THE humanitarian crisis arising from the conflict in Libya is becoming more urgent by the day.

A major reason behind the UN no-fly zone was to allow the international community to help the most vulnerable people in Libya.

Many women and children have been uprooted from their homes and communities, and are facing each day without adequate shelter, food or clothing. This is wrong, please help UNICEF to put it right.

Since fighting started in February more than a quarter of a million people have fled over the borders into neighbouring countries.

Our staff at Coucha camp on the Tunisian-Libyan border have told us that the number of women and children is steadily increasing. We have been seeing up to 50 families per day arriving in the camp in search of shelter and food.

UNICEF has flown in 47 tons of essential supplies. As more families are crossing the border to flee the violence, we are stepping up our response to meet their humanitarian needs in health, nutrition, drinking water, sanitation and hygiene.

Across the Egyptian border at the Salloum camp, UNICEF is registering more family arrivals and working with the Ministry of Health to vaccinate young children against diseases like polio.

We need your support to help these refugees. No donation is too small; £10 can buy emergency hygiene kits, £5 can buy vital oral rehydration salts, £40 can buy nearly 15kg of ready-to-use high energy therapeutic food.

UNICEF has launched the Libya Children’s Crisis Appeal to help the children who are most at risk as this humanitarian crisis unfolds. UNICEF receives no money from the UN budget and we rely entirely on voluntary donations. To help us make a difference to the women and children affected by the crisis in Libya, please visit www.unicef.org.uk/libya

DAVID BULL, Executive Director, UNICEF UK