UNICEF said its 2009 humanitarian funding appeal for emergencies in 36 countries had risen by 17 percent over last year mainly due to the impact of droughts and conflicts in eastern and southern Africa.

In its report on action for 2009, UNICEF underlined that about half of the one billion dollars (770 million euros) would go to five emergencies in Africa: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Executive Director Ann Veneman said many of the places it was targeting were otherwise "silent or forgotten emergencies."

"Women and children are dying every day due to disease, poverty and hunger, but sadly their deaths go largely unnoticed," she added.

But the children's agency also gave warning of the present and growing impact of climate change.

Recent studies indicated that the risk of hunger could increase for some 50 million people worldwide as a result of climate change and as early as next year, according to UNICEF.

It backed estimates that within the next decade, children and women would account for 65 percent of those whose lives are seriously disrupted by climate-related disasters.

"If these predictions prove correct, some 175 million victims of climate change will be children," the agency said in a statement.

Already the number and severity of natural disasters - which includes climate-related events - has "increased significantly," it warned.

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