UNICEF

UNICEF (UNICEF), agency of the United Nations (UN) devoted to the welfare of children. The organization was established by the UN General Assembly in 1946 to help children in post-World War II Europe and China. UNICEF currently focuses on establishing programmes that give long-term benefits to children everywhere, particularly those in developing countries who are in the greatest need.

UNICEF is governed by a 36-member executive board that establishes policies, reviews programmes, and approves expenditures. The executive director is appointed for a five-year term by the executive board in consultation with the UN secretary-general. In 2003 UNICEF had 7 regional and 126 country offices in 162 countries. A network of 37 committees in industrialized nations promotes support for UNICEF programmes through fund raising, advocacy, education, and information activities. The agency is funded entirely by voluntary government and public contributions.

UNICEF country programmes, formulated in consultation with governments, encompass cooperation with people from all parts of society, including government agencies, non-governmental organizations, community leaders, teachers, parents, and children. More than 130 countries receive UNICEF support for primary health care, nutrition, basic education, and water and sanitation programmes. One of the agency's main programmes, Universal Child Immunization, together with the World Health Organization (WHO), one of UNICEF's other partners, vaccinated 80 per cent of the world's children against diphtheria, measles, poliomyelitis, tetanus, tuberculosis, and whooping cough. As of early 2003, 2.7 million children (under the age of 15 years) were infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the vast majority of whom lived in sub-Saharan Africa. UNICEF supports AIDS education programmes, and works closely in this field with governments, WHO, and non-governmental organizations. In 1965 the agency was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. UNICEF's work is accomplished with voluntary contributions from both governments and non-governmental sources. Total UNICEF expenditure in 2001 amounted to about US$1.25 billion. Income from governments accounted for 64 per cent of this; non-governmental and private sources 33 per cent; and other sources 3 per cent. The United States is the largest government donor to UNICEF, followed by Japan and the United Kingdom.