• News
    • Latest news
    • News search
    • Health
    • Finance
    • Food
    • Career news
    • Content series
    • Try Devex Pro
  • Jobs
    • Job search
    • Post a job
    • Employer search
    • CV Writing
    • Upcoming career events
    • Try Career Account
  • Funding
    • Funding search
    • Funding news
  • Talent
    • Candidate search
    • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Events
    • Upcoming and past events
    • Partner on an event
  • Post a job
  • About
      • About us
      • Membership
      • Newsletters
      • Advertising partnerships
      • Devex Talent Solutions
      • Contact us
Join DevexSign in
Join DevexSign in

News

  • Latest news
  • News search
  • Health
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Career news
  • Content series
  • Try Devex Pro

Jobs

  • Job search
  • Post a job
  • Employer search
  • CV Writing
  • Upcoming career events
  • Try Career Account

Funding

  • Funding search
  • Funding news

Talent

  • Candidate search
  • Devex Talent Solutions

Events

  • Upcoming and past events
  • Partner on an event
Post a job

About

  • About us
  • Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising partnerships
  • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Contact us
  • My Devex
  • Update my profile % complete
  • Account & privacy settings
  • My saved jobs
  • Manage newsletters
  • Support
  • Sign out
Latest newsNews searchHealthFinanceFoodCareer newsContent seriesTry Devex Pro
    • News
    • News

    Leader Profile: Natascha Paddison, Field Coordination Chief, UNICEF

    UNICEF is the United Nations (UN) agency that aims to realize the rights of children across the world. It operates at all levels, to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. Natascha Paddison works with the organization in the conflict-torn country of Sri Lanka. <br><br> UNICEF is supporting a ra&#8230;

    By FWU Newsletter // 24 May 2007

    UNICEF is the United Nations (UN) agency that aims to realize the rights of children across the world. It operates at all levels, to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. Natascha Paddison works with the organization in the conflict-torn country of Sri Lanka.


    UNICEF is supporting a range of activities to alleviate the psychosocial impact of conflict on children. Natascha’s role is to coordinate and direct activities within the country, overseeing seven field offices, six of which are deep in the conflict-affected areas. “We’ve got animators and young people working together with these children and teaching them about mine awareness, but also doing theater and just play activities,” said Natascha. She was formerly Head of the UNICEF Sub-office in Serbia and Montenegro.


    The impact violence has on children and families is huge. It affects levels of malnutrition, reduces access to education and adequate water and sanitation facilities, and raises recruitment of child soldiers. The ongoing conflict comes on top of family disruption caused by the tsunami of December 2005. Natascha said, “Some of these were first displaced by the tsunami and then managed to go back to their homes ? had hopes as homes and schools and health centers were being rebuilt again. And then as the conflict escalated, they had to flee again.”


    Natascha will continue her efforts in Sri Lanka in the future, but says that the factor that would make a real difference to them is out of the hands of UNICEF. “We asked the children: What is your hope for the future? In other parts of the country, they said they wanted to be a train driver or a doctor. But in the conflict-affected areas, they never talked about what they wanted to be but only said they wanted peace. They all said they wanted the shelling to stop,” she asserted.

      Printing articles to share with others is a breach of our terms and conditions and copyright policy. Please use the sharing options on the left side of the article. Devex Pro members may share up to 10 articles per month using the Pro share tool ( ).

      About the author

      • FWU Newsletter

        FWU Newsletter

      Search for articles

      Related Stories

      Global healthHow Gavi is reaching ‘zero-dose’ children in conflict areas

      How Gavi is reaching ‘zero-dose’ children in conflict areas

      The Trump EffectThe US brokered peace in eastern DRC. Aid cuts have undermined it

      The US brokered peace in eastern DRC. Aid cuts have undermined it

      Most Read

      • 1
        Exclusive: A first look at the Trump administration's UNGA priorities
      • 2
        Opinion: How climate philanthropy can solve its innovation challenge
      • 3
        Devex Invested: The climate insurance lottery low-income countries can’t afford
      • 4
        Opinion: Uniting forces to advance sustainable development financing
      • 5
        Opinion: AI-powered technologies can transform access to health care
      • News
      • Jobs
      • Funding
      • Talent
      • Events

      Devex is the media platform for the global development community.

      A social enterprise, we connect and inform over 1.3 million development, health, humanitarian, and sustainability professionals through news, business intelligence, and funding & career opportunities so you can do more good for more people. We invite you to join us.

      • About us
      • Membership
      • Newsletters
      • Advertising partnerships
      • Devex Talent Solutions
      • Post a job
      • Careers at Devex
      • Contact us
      © Copyright 2000 - 2025 Devex|User Agreement|Privacy Statement