Rosemary McCreery has been appointed UNICEF Representative in the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Belarus

After a term as head of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Cambodia where in 1998-1999 she managed a program of monitoring of human rights violations and training in human rights issues. In 1993-1998 Rosemary McCreery was Deputy Director of the UNICEF Personnel Division, responsible for the formulation and implementation of personnel policy both under regular UNICEF programs and during emergency aid programmes.

In 1991, Rosemary opened a UNICEF Office in Romania and directed UNICEF efforts in that country until 1993, also actively contributing to the working out of programs for UNICEF cooperation with Moldova and Albania. In 1998-1990, Rosemary McCreery was Programme Director at the Inter Press Service international news agency in Rome. In 1985-1988, she served in Indonesia as coordinator of the UNICEF program for the development of urban and area-based services. Before 1979-1985, Rosemary managed UNICEF activities in Madagascar and Togo. Still earlier she worked for the Government of Ireland in Department of Foreign Affairs.

Finland Helps Children of St.Petersburg

A delegation from the Finnish National Committee of UNICEF and a group of donors from a Finnish town Jyvaskyla, that was chosen in Finland UNICEF’s City 2000, visited St.Petersburg in the beginning of April.

Finland is one of the permanent donors of UNICEF programmes in Russia. The population of Jyvaskyla - approximately 80,000 people – made a contribution of $ 1,000.000 Finnish marks (over $ 200,0000) to support UNICEF programmes in St.Petersburg and the Region. The Finnish Delegation was headed by Pertti Urrila, Regional Manager of Jyvaskyla regional development company, and included professors of psychology and education, representatives of Town’s administration, and journalists. The delegation visited North Capital in their days off.

Its members visited Children’s House N 1, the Republican Hospital of infectious diseases in Ust-Izhor, the City’s Center for prevention of drug use, the Social Center of rehabilitation for girls "The House of diligence" and Center for rehabilitation for mothers drug users in Melnichny Ruchey.

A common proverb states that it’s better to see things once then to hear tthem. The Finns made acquainted with the implementation of the UNICEF’s projects. The donors associated with the coordinators of the projects, talked to children and often elder people were touched to tears by their stories. In the "House of diligence" a radio reporter and a translator burst into tears and in the House of Child even self-possessed Pertti Urrila became pale but kept self-control.

The delegation spent the Saturday night with social street workers, got acquainted with abandoned children and the next day they visited the Center for rehabilitation and medical and social help to the street children. “It seems to me that after our visit we will be able to raise much more money than we thought before our trip”, Pertti Urrila said before leaving St.Petersburg. “Now we’ll be able to work much more effectively to save up money for St.Petersburg children”.

War Rides Rough on Children

There are approximately 88,000 refugee children in Ingushetia today. Apart from clothing and food, most of them need psychologists’ help. UNICEF, in partnership with the Dutch Agency of Rehabilitation and Development (ARD), has begun a special program to provide psychosocial aid to children and women at Sputnik, one of the largest refugee camps in Ingushetia, at Sleptsovskaya, which give shelter for nearly 9,000 people, 6,000 of whom are children.

Lubov Archakova, the ARD Director at Sputnik, is a tall and amiable woman, prudently wrapped in a shawl. A strong wind is blowing, and a storm warning has been received. The tent where she gives lessons to children, is not warm, despite a few stoves. Ali, a 14-year-old from Grozny, has been living at the camp for six months now, seeing nightmares almost every night in his dream. Air raids, attacks, machine gun fire, and basement shelters have been very much a real part of his life. Ali does not talk much, and never takes off his hat, a subconscious way, says Lamara Umarova, an MA in phychology, to avoid exposure to harm. Lamara, who is coordinator of the UNICEF and ARD psychosocial rehabilitation program, graduated from the psychology department of St. Petersburg University, won an MA degree for her study of the consequences of the first Chechen war in 1994-1996, and now, along with her relatives, has joined the ranks of refugees.

There are 12 such consultants at Sputnik. Lamara Umarova and her colleagues use art therapy at their classes. "These children have been robbed of childhood", says Lamara, "and how can they have a normal, full-blooded life without a childhood? We are trying to make up for their loss and replace the destructive images with positive ones. The children almost always draw pictures of the war–airplanes, bombs, buildings in rubble, and ruined schools. We are working to get them gradually accustomed to the thought that life goes on, that all is not lost, and that there are many interesting things to learn".

During her first session with a psychologist, 14-year-old Patimat from Grozny drew a picture of the terrible fate that befell her family and neighbors. They hid in a shelter for three hours waiting for the bombing to start, and when nothing happened, they decided that the airplanes would not be back any more that day and started for home. As soon as they came out of their shelter, they heard the first explosions and rushed back for cover again. Patimat’s neighbor shoved her small child into the shelter, but did not manage to save herself. Another neighbor was wounded, and yet another killed. Patimat and her family were not hurt, but the girl cannot forget that day.

Classes are conducted in an informal manner, for normal studies are impossible under these conditions. Most of the teachers have been specially trained for this emergency and believe that it is the only option open to them. At literature lessons, the children write stories. The topic is standard, "My Land". But the stories differ from the typical essays of normal primary school students.

Third-grader Zelimkhan Ibragimov writes, “A war is going on in my land. Children, women and old people are being killed. Buildings are destroyed, animals, trees, plants and flowers are dying. Many people are left homeless. Because of this war, we were forced to leave our home, our city. I miss my school, my teachers, and my friends so much. Now I live with my Ingushi brothers and am afraid to go back home. Before this war, when we heard airplanes flying overhead, we would run out into the street and shout our heads off greeting them, but now we are even afraid to come out. I so want the war to end, for the airplanes not to fly, for the shooting to stop”. Milana Mishaeva is also in the third grade. She writes, “How many of our relatives have been killed? And how many are homeless? I really want to live under peaceful skies and take care of animals. But at the moment my mother will not let me go home because she is afraid I will be killed by a bomb”.