Every day, UNICEF workers brave war zones, treacherous terrain, disasters and disease to make the world safe for kids. UNICEF helps give children the childhood they deserve.
Kids need UNICEF now more than ever:
- Today, approximately 420 million children are living in areas affected by conflict
- In 2018, over 24,000 documented violations against children occurred in conflict zones — up from 21,000 the year before
- Nearly 500,000 Rohingya child refugees in Bangladesh need nutrition, water, education, health care, emotional support and protection
- Nearly 1 in 10 children are involved in some form of child labor, 50 percent of which is hazardous
- Today, some 650 million children around the world have no birth certificates
- There are 25.9 million refugees in the world, half of them children and teens. Some 111,000 are forced to survive on their own
- More than 12,000 children were killed or maimed in armed conflict in 2018 alone — the highest number in two decades
- Armed groups recruited over 7,000 children in 2018; those who live in Somalia, Nigeria and Syria are particularly at risk
- Every year, 12 million girls are married before their 18th birthday; only 1 in 3 adolescent girls who experience sexual violence seek help
“If I see that something is not right, I just want to do something about it," says UNICEF Mexico child protection officer Gema Jimenez, who helps keep migrant children from Central America healthy and safe. "I cannot stay quiet.”
Why donate to UNICEF? It's a smart way to make your money go further for children:
- When disaster strikes, UNICEF knows what kids need: In 2018, 3.6 million children received psychological and emotional support; 1.7 million migrant and refugee children were kept safe from harm
- UNICEF finds unique solutions to tough problems: Schools are out of reach for Rohingya children living in Bangladesh’s refugee camps. But UNICEF educational programs, gave 145,000 kids living in temporary settlements the chance to learn in 2018
- UNICEF looks out for the most vulnerable: In Syria, cash transfers and professional support help families care for their children with disabilities and keep them happy, learning and safe. Over 19,400 children have been reached since 2016
- UNICEF protects children’s rights to legal status: Last year, more than 16 million births were registered; 13 million children received birth certificates
- UNICEF keeps families together: In 2018, 69,109 children who were separated from their parents or caregivers were reunited with their families or found loving, supportive homes in alternative settings
- UNICEF gets results: Last year, some 2.3 million girls and boys who experienced violence received health and social services along with legal or judicial support
- UNICEF invests in girls' futures: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a violent practice that can cause serious health problems and life-long pain. In 2018, a UN Population Fund – UNICEF program helped 3,600 at-risk girls in Uganda receive protective services and supported the Egyptian government’s national strategy for ending FGM and child marriage
Meet the UNICEF workers helping kids around the world
UNICEF: saving and changing lives
Meet 14-year-old Obai, from Raqqa, Syria. After his father was killed, he and his family fled to a refugee camp where, thanks to a UNICEF Child-Friendly Space, he’s rediscovering how to be a kid again.
