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.
250
emergencies
Every year, UNICEF responds to more than 250 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 the 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

A Cycle of Hardship and Danger Puts Many Migrant Children at Risk
A new UNICEF Child Alert explores why migrants flee Central America for the U.S. and Mexico, calling for the protection of their children
unicef, unicef usa, immigration, undocumented immigrants, immigrant children, migrant children, immigration reform, immigration policy
"Shelter": Human Stories from Central America
What would it take to leave your home behind? Central Americans heading North in search of safety share their stories in a new documentary.
unicef, central american migrants, violence, central america
Growing Up Surrounded by Violence in Central America
Extreme levels of organized crime and gang violence are facts of life for many children growing up scared in Central America.
unicef, unicef usa, immigration, undocumented immigrants, immigrant children, migrant children, immigration reform, immigration policy
Inside Migrant Shelters at the U.S.-Mexico Border
In Reynosa, Mexico, shelters offer a bed, clothes, food & medical care to migrants headed for the U.S. and others returning home, dejected.
unicef, unicef usa, immigration, undocumented immigrants, immigrant children, migrant children, immigration reform, immigration policy
How UNICEF Supports and Protects Child Migrants Every Step of the Way
Children and young people are entitled to the same basic human rights wherever they are, regardless of borders.
unicef, unicef usa, immigration, undocumented immigrants, immigrant children, migrant children, immigration reform, immigration policy
Why Migrants Flee Central America
Pervasive violence and poverty drive Central Americans to seek safety elsewhere. UNICEF is working to improve conditions at home.
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