From Climate Action to Social Change — A Generation Empowered.
UMS–UNICEF
UNICEF
Child-Centric Climate Resilience & Social Behaviour Change
HOW WE WORK
UMS × UNICEF: Building Resilient Futures for Every Child
The collaboration between Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is one of Malaysia’s most comprehensive university–UN partnerships for child-centred sustainability. Spanning climate resilience, social protection, disaster preparedness, and behavioural-change communication, the partnership integrates research, education, and community action to ensure that children — particularly from marginalised and indigenous communities — are protected, empowered, and heard in national and regional sustainability agendas.
Universiti Malaysia Sabah
UMS × UNICEF: Protecting Children, Empowering Youth, Transforming Tomorrow
Since 2018, UMS and UNICEF Malaysia have built a long-term collaboration grounded in research, education, and community engagement to address the interconnected challenges of climate change, health, social equity, and disaster risk reduction.
It began with the RM300,000 UNICEF grant (2019) to UMS to strengthen research and interventions on women’s and children’s welfare under the Communication for Development (C4D) framework. This funding led to the establishment of the UMS–UNICEF C4D Research Unit at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSK), empowering academics and practitioners to integrate communication science in advancing child welfare, women’s rights, and community development.
Expanding beyond social welfare, UMS’s Natural Disaster Research Centre (NDRC) collaborated with UNICEF and the Sabah State Education Department to deliver Earthquake Education and Preparedness Programmes to more than 4,000 students across 114 schools in Ranau and nearby districts. The initiative promotes child-centred disaster risk reduction and advocates for nationwide adoption by the Ministry of Education and NADMA.
In 2021, UMS joined UNICEF Malaysia and UKM in producing the landmark report “Impact of Climate Change on Children: A Malaysian Perspective.” This first-of-its-kind study examined how environmental degradation impacts children’s health, education, and rights — particularly among Sabah’s indigenous, rural, and urban poor communities — and proposed a framework for child-sensitive climate governance.
The collaboration reached regional prominence in October 2023, when UMS co-organised the Asia-Pacific Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Regional Symposium with UNICEF, UKM, and UPM — convening experts from over 20 countries to strengthen communication strategies for sustainability, health, and equity.
Through the UMS–UNICEF C4D Unit, this partnership continues to expand behavioural-change training within academia and the community through C4D Workshops, Training of Trainers (TOTs), and social communication projects that tackle issues such as early marriage, discrimination, and health awareness.
Most recently, in April 2025, UMS students under the UMS–UNICEF Communication for Development (C4D) initiative launched the Youth Health Campaign in collaboration with the Sabah State Health Department, promoting behavioural change and health awareness among youths. The campaign marked a milestone in student-led climate and health literacy outreach in Malaysia.
Together, these milestones embody the shared vision of UMS and UNICEF — to educate, empower, and engage children and youth as catalysts for social resilience, health equity, and environmental stewardship in Malaysia and beyond.
Universiti Malaysia Sabah x WWF Malaysia
Major Initiatives & Impact
- i. UNICEF Grant for Women & Children (C4D Programme) RM300,000 grant from UNICEF enabled UMS to establish the C4D Research Unit, pioneering community-based communication strategies to address social and gender issues affecting children and women. Read More
- ii. National Study on the Impact of Climate Change on Children (ICCC) UMS co-authored a landmark national report with UNICEF Malaysia and UKM, assessing how climate change affects children’s health, education, and rights — particularly among marginalised groups such as Pulau Gaya (Sabah), Temiar (Perak), and urban poor in Kuala Lumpur. The study informed policy recommendations for child-sensitive climate governance. Read More on ICCC Report Summary
- iii. Earthquake Education & Disaster Preparedness RUMS (NDRC) and UNICEF empowered 4,000+ students in 114 Sabah schools with earthquake safety knowledge, advocating child-centred disaster education to be integrated into MOE and NADMA policies. Read More
- iv. Asia-Pacific SBCC Regional Symposium UMS co-organised the first Asia-Pacific SBCC Symposium with UNICEF, UKM & UPM, engaging over 20 countries in strengthening communication for health, environment, and equality. Read More
- vi. Youth Health Campaign Student-led initiative under UMS–UNICEF C4D and Sabah Health Dept to promote health, hygiene, and climate literacy among youths through social behaviour change outreach Read More
- v. UMS–UNICEF C4D Workshops & Training (2019–present) UMS–UNICEF C4D Unit organised multiple capacity-building workshops for academics, NGOs, and local agencies, promoting behavioural change as a tool for social development. Read More
From the coral reefs of Tun Mustapha Park to the forests of the Heart of Borneo, the partnership between UMS and WWF-Malaysia is a catalyst for real-world sustainability transformation. Their collaboration unites science, community engagement, and policy innovation—delivering measurable progress toward Malaysia’s national biodiversity and climate goals.