UNICEF was created in 1946 to provide relief to children in countries

devastated by World War II. After 1950 the fund directed its efforts toward
general programs for the improvement of children’s welfare, particularly in
less-developed countries and in various emergency situations. The
organization’s broader mission was reflected in the name it adopted in 1953,
the United Nations Children’s Fund. UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Prize for
Peace in 1965. It is headquartered in New York City.
UNICEF has concentrated much of its effort in areas in which relatively small
expenditures can have a significant impact on the lives of the most
disadvantaged children, such as the prevention and treatment of disease. In
keeping with this strategy, UNICEF supports immunization programs for
childhood diseases and programs to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS; it also
provides funding for health services, educational facilities, and other welfare
services. Since 1996 UNICEF programs have been guided by the Convention
on the Rights of the Child (1989), which affirms the right of all children to “the
enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the
treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.” UNICEF’s activities are
financed by both government and private contributions.
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is a United
Nations agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental
aid to children around the world.[1] It was established in 1946 as the United
Nations International Children's Emergency Fund by the U.N. General
Assembly, at the behest of Polish physician Ludwik Rajchman, to provide
immediate hunger relief and healthcare to children and mothers in
countries devastated by World War II. In 1950, UNICEF's mandate was
extended to address the long-term needs of children and women in
developing countries, and in 1953 it became a permanent part of the United
Nations System. The agency's name was subsequently changed to its
current form, though it retains the original acronym.[2]
UNICEF relies entirely on contributions from governments and private
donors. Its total income as of 2018 was $5.2 billion, of which two-thirds
came from governments; private groups and individuals contribute the rest
through national committees.[3] It is governed by a 36-member executive
board that establishes policies, approves programs, and oversees
administrative and financial plans. The board is made up of government
representatives elected by the United Nations Economic and Social
Council, usually for three-year terms.
UNICEF's programs emphasize developing community-level services to
promote the health and well-being of children. Most of its work is in the
field, with a presence in 192 countries and territories. Its network includes
150 country offices, headquarters and other offices, and 34 "national
committees" that carry out its mission through programs developed with
host governments. Seven regional offices provide technical assistance to
country offices as needed.

Governance[edit]

UNICEF-care tent in Sudan

Each country office carries out UNICEF's mission through a unique program of cooperation
developed with the host government. This five-year program focuses on practical ways to realize the
rights of children and women. Regional offices guide this work and provide technical assistance to
country offices as needed. Overall management and administration of the organization takes place
at the headquarters, where global policy on children is shaped. Guiding and monitoring all of
UNICEF's work is an Executive Board made up of 36 members who are government
representatives. They establish policies, approve programs and decide on administrative and
financial plans and budgets. Executive Management Board's work is coordinated by the Bureau,
comprising the President and four Vice-Presidents, each officer representing one of the five regional
groups. These five officers, each one representing one of the five regional groups, are elected by the
Executive Board each year from among its members, with the presidency rotating among the
regional groups on an annual basis. As a matter of custom, permanent members of the Security
Council do not serve as officers of the Executive Board. Office of the Secretary of the Executive
Board supports and services the Executive Board. It is responsible for maintaining an effective
relationship between the Executive Board and the UNICEF secretariat, and helps to organize the
field visits of the Executive