United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories with goals to save children’s lives, defend children’s rights, and help fulfil their dreams and potential. UNICEF works with the United Nations and its agencies to make sure that children are on the global agenda and conducts thorough research and provides practical solutions for children.

Working with partners around the world, UNICEF promotes policies and expands access to services that protect all children. UNICEF fights for the rights of every child seeking safe shelter, nutrition, protection from disaster and conflicts, and equality. It finds that across countries children from poorer households, children living in rural areas, and adolescent girls are some of the most vulnerable groups. 

When it comes to the contributions UNICEF has made in recent history, it won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965, the Indira Gandhi Prize in 1989, and the Princess of Asturias Award in 2006. Also, UNICEF publishes many guides to help parents and families foster a healthy household for their children. Recently, UNICEF has helped the birth of more than 25 million babies per year, administrates and distributed vaccines to more than 60 million children per year, provides education for more than 10 million children per year, and actively responds to 285 humanitarian emergencies in an estimation of 90 countries.

UNICEF publishes research and reports grounded in empirical data, research and analysis which applies evidence based solutions to drive change. UNICEF conducts global household surveys, publishes regular blogs on recent studies and policy and tells stories about the diverse experience of children around the world.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Resources to UNICEF take the form of direct or indirect funding, people (volunteers, consultants and seconded personnel), partnerships, equipment and other in-kind donations.