UNICEF issues Yushu Earthquake One Year Report

BEIJING, 14 April 2011 – One year ago, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Yushu Tibetan Autonomous County in northwest China's Qinghai Province.

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In the year since the earthquake, UNICEF support to the Government of China's emergency response has helped to save lives, restore hope and create opportunities for emergency-affected children and women.

Immediately after the earthquake, UNICEF's support focused on responding to the emergency needs of children and women and protecting the lives of survivors, who were vulnerable to cold, hunger and psychological distress. UNICEF rushed warm clothing, wool blankets, medical equipment, hygiene kits and winterized school tents to the emergency zone.

In the ongoing recovery and reconstruction phase, UNICEF has supported Qinghai Education Authorities to help students return to safe classroom environments with quality learning materials, established Child Friendly Spaces to provide community-based protection and psychosocial support services, supported the reestablishment of maternal and child health services, and improved hygiene and sanitation conditions in schools and communities.  

Highlights of the UNICEF response include:

• 25,000 children provided with warm winter clothing, including jackets, pants and boots
• 7,500 schoolchildren provided with classroom tents 12 days after earthquake
• 5,000 children provided with psychosocial support and a safe environment in which to recover through the establishment of four Child Friendly Spaces
• 4,500 schoolchildren provided with prefabricated classrooms in the medium-term response, to be used until new school buildings are constructed
• 21,500 schoolchildren provided with educational and recreational materials, including student kits, Chinese and Tibetan language library kits and sports kits
• 5,000 children vaccinated through the UNICEF-supported emergency vaccination campaign
• Medical equipment provided to support the reestablishment of maternal and child health services, covering a population of 100,000
• 600 babies safely delivered with the support of UNICEF-provided medical equipment
• 120,000 people provided with hygiene kits to maintain personal hygiene
• Construction of UNICEF-supported school latrines nearing completion, benefiting 14,500 students
• Increased capacity to provide community-based child services and social work among Child Friendly Space staff

To date, UNICEF has provided US$ 4.3 million dollars for earthquake relief and recovery in support of China's emergency response. This assistance was made possible through the generous support of donors, including the Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Japan Committee for UNICEF, the US Fund for UNICEF, and others.

Much work remains to be done. As massive reconstruction kicks off with the one year  anniversary, and the government begins to rebuild schools, homes, hospitals and other public service facilities, UNICEF will continue to reach out to the  most vulnerable populations, support local capacity-building, and work to enhance the quality of services for children and women.