Reach, expertise, access, innovation, efficiency, resolve
These are the values that guide our work and make UNICEF unique. They are why we have saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization—and why we believe in zero.
UNICEF's reach
Operating in more than 150 countries, UNICEF has a proven track record and the know-how and resources to get the job done. With its on-the-ground staff and one of the largest supply networks in the world, UNICEF is there with far-reaching programs that help children survive and thrive. And because of its ongoing global presence, UNICEF is always one of the first on the scene in a crisis, providing rapid emergency assistance in the critical early hours that can mean the difference between life and death for survivors.
UNICEF's expertise
With more than 60 years of experience saving children's lives, UNICEF has an extraordinary level of technical expertise that is backed by a network of highly skilled field staff and teams of professionals in public health, disease prevention, logistics, political systems, human rights, education and emergency response.
UNICEF's access and influence
UNICEF works at the family, community, regional and country level—with direct access to policy makers and local organizations—to create lasting positive change in areas as far-ranging as maternal and child health, nutrition, HIV/AIDS, water and sanitation, education and child protection. So trusted is the UNICEF name that in recent years, UNICEF and its partners have been able to negotiate ceasefire "days of tranquility" in a number of conflict areas—most recently between warring factions in Burundi and Sudan—to immunize children against killer diseases like measles and polio.
UNICEF's innovation
UNICEF has helped develop simple, affordable, and innovative solutions to complicated problems. A few examples: birthing kits to help women have safe deliveries; oral rehydration salts to treat diarrheal dehydration in children; portable School-in-a-Box kits to make classes possible almost anywhere; and solar-powered cold storage units to transport vaccines to remote villages. All of these are now in standard use by many humanitarian organizations, saving millions of children's lives.
UNICEF's efficiency
UNICEF uses its contributions wisely and is trusted as one of the most efficient non-profit organizations in the world. Every dollar UNICEF spends on low-cost, highly effective, sustainable solutions usually leverages additional dollars of support in bringing that project to scale. In the U.S., funds are raised by the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, which receives the highest ratings from watchdog organizations including the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance's Standards for Charity Accountability and has also received 5 consecutive four-star ratings from Charity Navigator, America's premier independent charity evaluator.
UNICEF's resolve
Regardless of the complexities, politics, or the cultural issues at play, UNICEF can get things done. There is no social condition it won't work to improve, no logistical hurdle it won't try to surmount, and no system it is not willing to challenge. The mission will continue until no more children die needlessly, anywhere—until we get to zero.
