UNICEF is launching a confronting new advertising campaign in a bid to break down ‘compassion fatigue’ in Australia towards global poverty.

UNICEF Australia’s outdoor and print campaign is designed to connect in a new way with everyday Australians the grim reality of child labour, the recruitment of children as soldiers and the vulnerability of some 150 million children in the world today who are orphans.

The print and outdoor campaign will run in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, with advertising space provided by JCDecaux through an in-kind partnership.

“A lot of advertising by development agencies show a happy, smiling child. This is because agencies want to show people that they can provide a better future for children in need. Yet there is a risk that we mask the brutal reality of poverty for millions of children across the globe,” said UNICEF Australia’s Marketing & Fundraising Director, Louise Brockbank.

“This campaign powerfully shows the personal impact on children of insidious global issues such as child labour or the use of children as soldiers. We hope it will help break down the compassion fatigue that can infect people particularly in more difficult financial times.”
 
One of the posters reads: Single parent: Age 10, and shows a boy in the Democratic Republic of Congo cooking for his younger sister. Their parents both died from AIDS.

An estimated 158 million children aged 5-14 are engaged in child labour, while 300,000 children are believed to be exploited as fighters, porters or sex slaves in conflicts around the world. It is believed more than 140 million children live as orphans with children as young a 10 often being forced to care for younger siblings.

“These are massive, global problems that impact the lives of children, yet UNICEF’s work in over 150 countries shows we can support these children and bring comfort and hope,” said Brockbank.  

UNICEF does not receive UN funding, its work relies heavily on private donations. Last year UNICEF Australia raised $13.8 million to fund UNICEF’s work to help vulnerable children.

Copywriter: Matcham Kaine
Art director: Judith Calov