Lesson 3

UNICEF
Important Notes:
- UN was founded in October 1945 after the end of World War II whose devastating
effects caused suffering to all the peoples of Europe.
- United Nation Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) was founded to combat
famine and disease in liberated Europe.
- In December 1946, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund
(UNICEF) was founded to provide urgent relief aid to European and Asian children who
suffered from World War II. It aimed to provide food, shelter and medicine.
- In 1953, the General Assembly gave the fund a continuing mandate to help needy
children in developing countries.
Structure:
- UNICEF Headquarter is in New York.
- It works with children from 158 countries around the world through local offices.
- Regional offices are in Switzerland; Geneva, Belgium; Brussels, and Japan; Tokyo.
- 36 members of the executive board monitors all the UNICEF’s work.
- The executive board is made up of government representatives who are elected by the
UN Economic and Social Council for 3-year-terms.
- The supply division is in Copenhagen in Denmark. It distributes
Functions:
1. It establishes policies.
2. It approves programs.
3. It overseas administration and financial plans.
Funding:
1. It is a non-profit group.
2. It receives 2/3 of the funding from UN member governments. 1/3 comes from its fund-
raising activities, e.g., “the sale of greeting cards and its “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF” as
well as donations from individuals and private groups.
3. UNICEF resorted to partnerships with world-class athletes to promote organizational
work and to raise funds.
4. The supply division, in Copenhagen, distributes life-saving vaccines, HIV medicine,
nutritional supplements, emergency shelters and educational supplies.