UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, is the world's leading advocate and aid agency working to promote and protect the rights of children. UNICEF has over 7000 people in 150 developing countries, helping children to survive and thrive by providing essential medicines, vaccines, educational, health and emergency supplies.

UNICEF is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realised. They have the global authority to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at a grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality.  That makes UNICEF unique among world organisations, and unique among those working with the young.

WHAT UNICEF STANDS FOR

• Every child is born with rights
• Every child has the right to be protected from harm
• Every child has the right to an education, the right to health and proper healthcare, the right to a name and a nationality
• Every child has the right to participate in matters that affect them, and the right to be treated equally.

WHAT UNICEF DO

• Gives children the best start in life
• Helps children survive and thrive
• Gets kids into school
• Creates a protective environment, especially in emergencies.

UNICEF’s work is currently focused on five areas: young child survival, basic education, child protection, HIV/AIDS, and policy advocacy.

1) Child protection from exploitation, violence and abuse - Hundreds of millions of children across the globe are victims of exploitation, abuse and violence each year.  UNICEF works to create protective environments for children to shield them from harm.

2) Young child survival and development - every year nearly 11 million children die before reaching their fifth birthday, mostly from preventable causes. UNICEF focuses on immunising children, providing clean water and sanitation, nutrition and healthcare. 

3) Basic education and gender equality – More than 120 million children are currently out of school, and the majority of them are girls. UNICEF focuses on education because educating children can help put them on the path to economic and social empowerment. 

4) HIV/AIDS and children – every day almost 2,000 babies are infected with HIV/AIDS during pregnancy, at birth or through breastfeeding. UNICEF work to prevent new infections and mother-to-child transmission of the disease. They also provide care, protection and support to the some 15 million children orphaned and made vulnerable by the disease.

5) Policy advocacy and partnerships for children's rights - UNICEF works with governments, law-makers, the media, civil society and international organizations on behalf of children and women. By analysing economic, social and legal policies, they can better understand the circumstances and forces that affect the well-being of children and women around the world.