Our Work

At UNICEF, we believe that every child, regardless of circumstances or socioeconomic background, has the right to grow and thrive. Tragically, every year, millions of children’s lives are cut short by entirely preventable causes. Many of these deaths come as a result of treatable illnesses, malnutrition, poor hygiene and lack of safe water and sanitation.

UNICEF believes that all children, regardless of gender, culture, religion and socio-economic background, have the right to grow up in safety. Our programs address every aspect of child protection worldwide – from armed violence reduction, to child trafficking, to female genital mutilation, to psychosocial support for children in conflict zones.

At UNICEF, we know that after a large-scale emergency, acting quickly to restore normalcy for children affected is vital to their emotional and physical wellbeing. In the mind of a child hope is a fragile thing - and response timing can be critical to a child’s sense of empowerment and possibility.

When we educate our children we empower our communities. UNICEF understands that education is not only a universal right; it’s a powerful tool that helps break the cycles of poverty, disease and social inequity. That is why UNICEF works to ensure that all children have access to quality, child-centred education regardless of circumstances, gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic background.

The global battle with the HIV and AIDS epidemic is the most significant health challenge of our time. As the world’s leading child-focused humanitarian and development agency, UNICEF understands that preventing the transmission of HIV to children, and protecting and treating children affected by AIDS is the key to reversing and finally halting the epidemic.

It is vital that children’s best interests come first at all times and in all environments. As the only organization named in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as a source of expertise for governments, UNICEF assesses and sheds light on national and international policies that put children at risk. We advance the rights of all children by influencing the decisions of those who set policy and law.