United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Overview

The United Nations Children’s Fund is a United Nations program under the Secretary General of
the United Nations, aimed at providing developmental and technical assistance in order to
provide enriched lives for Children and their Mothers (in lesser developing nations especially).

History

The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund was created by the United Nations
General Assembly on 11 December 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children
in countries that had been devastated by World War II, namely the Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics, Poland, United Kingdom, France and other European and Trans-Asian countries. The
Polish physician Ludwik Rajchman is widely regarded as the founder of UNICEF and served as its
first chairman from 1946. On Rajchman's suggestion, the American Maurice Pate was appointed
its first executive director, serving from 1947 until his death in 1965. In 1950, UNICEF's mandate
was extended to address the long-term needs of children and women in developing countries
everywhere. In 1953 it became a permanent part of the United Nations System, and the words
"international" and "emergency" were dropped from the organization's name, making it simply
the United Nations Children's Fund, however retaining the original acronym, "UNICEF".

How the UNICEF works?

The United Nations Children’s Fund by the name itself suggests that it’s a ‘fund’, therefore it
depends on Private and Public funding. Two-Thirds of the UNICEF’s funding comes from Public
funding schemes, this basically involves Member Nations funding the UNICEF’s missions and
organizations such as the European Union or the African Union funding it.

It is estimated that 92 per cent of UNICEF revenue is distributed to program services. UNICEF's
programs emphasize developing community-level services to promote the health and well-being
of children. UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965 and the Prince of Asturias
Award of Concord in 2006.
Most of UNICEF's work is in the field, with a presence in 190 countries and territories. UNICEF's
network of over 150 country offices, headquarters and other offices, and 34 National
Committees carry out UNICEF's mission through programs developed with host governments.
Seven regional offices provide technical assistance to country offices as needed.

Structure

Each country office carries out UNICEF's mission through a unique program of cooperation
developed with the host government. This five-year program focuses on practical ways to realize
the rights of children and women. Regional offices guide this work and provide technical
assistance to country offices as needed. Overall management and administration of the
organization takes place at headquarters, where global policy on children is shaped. Guiding and
monitoring all of UNICEF's work is a 36-member Executive Board made up of government
representatives. They establish policies, approve programs and decide on administrative and
financial plans and budgets. Executive Board’s work is coordinated by the Bureau, comprising the
President and four Vice-Presidents, each officer representing one of the five regional groups.
These five officers, each one representing one of the five regional groups, are elected by the
Executive Board each year from among its members, with the presidency rotating among the
regional groups on an annual basis. As a matter of custom, permanent members of the Security
Council do not serve as officers of the Executive Board. Office of the Secretary of the Executive
Board supports and services the Executive Board. It is responsible for maintaining an effective
relationship between the Executive Board and the UNICEF secretariat, and helps to organize the
field visits of the Executive Board.

What work does it do?

The UNICEF clarifies its major fields of work as the following:-

 Child Protection and Inclusion

 Child Survival
 Education
 Responding to Emergencies
 Gender Equality
 Innovation for Children
 Supply and Logistics
 Research and Analysis
What are the UNICEF’s Aims and Objectives?

The UNICEF in its statement regarding its mission stated its 9 major commitments it works
towards. Those are the following:-

1. UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the
protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their
opportunities to reach their full potential.

2. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish
children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour
towards children.

3. UNICEF insists that the survival, protection and development of children are universal
development imperatives that are integral to human progress.

4. UNICEF mobilizes political will and material resources to help countries, particularly
developing countries, ensure a "first call for children" and to build their capacity to form
appropriate policies and deliver services for children and their families.

5. UNICEF is committed to ensuring special protection for the most disadvantaged children -
victims of war, disasters, extreme poverty, all forms of violence and exploitation and
those with disabilities.

6. UNICEF responds in emergencies to protect the rights of children. In coordination with

United Nations partners and humanitarian agencies, UNICEF makes its unique facilities
for rapid response available to its partners to relieve the suffering of children and those
who provide their care.

7. UNICEF is non-partisan and its cooperation is free of discrimination. In everything it does,

the most disadvantaged children and the countries in greatest need have priority.

8. UNICEF aims, through its country programmes, to promote the equal rights of women
and girls and to support their full participation in the political, social, and economic
development of their communities.

9. UNICEF works with all its partners towards the attainment of the sustainable human
development goals adopted by the world community and the realization of the vision of
peace and social progress enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
Roles of the UNICEF

“The next steps of our journey will depend on our willingness to adapt to the changing world
around us... to infuse equity throughout our programmes... and to find new ways to realize the
rights – and brighten the futures – of the most disadvantaged children around the
world”. Anthony Lake, Executive Director, UNICEF

UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child.. Along with their partners, they work in
190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special
effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children,
everywhere.

In all of its work, UNICEF takes a life-cycle based approach, recognizing the particular importance
of early childhood development and adolescence. UNICEF programmes focus on the most
disadvantaged children, including those living in fragile contexts, those with disabilities, those
who are affected by rapid urbanization and those affected by environmental degradation.

UNICEF was created with a distinct purpose in mind: to work with others to overcome the
obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child’s path. We advocate
for measures to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age
forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future

Principle Powers of the UNICEF

 Organize development programmes in line with its aim to enrich Children’s and their
Mothers lives
 Work along with Corporations to ensure a fair place for children in the International
Market
 Work along with State institutions for providing logistical support
 Organize a Research and Analysis programme in any field involving the fair treatment of
Children and Mothers in the world
 Use its funds for sponsorships, in order to increase awareness and knowledge about the
UNICEF