Why Humanitarian Aid Is a Smart Investment
Global humanitarian aid isn't a handout. It's a hand up, for everyone.
Severe cuts to global aid are slashing lifelines for children as hospitals shutter, emergency stocks dwindle and immunization campaigns grind to a halt.
No child should die from causes we can prevent. But as needs rise and risks spread, the world has turned away from humanitarian and development assistance.
An estimated 4.5 million children under age 5 could lose their lives following unprecedented rollbacks in vital services. Another 6 million are likely to be forced from school by the end of 2026.
Giving help and hope to children in crisis gives something to us all. When we share vaccines, we stop diseases before they cross borders. When we provide education, we foster opportunity, not desperation.
Related: 5 Ways Global Humanitarian Aid Benefits the U.S.
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The safer children become at home, the stronger the world grows together
For every dollar invested in children, countries see a ten-fold return, creating socioeconomic benefits that ripple across borders. That’s why investing in children’s well-being isn’t just the right thing to do for a few. It’s the right thing to do for all.
Every $1 spent on education increases gross domestic product by $20 on average.
Immunization saves 4.4 million lives every year and has prevented 154 million deaths in the last five decades.
Clean water and sanitation prevent up to 1.4 million deaths a year, including hundreds of thousands of children.
With decades of support from partners and donors, here are just some of the ways UNICEF has already made a world of difference.
More children are surviving today than ever before
Nearly 8 million more children in the world this year will reach their fifth birthday, compared to 1990 — a 60 percent decline in child mortality.
UNICEF and partners have contributed to this remarkable achievement by improving maternal and child health care services and strengthening disease prevention in countries across the world. Today, a quarter of all births happen in UNICEF-supported health centers.
Vaccines have saved 154 million lives in the last 50 years
As the world’s largest vaccine supplier, UNICEF procures and distributes enough vaccines to immunize 45 percent of the world's children.
In 2024, UNICEF supplied over 2.7 billion vaccine doses to 99 countries, safely reducing the scourge of preventable diseases that keep children from walking, playing and learning. Through widespread immunizations, polio is on the brink of eradication.
Safe water is available to over 2.1 billion more people compared to 20 years ago
With support from UNICEF and partners, more than a quarter of the world's population gained access to safe and clean drinking water in the past two decades.
UNICEF leads coordinated emergency response efforts that keep children connected to safe water in roughly 85 percent of countries affected by crisis.
The number of children stunted by malnutrition is down 40 percent since 2000
For more than two decades, UNICEF has been the world’s largest supporter of programs to protect and promote breastfeeding, complementary foods and nutrient supplements, along with services for the early detection and treatment of severe malnutrition. Efforts include securing 80 percent of the global demand for ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF).
In 2024 alone, 441 million children under 5 received care from UNICEF malnutrition prevention programs.
Fewer kids are out of school
Roughly half of the world's primary-school-aged children were out of school in the early 1950s. Today, that's dropped to 10 percent.
UNICEF works with governments in more than 100 countries to keep children learning. Since 2021, we've supported over 25 million out-of-school children with access to education in a classroom, 30 million children with access to education through digital platforms, and nearly 60 million children with individual learning materials.
Help UNICEF help children in need
UNICEF runs entirely on voluntary contributions from governments, businesses, organizations and individuals. With partners big and small, UNICEF operates in more than 190 countries and territories to bring emergency relief to children in need. Learn about all the ways to give back and support this critical work.
Related: The Best Way to Provide Direct Relief in Emergencies: Support UNICEF
Right now, the lives of the most vulnerable children hang in the balance as conflicts and crises jeopardize the care and protection that they deserve. Dependable, uninterrupted and effective foreign aid is critical to the well-being of millions of children. Please contact your members of Congress and urge them to support ongoing U.S. investments in foreign assistance.
This story is based on an article published by unicef.org
HOW TO HELP
There are many ways to make a difference
War, famine, poverty, natural disasters — threats to the world's children keep coming. But UNICEF won't stop working to keep children healthy and safe.
UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories — more places than any other children's organization. UNICEF has the world's largest humanitarian warehouse and, when disaster strikes, can get supplies almost anywhere within 72 hours. Constantly innovating, always advocating for a better world for children, UNICEF works to ensure that every child can grow up healthy, educated, protected and respected.
Would you like to help give all children the opportunity to reach their full potential? There are many ways to get involved.
