Our Priorities in ChinaUNICEF has five priorities that focus on saving children's lives and improving their chances of becoming productive members of society. Early childhood care is our first priority. A child's early years form the foundation of its health, cognitive development, and habits. UNICEF supports a wide range of programs ensuring that children in those critical years benefit from good health care and nutrition, clean water, decent hygiene, and proper maternal care. Immunization is our second priority. UNICEF is the world's largest buyer of vaccines and purchases about 40 percent of all vaccines used in developing countries. We negotiate favorable prices and forecast vaccine demand to ensure supplies are maintained and available when needed. Education is our third priority, especially for girls, who make up most of the 110 million children not enrolled in school today. Giving girls equal access to an education improves their chances of survival and development, and of growing up healthy and educated. Preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS is UNICEF's fourth priority. Although AIDS is not a major killer of children under age five, it strongly affects children's chances of survival and development. Moreover, 14 million children worldwide have been orphaned by AIDS, diminishing their chances of ever reaching adulthood. Protecting children from exploitation and violence is our fifth and final priority. Although protection usually does not improve children's chances of survival in the early years, we believe it is vital to keeping them alive and healthy as they grow to adolescence. Roughly 10 percent of UNICEF's budget is spent ensuring children are not sexually exploited, employed in sweatshops, or pressed into military service.
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