Our Mission

7-month-old Kumbaba is carried by his mother, Oumou Sy, and accompanied by a health worker at the UNICEF-supported nutrition centre in Kaédi Hospital, in the city of Kaédi in the southern Gorgol Region.
Mauritania
UNICEF/NYHQ2012-0465/MIA BRANDT

Putting children first all over the world

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s
lives than any other humanitarian organization by providing health care and immunizations, safe water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more.

UNICEF USA supports UNICEF’s work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. Together, we are working
toward the day when no children die from preventable causes, and every child has a safe and healthy childhood.

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Be the first to know about UNICEF's relief efforts in times of emergency.

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It takes Aysha, 13-years old, 8 hours each day, round trip, to collect water for herself and her family in Afar, Ethiopia.
How Long Does It Take to Get Water? For Aysha, Eight Hours a Day
Worldwide, women and girls spend 200 million hours every day collecting water.
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child survival
Child Survival
UNICEF has helped save more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization.
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emergency relief
Emergency Relief
UNICEF is the leader in responding to disasters affecting children.
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Zahira, 2, eats from a packet of RUTF, a high protein, vitamin-rich, peanut paste for malnourished children
The Malnutrition Miracle: What Is Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food?
The specially formulated peanut paste is nothing short of a miracle for malnourished children.
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Fast Fact
45
%
UNICEF helps immunize 45 percent of the world’s children.
+
50
%
UNICEF's lifesaving interventions have helped cut child deaths by more than 50% since 1990.
16
thousand
Despite progress, 16,000 children still die every day from causes we can prevent.
190
UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories to save and protect children.
300
emergencies
Every year, UNICEF responds to more than 300 emergencies — from conflicts to natural disasters.
48
hours
UNICEF can ship lifesaving supplies to children almost anywhere in the world within 48 hours.
100
UNICEF works in more than 100 countries to improve access to safe water and sanitation facilities
12
million
UNICEF implemented over 12 million diagnosis tests to prevent child deaths from malaria.
750
thousand
More than 750,000 people receive updates on UNICEF's lifesaving work. Stay informed: join our list!

What UNICEF USA Is Doing

UNICEF USA supports UNICEF, and other efforts in support of the world's children, through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States.

Where UNICEF Works

UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories all over the world. Here are a few regions where UNICEF has focused its work recently.

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What UNICEF Is Doing

Saving Children's Lives
Building Children's Futures
Emergency Relief

Stories About Our Mission

What Would Happen if UNICEF Disappeared?
Eight ways the world would change without UNICEF.
Aisha Kolo Lawan is a UNICEF Child Protection Specialist in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.
Celebrating Women Humanitarians on the Front Lines for UNICEF
A salute to the brave and dedicated humanitarian aid workers who are giving their all to make the world a better place.
Two injured children stand outside a UNICEF tent at the regional hospital in Mopti, Mali after their village, Ogossagou-Peulh in Bankass, in Mali's Mopti region, was attacked on the night of March 23, 2019.
UNICEF Is Protecting Children Under Attack by Militia Groups in Mali
With violent attacks on the rise, children in Mali are in more danger every day. UNICEF and partners are rushing to help.
UNICEF USA President and CEO Caryl M. Stern travelled to Houston in 2017 to see how children were coping in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
How to Help Children Heal After Tragedy Strikes
Using lessons learned in the field, UNICEF USA President and CEO Caryl M. Stern offers advice on comforting and protecting kids.
A mother breastfeeds her newborn at a UNICEF-supported hospital in Bangladesh.
The Cost of Not Breastfeeding
In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, UNICEF calls for increased investment in support programs to advance the lifesaving practice.
Promised a job as a housekeeper, this teenager was forced into sex work in Kazakhstan. She escaped and found refuge in a UNICEF-supported center for abused and trafficked children.
Child Trafficking Hits Close to Home
On World Day Against Trafficking, a reminder that the buying and selling of children for the purpose of exploitation happens everywhere.
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