歐盟慷慨贈頒諾貝爾和平獎獎金予UNICEF等5組織 為兒童建設和平基石
2012-12-19
![Girls attend class in a village in Nowshera District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province The school was damaged by the floods, but has been rehabilitated with UNICEF support. [#2 IN SEQUENCE OF TWO] In December 2010 in Pakistan, millions remain affected by the massive flooding that began in July 2010 and spread through most of the country. Nearly 200,000 people continue to live in camps in the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan, and millions more are returning to homes damaged by floodwater. Returnees confront persistently high water levels, washed-out roads and idges, and damaged infrastructure, property and livelihoods. Meanwhile, the arrival of winter has made the need for shelter increasingly acute. Road damage and security concerns related to ongoing conflict are hampering access by aid groups to many areas. Pakistan, one of four polio-endemic countries in the world, has also experienced a rise in polio infections, with 139 cases reported in 2010. In response, UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and others have launched coordinated programmes to meet the needs of flood-affected populations. Nearly 21,000 children under age five have received therapeutic feeding, and many more have received supplementary feeding. UNICEF and partners have immunized 11.7 million children against polio, and UNICEF is distributing childrens winter clothes, blankets, and additional supplies in areas that anticipate freezing temperatures. UNICEF has reached 150,000 children with temporary learning centres, 195,000 children with school supplies, and 180,000 with child-friendly spaces. The agency also continues to provide safe drinking water to over 3 million people per day and sanitation facilities to 1.7 million people. To date, 76 per cent of UNICEFs US$251 million funding requirements under the joint United Nations appeal have been met, including US$22.9 million in pledged funds.](/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/20121219_eu_nobel_1-300x214.jpg)
布魯塞爾／紐約／香港，2012年12月19日──歐洲聯盟（歐盟）決定將部分諾貝爾獎獎金捐贈予聯合國兒童基金會（UNICEF），此舉意味着在巴基斯坦將有更多兒童獲得教育和學習的機會。
歐盟於本月10日獲頒發諾貝爾和平獎，隨即決定將有關獎金捐贈予UNICEF等5家人道主義組織，協助組織應對災難等複雜的緊急情況。歐盟並宣佈所捐款項，將不限於約值港幣930萬元（即93萬歐元）的獎金，會加碼至總數約港幣2,000萬元（200萬歐元），全數撥作歐盟兒童和平倡議項目（EU Children of Peace initiative），以支持在緊急情況下的地區教育工作。
UNICEF執行主任安東尼．雷克表示：「我們並不止代表UNICEF，更是代表所有因為UNICEF服務而受惠的兒童，向歐盟致以衷心的感激，好榮幸得到歐盟的慷慨捐助。」
兒童身處在複雜的緊急情況之中，會對他們的生理、心理和情緒狀況造成長遠而持久的影響。教育，則可以幫助他們培養正確的態度和價值觀，遠離衝突，建設和平。
UNICEF將運用有關的善款於改善位於巴基斯坦西北部地區30所防災避難收容學校的教育工作之上，料約3,000名3至9歲的兒童受惠。有關的教育工作包括：購置「教育百寶盒」等用品、培訓師資、和平教育培訓和心理輔導等，凡此種種將可協助兒童面對慘痛經歷，走出陰霾。
UNICEF亦衷心祝賀其餘獲捐贈的組織，包括：技術合作與發展組織（Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development）、聯合國難民署（UNHCR）、救助兒童會（Save the Children）和挪威難民理事會（Norwegian Refugee Council）。