Every minute a child dies of malaria. In Cameroon, Plan’s work has helped to halve the number of people affected by the disease – but there is still so much to do, blogs Plan’s Dr Kwake Simon, ahead of World Malaria Day.

24 April 2013: My interest in public health and malaria dates back to the 1990s, when an economic crisis struck my country, Cameroon. People did not have enough money to buy medicines for their children, and I watched babies die in their parents’ arms from malaria, a disease so easy to prevent.

L’exercice d’Identification avait pour objectif d’identifier la situation des Enfants Séparés (ES) et des Enfants Non Accompagnes (ENA) et son ampleur dans 04 régions du Sud (Ségou, Sikasso, Mopti et Koulikoro) afin de développer un plan d’action et intégrer une réponse aux besoins identifiés dans les activités de la Protection de l’Enfant.

Ravi Verma, Tara Sinha, Tina Khanna
2013

The Plan Asia Regional Office invited ICRW to carry out a three-country study in Bangladesh, India and Nepal to inform its programming to prevent child marriage among girls. ICRW gathered qualitative data in each country from girls and boys, parents, community leaders and government officials.

The first 8 years of a child’s life are the most critical in terms of development.

Research has shown that under-nutrition, stressful conditions and poor stimulation during these years can affect brain structure and function.

Between 2002 and 2006, 1.5 billion children in 42 countries were affected by crises. They may have survived the immediate disaster, but without interventions specifically aimed at their developmental needs, many may suffer the adverse effects for the rest of their lives.

February 2013: Plan is distributing 10,000 learners’ kits to help children affected by the devastating floods in Mozambique to return to school.

The move is part of Plan's work to support the Mozambican government's emergency response to the disaster, which has affected more than 250,000 people across Gaza Province - destroying homes, schools and roads.

Posted by Grace Ndungu, Plan Eastern and Southern Africa web and social media editor

25 February 2013: After a 3 hour drive from Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, we finally arrive in Chokwe town. The destruction caused by the recent floods is still evident but life seems to be slowly getting back to normal.

Electricity and running water have been restored. The community of mostly women and children is cleaning up the rubble left in the wake of what has been referred to as Mozambique’s worst floods in 13 years.

In 2011, East Africa suffered from one of the worst droughts in 60 years which left more than 13 million people in need of food, water and emergency healthcare.

Canadian donors contributed $14 million to the Humanitarian Coalition’s joint appeal for East Africa's drought of 2011. These funds helped to set up activities such as the delivery of emergency food, basic healthcare, and water sanitation kits. Nutrition centres and child education programs also played a significant role in the response.

21 January 2013: Severe flooding that has affected more than 90,000 people in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, has left many out in the cold - but with relief supplies now being distributed, residents are feeling a little less chilly.

“Our children did not get cold again last night,” said Sukaesih, 36, mother of a 6-year-old son, from Rawabuaya in West Jakarta.

When the floods struck on Wednesday, Sukaesih and her neighbours sought shelter in a shophouse before moving to a nearby camp for displaced persons.

This report by Plan and ODI examines the continuing and deepening impact of the economic crisis on girls and young women worldwide.

Long standing economic trends, entrenched gender inequality and austerity budgets have all left girls and their families bearing the brunt of fewer resources and reduced access to services.

Key points

Key findings from the report include: