Say Yes, Spring 2004: Making a Difference for Children

Meeting the obligation to ensure the health and well-being of children everywhere is the undisputed first step to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) -- the United Nations commitment to eradicating the crippling poverty and escalating misery that grip many parts of the world by the middle of the next decade. UNICEF’s role in the race for 2015 is to help create A World Fit for Children by working in the five priority areas of girl’s education, early childhood development, immunisation ‘plus’, fighting HIV/AIDS and protecting children from violence, exploitation, abuse and discrimination.

For UNICEF, making a difference in these priority areas is not just a matter of sound planning and positive action but also of ensuring that funds are available to support action and achieve success.

We depend entirely on voluntary contributions to support all our activities and to this end, UNICEF National Committees and Country Offices all around the globe work to raise funds and channel resources into our work in Turkey and elsewhere.

Of the one hundred and fifty-eight countries where UNICEF has a presence, Turkey is one of only a handful of countries which has both a National Committee and a Country Office -- offering a unique opportunity for cooperation within the structure of the organisation itself. Both the Turkish National Committee and the UNICEF Turkey Country Office work closely to ensure the flow of funds in our work promoting and protecting the rights of children in Turkey.

The UNICEF Country Office staff manage active programmes under the Country Programme of Cooperation -- our unique agreement with the Turkish Government -- liaising with government agencies, children and their families, non-governmental organisations other United Nations agencies, the EU, the World Bank and other concerned agencies.

Financial support is also sought and obtained from the private sector and individuals who share a commitment to the promotion and support of children’s rights. This year a number of high-profile private sector companies made substantial contributions to UNICEF programmes and projects in Turkey, notably:

• Coca-Cola Turkey;
• Turkuaz, the Coca-Cola Company’s water brand in Turkey;
• İbrahim Ethem Ulagay (IEU) Pharmaceuticals.

Both Coca-Cola and IEU provided financial support to UNICEF and the Ministry of National Education’s (MONE) girls’ education initiative, Haydi Kızlar Okula! In the drive to promote exclusive breastfeeding for babies during the first six months, UNICEF Turkey worked in close partnership with Turkuaz.

Other companies have made ‘in-kind’ contributions, providing services and resources in place of direct financial support, among them:

• Merkez ATV Televizyon Productions;
• Amway Turkey;
• Procter and Gamble;

Much support has been generated by and from the media, raising public awareness on issues affecting children.

ATV have just launched a fortnightly thirty-five minute bulletin, UNICEF’le El Ele. Planned to run for a year, the programme will provide a national television forum to both discuss and promote children’s rights and issues of concern. Amway have printed and distributed 30,000 copies of a brochure highlighting the necessary immunisation schedule for babies in their first year. A larger print run extending to a quarter of a million copies is planned for production and distribution to health centres in early summer. Procter and Gamble are planning to distribute UNICEF messages with promotional packs of baby care products to 618,000 new mothers in early Summer.

Celebrities and well-known public figures have also been highly supportive of UNICEF Turkey campaigns and programmes. Actors, Hülya Koçyiğit and Berna Laçin both lent their image to the campaign for exclusive breastfeeding. Last year’s Eurovision Song Contest winner, Sertab Erener, was a highly visible supporter of Haydi Kızlar Okula! when she endorsed the necessity of girls’ education in a broadcast spot for UNICEF.

Our fund-raising strategy for 2004 aims to raise upwards of US$1,500,000 to:

• ensure that parents send their daughters to primary school and keep them there;
• protect all children living in Turkey from Measles;
• reduce infant mortality rates by increasing immunisation coverage;
• ensure that all babies are exclusively breastfed during the first six months of life as the national norm.

UNICEF fund-raising activities in Turkey during 2004 will focus on strengthening existing partnerships within the private sector and exploring new avenues with:

• Banks;
• Chambers of Commerce;
• The media;
• Industry.

Partnerships with municipalities and local councils will be expanded not only for the implementation of programmes but also in support of fund-raising activities.

At the end of the day, UNICEF is working to promote and protect the rights of children and women and the groundwork is done by individuals both within and without the organisation who support our objectives and share our goals.

If you are interested in contributing to, or raising funds for UNICEF Turkey, read Making a Difference for Children -- our guide to unfunded programmes and projects in Turkey online -- or write to us for a printed copy.

Alternatively you can contact our Country Office or National Committee Offices and get involved today.

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