UNICEF Canada addresses misleading emails

Recent statements made about the compensation of UNICEF’s CEO through a misinformation email (or online campaign) and in this article are false. This campaign aims to discredit UNICEF and several leading NGOs. Please do not let these false statements about UNICEF continue to circulate and prevent you and others from supporting the world’s most vulnerable children, especially at this time of year.

It is unclear to whom at UNICEF this misleading campaign is referring but salaries for UNICEF Canada staff are disclosed on the Canada Revenue Agency site and financial information regarding UNICEF Canada is always available on our website. The compensation of UNICEF Canada staff mirrors the level of responsibility and professional expertise unique to each person's role and does not impede UNICEF's ability to deliver services and programs for children and their families.

UNICEF Canada strives to consistently execute its mission in a fiscally responsible way, ensuring that we are accountable to our donors who put their trust in UNICEF to execute our programs on behalf of the world’s children.

The salary of the Executive Director of UNICEF, who works on behalf of UNICEF in virtually every country as a United Nations Under-Secretary-General, is also public record. The salary levels for all UN officials, including Under-Secretary-Generals, is US$189,349 gross which means, after tax equivalency deductions, they receive between US$131 thousand and $146 thousand net (depending on whether they have dependents).

Please do not let these false statements about UNICEF continue to circulate. Please consider reporting the message you received to Snopes, an organization committed to tracking misleading and false information on the internet. Thank you for your continued support.

Our donors expect us to keep our administrative costs as low as possible, and UNICEF is committed to doing that.