United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
UNICEF was established in 1946 by the UN General Assembly and the League of Nations to provide financial support for vulnerable children, especially those born before 1946. In 1955, it adopted an international monetary policy that enabled grants to be made in all countries and territories without the institution of any particular legal framework or political authority.
The mission of the United Nations Children’s Fund is to make available to every child less than five years of age life-changing humanitarian assistance through the provision of food, nutrition, and health services and related activities in areas associated with their natural environment. It also aims to secure a better future for our most vulnerable children, including girls and women, and facilitate the education of all children.
Under its leadership, U.N.ICEF has been able to strengthen institutions and programs that are providing direct relief to thousands of families. For example, since 1996, the agency has been involved in almost 1 million emergency food distributions and in almost 740,000 food packages to prevent acute malnutrition. And in 1998, more than 200% of U.N.-supported refugee camps were provided with essential primary health care services. In addition, since 1985, nearly half of the world’s population lives in conditions of extreme poverty. We have seen an unprecedented rise in the number of malnourished people in some parts of the world.
In recent decades, thanks to major donor governments, U.N.ICEF has significantly expanded its global network of partners to reach more children in need. Since 1995, donors have committed approximately 5 billion dollars to improve the lives of about 2 billion children worldwide. Thanks to these funds, we have reached almost 15 million more children who have been enrolled in school and prevented diseases such as measles, polio, diphtheria, whooping cough, and congenital anomalies.
Since 1990, as part of efforts to fight AIDS, one-third of all newly infected children now have access to lifesaving antiretroviral therapy; another third have received immunoglobulins to help them build immunity against infectious diseases. Nearly 10 million pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa have gone on to give birth after receiving pre-natal vaccinations. Over 8 million pregnant women have received maternal vaccines in India alone. Globally, we have saved millions of mothers and babies from dying during pregnancy or childbirth by ensuring that all newborns are fed, clothed, and well cared for.
We continue to see a surge of severe diseases in many parts of the world, including outbreaks of Ebola, cholera, and poliomyelitis. When there are no appropriate treatments — including antibiotics, antiviral, anti-malaria drugs, and TB vaccines — the outcome can often result in death. With only 70% of the world’s poor receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS, the cost of these medicines is very high. If left untreated, TB causes an estimated 400 deaths per day worldwide. Malaria kills up to 800 million people every year, but more than three-quarters of those affected die before reaching adulthood. So far this year, we have treated over 7 million children with malaria.
We know we are not yet done. As we look ahead to the next decade, we will be focused on the needs of an even larger group of children who are disproportionately affected by emergencies around the world. These include conflict-affected children and refugees whom refugees often face and children living in fragile settings in places like Afghanistan or Kenya that were once safe havens for war-torn communities. As the effects of climate change become increasingly apparent, we must act fast to ensure that the young and old of tomorrow have the tools they need to survive, thrive, and protect themselves from what threatens us all: hunger, disease, and death.
Children can experience many different kinds of harm and abuse around the world. UNICEF works to protect the rights of girls and young women, as well as children at risk of child marriage and other forms of abuse. They also work with governments, local communities, non-governmental organizations, and others to support them in their struggle to gain a healthy life. In areas where they are most needed, we invest nearly $40 billion annually and help children everywhere. Together our efforts have made tremendous progress since 1980—from eradicating polio to reducing maternal mortality rates by more than 50 percent and increasing access to clean water and safe sanitation. We have been able to achieve these successes thanks to your generosity. Your gift will bring even more relief, hope, and joy to millions of families around the globe—to children who now have new hopes for their futures as adults, or to parents who are empowered to stay home with their kids for longer periods of time. Together, all you need is a commitment to make this happen.
Every year since its establishment in 1946, UNICEF has delivered billions of dollars of lifesaving aid throughout more than 80 countries. Yet today UNICEF faces unprecedented challenges that threaten not only the safety of humanitarians around the world but the survival of children everywhere. According to figures from 2016 UNICEF’s most recent annual report, there were 19 million fewer babies born to mothers in conflict settings than in 2002. That was attributed to conflict, drought or conflicts, and forced fertility termination. And there were 8 million fewer refugees around the world fleeing war and violence, up from 11 million in 2017, as reported by UNHCR. These numbers represent a dramatic increase in the number of people at high risk of severe physical and mental health impacts due to armed conflict. Despite strong progress, poverty continues to be the greatest barrier to delivering equitable access to UNICEF services worldwide, affecting over half of girls and young women globally.
Over a quarter of those affected live in countries where conflict continues. Violence against women and girls persists with alarming frequency. One in five adolescent girls goes out into the world without their consent, and one in three of all adolescents report witnessing domestic violence every day. Around two hundred thousand girls between the ages of 15 and 17 are married off to powerful men for sex. More than 1.4 million of them are pregnant each year. Young girls are kidnapped and sold into slavery while young boys are involved in violent conflict zones at least once per month. Many are held as prisoners of war and sexual exploitation, such as through prostitution or child pornography.
UNICEF works alongside partners across the global economy to address social and economic inequalities which perpetuate child abuse and exploitation, including gender-based violence and trafficking. This includes working closely with the World Bank Group to respond to growing needs around the world. For example, after floods devastated Bangladesh in 2010 UNICEF donated more than 200 million US dollars to support humanitarian assistance, while the UK government pledged an additional 100 million pounds through Gavi, in support of UNICEF’s response. Even during Covid, UNICEF was able to mobilize vital resources to ensure the safe delivery of essential health products to vulnerable populations including children, as well as critical psychosocial interventions for displaced persons. Working together, we are ensuring no child goes to bed hungry. With your donation, UNICEF is providing much-needed food assistance in East and Southern Africa, South Asia, and Central America. It also supports some of the largest humanitarian programs it helps to deliver internationally, including Save the Children USA, UNICEF India Safe City, ICAAR/UNICEF Ukraine, and others. (more detail……..https://www.unicef.org/)
