DALLAS, Aug. 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark and
UNICEF have joined together to improve the lives of
nearly 2 million babies and young children across 16 countries in
Latin America and the Caribbean. Over the next three years,
Kimberly-Clark's contribution through Huggies® global
'No Baby Unhugged' program will be used to support and grow
UNICEF's current Early Childhood Development (ECD) initiatives in
Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa
Rica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru,
Paraguay and Uruguay.
In Latin America, where one
child dies every three minutes of preventable diseases and 52
percent die in the first 28 days of life, access to essential
services such as health, education, protection programs, and more
baby-friendly environments is a critical life-saving need.
"At Kimberly-Clark, we are deeply committed to keeping babies
healthy, loved and safe during those first critical moments in
their lives," said Sergio Cruz,
President for Kimberly-Clark Latin
America. "By partnering with UNICEF to bring 'No Baby
Unhugged' to Latin America, we are
able to strengthen its Early Childhood Development programs that
are vital to saving and improving babies' lives."
Through the partnership, UNICEF's Early Childhood Development
(ECD) programs will be able to continue growing to improve
children's lives and ensure that parents are supported and engaged
in nurturing care and positive parenting with their children,
including:
- Ensuring babies receive quality services, including neonatal
care
- Creating baby-friendly environments at area hospitals and
clinics
- Training frontline workers to provide essential services for
young children and their families to address children's needs and
ensure that parents are supported
- Ensuring that families have the support needed to take care of
their children and provide an enriched and safe environment for
child development
"The development of children, especially during their early
years, is influenced by the support of the family and surrounding
environment, along with the accessibility and quality of integrated
early childhood development systems," says Maria Cristina Perceval, UNICEF Regional
Director. "Nevertheless, million of children in our region are
deprived of the protection, stimulation, nutrition, and care they
need to fully develop. We appreciate the confidence that
Kimberly Clark has placed in UNICEF
to continue working together to ensure that every child not only
survive but also reach his or her full potential."
The contribution of $7.2 million
is the company's largest to UNICEF to date and represents its
ongoing commitment to help babies thrive.
"UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of
children and families around the world," said Juanita Pelaez Zambrano, General Manager, Baby
and Child Care, Kimberly-Clark. "We know more babies and mothers
will have access to essential health services, counselling and the
support they need from the start thanks to the partnership with
UNICEF."
About Huggies® No Baby Unhugged
No Baby Unhugged is one of the largest global social impact
programs established by Kimberly-Clark through its
Huggies® brand. The program began in 2010 and aims to
help the most vulnerable babies in society get the hugs and care
they need. This care comes in many forms including hospital
partnerships that support volunteer hugging programs, partnerships
with NGOs who are focused on improving newborn and maternal health
care, and diaper and wipe donations. Over the past five years,
nearly 3 million babies in Canada,
the United States, Israel, Australia, Vietnam, China, and India have benefited from the program.
About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its trusted brands are an
indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries.
Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, and an understanding of people's
most essential needs, we create products that help individuals
experience more of what's important to them. Our portfolio of
brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle,
Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Intimus, Snow,
Plenitud, Viva and WypAll, hold the No. 1 or No. 2 share position
in 80 countries. We use sustainable practices that support a
healthy planet, build stronger communities, and ensure our business
thrives for decades to come. To keep up with the latest news and to
learn more about the company's 147-year history of innovation,
visit kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
About UNICEF
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save
children's lives, to defend their rights, and to help them fulfil
their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
For more information about UNICEF and its work for children,
visit http://www.unicef.org/lac and follow us on Twitter and
Facebook.
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