THERE are few constants during a global emergency, but one is that children - the most innocent and vulnerable of all - are among the first to suffer.

This is the case in Afghanistan, where of the estimated 7.5 million Afghans who may have to rely on aid to survive the combined threats of war, drought and winter this year, 70 per cent will be children and women, and 20 per cent will be children under five.

UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, has launched an emergency appeal for £24 million to provide life-saving medicines, water purification supplies, nutritional supplements for malnourished youngsters, oral re-hydration salts to combat deadly diarrhoea, and other relief items including blankets, clothing, water containers and education kits for makeshift classrooms.

A series of UNICEF relief flights into the region are underway and these will be placed throughout the region close to the Afghan borders to be available if a crisis develops or otherwise to be trucked into Afghanistan as soon as the situation stabilises and the borders re-open.

Millions of children simply will not make it through the winter without help.

Please find it in your hearts to support our efforts to help the innocent children of Afghanistan.

Send whatever you can to the address below.

Louis Coles,

Regional Fundraising Manager - North East, UNICEF Afghanistan Crisis Appeal,

PO Box 1800,

Sheffield, South Yorkshire S6 4UG

Updated: 10:39 Thursday, October 04, 2001