and the Government of Italy, for their unstinting support over the years," said Dr. Priscilla Idele, Director a.i. at UNICEF Innocenti, in the publication's foreword. "As our work evolves over the next 30 years, emerging issues such as climate change, displacement, urbanization, mental health, and technology, are assuming increasing importance to children, presenting risks and offering opportunities to realize their rights." Each article is organized around the questions: Why does it matter? What have we done? and What is the impact? And each article is supported by an authorotative bibliography with key links to source documents in the UNICEF Innocenti catalogue, making the publication an excellent tool for research and study.According to Patrizia Faustini, who developed the concept and led research for the publication: "This publication will demonstrate the value and significance of the work that has been developed over the last 30 years at UNICEF’s Office of Research. We pioneered global efforts to gain better understanding of the practical implications of the Convention on the Rights of the Child from the time when it was an absolutely new and very few people understood much about how to implement the articles of the Convention, and put them into action. The publication also points to how the same innovative spirit in forging into new territories is the nature of all our research work."List of Thirty Article Titleschild rightsChild RightsBirth RegistrationChildren's ParticipationIndigenous and Minority ChildrenOmbuds for Children's RightsChild Rights in a Digital WorldeducationEarly Childhood Education and CareEducation for AllSport for Developmentchild health and nutritionBreastfeedingChildren and HIVClimate Change and Childrenchild protection and careIntercountry AdoptionChildren and JusticeChild-Freindly CitiesChild LabourChildren and Armed ConflictChildren on the MoveViolence Affecting Childrenmultidimensional child poverty and well-beingTransitional Economies and ChildrenChildren in High-Income CountriesMultidimensional Child PovertyCash Transfers for Child Well-beingcapacity building, evidence synthesis and knowledge sharingResearch Tools and MethodsEthical Research Involving ChildrenShowcasing UNICEF's Best ResearchConvening and Thought Leadership  

(7 November 2019) On the eve of the first ever UNICEF and WHO joint consultation of young people's mental health - at Leading Minds 2019 in Florence, Italy - invited 'young leaders' gathered to record a podcast documenting their views and requests on urgent actions needed to address a rising mental health crisis for global experts and decision makers leaders. The podcast provides a platform for them to go into much greater detail on the key issues they are facing and the courses of action they feel are most needed.

PRESS RELEASE (New York/ Geneva/Florence, 5 November 2019) With the alarmingly high rates of self-harm, suicide and anxiety among children and young people around the world, UNICEF and the World Health Organization are teaming up with some of the world’s leading minds to tackle this growing threat. “Too many children and young people, rich and poor alike, in all four corners of the world, are experiencing mental health conditions,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “This looming crisis has no borders or boundaries. With half of mental disorders starting before age 14, we need urgent and innovative strategies to prevent, detect and, if needed, treat them at an early age.”

(4 November 2019) The inaugural UNICEF Innocenti Film festival concluded on a positive note on 27 October at Cinema La Compagnia in Florence. Thirty two films from 28 countries were screened over three days, receiving enthusiastic reception from audiences. Apart from the diversity and quality of the film programme, a highlight of the festival was the panel discussions which featured dialogue between film directors and UNICEF child rights research experts.

(16 October 2019) A new film festival on childhood will take place from 25-27th October 2019 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Convention of the Rights of the Child. The UNICEF Innocenti Film Festival (UIFF) will present a diverse programme of films that feature narratives of childhood from all over the world. A total of 32 films representing 28 countries—Including features, documentaries, short dramas and animation—will be screened at Cinema La Compagnia, Florence.

(10 October, Florence) – With suicide a leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 19 years globally, and growing awareness of the scale of mental health disorders among children and young people, on 7-9 November UNICEF and WHO will convene a global consultation on child and adolescent mental health. The consultation, organized by the UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti, will be held in Florence and inaugurate the Leading Minds for Children and Young People annual conference on the future of childhood.

(24 September 2019) The UN Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, including child prostitution, child pornography and other child sexual abuse material, Ms Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, in partnership with the UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti, will hold a two-day expert meeting in Florence. The aim of the meeting is to reflect on the current state of play of this problem, its root causes and new manifestations, as well as the relevance and the impact of interventions to eliminate the sale and sexual exploitation of children. The meeting will take place on 24th and 25th September 2019, at UNICEF Innocenti and will gather over 30 experts in child rights.

(17 September 2019) The UNICEF East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office (UNICEF EAPRO) has published the first edition of the Knowledge for Children publications catalogue. The catalogue features research studies, evaluations, reviews, assessments and other reports providing evidence and knowledge on the situation of children. The publication includes works produced by the 14 country offices and their partners in the region, and by the Bangkok Regional Office, in 2017 and 2018. The catalogue includes knowledge products that focus on UNICEF EAPRO’s three areas of advocacy priority or ‘Regional Headlines.’

(9 September 2019) How should the booming global online gaming industry take child rights into consideration? A new UNICEF discussion paper, Child Rights and Online Gaming: Opportunities & Challenges for Children and the Industry, tackles the opportunities and challenges for children in one of the fastest growing entertainment industries. UNICEF Innocenti’s expert on digital technology and child rights, Daniel Kardefelt-Winther co-authored this discussion paper in collaboration with UNICEF’s Child Rights and Business Unit, supported by many colleagues from UNICEF country offices and national committees around the world.