UNICEF

UNICEF, officially the United Nations Children's Fund, is a United Nations program and humanitarian organization focused on advancing the rights and well-being of children worldwide. It was established in 1946 by the United Nations General Assembly to provide emergency relief to children in postwar Europe. In 1953 its mandate expanded to long-term development, and the organization adopted the acronym UNICEF, while retaining the original name as a formal descriptor.

UNICEF is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from governments, international organizations, foundations, corporations, and individual donors. It is governed by an Executive Board consisting of 36 UN member states that supervise policy, budget, and program approval. The organization maintains a headquarters in New York City and operates regional and country offices worldwide.

Its work covers health and nutrition, child survival, education and learning, water, sanitation and hygiene, protection from violence, exploitation, and abuse, and emergency response to humanitarian crises. UNICEF supports governments and partners to implement evidence-based programs and to deliver essential services for children, particularly the most vulnerable. The organization emphasizes equity, the rights of the child as outlined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and data-driven approaches to monitor progress.

Globally, UNICEF collaborates with other UN agencies, governments, non-governmental organizations, and civil society to respond to crises and to promote sustainable development for children.