New York Times: UNICEF Calls 2014 One of Worst Years for Children
“The year 2014 has been one of the worst on record for the world’s children, the United Nations said on Monday in a report that chronicled a litany of war, violence, atrocities, and disease, mostly in the Middle East and Africa. … The report was basically a summation of the well-documented afflictions that affected children in 2014. But taken in their entirety, they presented what UNICEF called a devastating picture…” (Gladstone, 12/8).

Reuters: U.N. declares 2014 a devastating year for millions of children
“…[A]s many as 15 million [children are] caught in conflicts in Central African Republic, Iraq, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and the Palestinian territories. UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said the high number of crises meant many of them were quickly forgotten or failed to capture global headlines, such as in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen…” (12/8).

U.N. News Centre: UNICEF declares 2014 ‘devastating year’ for millions of children trapped by conflict
“…The children’s agency went on to say that 2014 has also posed significant new threats to children’s health and well-being, most notably the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which has left thousands of children orphaned and an estimated five million out of school…” (12/8).

UNICEF: With 15 million children caught up in major conflicts, UNICEF declares 2014 a devastating year for children
“…Despite the tremendous challenges children have faced in 2014, there has been hope for millions of children affected by conflict and crisis. In the face of access restrictions, insecurity, and funding challenges, humanitarian organizations including UNICEF have worked together to provide life-saving assistance and other critical services like education and emotional support to help children growing up in some of the most dangerous places in the world…” (12/8).

Washington Post: UNICEF: ‘Never in recent memory have so many children been subjected to such unspeakable brutality’
“… ‘Never in recent memory have so many children been subjected to such unspeakable brutality,’ UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said in a statement. ‘Children have been killed while studying in the classroom and while sleeping in their beds; they have been orphaned, kidnapped, tortured, recruited, raped, and even sold as slaves’…” (Kirkpatrick, 12/9).