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

Haneen, 5, in her new kindergarten classroom, built and equipped by UNICEF, in Jordan's Za'atari Refugee Camp.
Kindergarten Is a Safe Haven for Syrian Refugee Children
School is a place to heal and grow strong for traumatized children growing up in Jordan's Azraq and Za'atari refugee camps.
Yara, 10, still has her little doll from Syria in Za'atari Refugee Camp.
For Syrian Refugee Children, Poignant Reminders of Home
Displaced by violence, Syrian children growing up in Jordan's Za'atari refugee camp cling to treasured mementos of a peaceful past.
Nine-year-old student Wilker speaks with UNICEF Director of Communications Paloma Escudero in Petare, on the outskirts of Caracas, Venezuela in June 2019.
UNICEF Ramps Up Humanitarian Assistance to Children in Venezuela
As Venezuela's current crisis rolls back decades of progress, UNICEF is on the ground to help children in need.
Dad Tips for How to Give a Child a Happy, Healthy Start in Life
Father's Day advice from some of our favorite dads on quality time, learning to play like a kid and getting used to getting no sleep!
Zuliya Nboyo holds her 2-year-old son, Kayoka, while they wait to see a UNICEF-supported community health worker at an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Kalemi, Tanganyika province, Democratic Republic of Congo in November 2018.
An Ebola Outbreak Rages in Democratic Republic of Congo
As the first Ebola deaths are confirmed in Uganda, health workers in the DRC are under attack from armed militia groups & a fearful public.
Children smile as they shelter from the rain in Balukhali-Kutupalong, a refugee camp sheltering over 800,000 Rohingya refugees in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.
Your Monthly Gift Will Help Rohingya Refugees Rebuild Their Lives
Steadfast donor support lets UNICEF make longterm strategic investments to protect and sustain vulnerable refugees in ongoing crises.
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