Immunization
Vaccines are the world's safest method to protect children from life-threatening diseases.
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Vaccines are among the greatest advances in global health and development. They have safely reduced the scourge of diseases like polio and measles, helped to eradicate smallpox, and are bringing us closer to a world without cervical cancer. Vaccines help children to grow up healthy and reach their full potential.
Over the last 50 years, vaccines have saved an estimated 154 million lives.
Thanks to immunization efforts worldwide, children are able to walk, play, dance and learn. With economic benefits that ripple across communities, vaccines are one of the most cost-effective means of advancing children’s health. On average, each US$1 invested in vaccination provides a return of US$54 in broader economic benefits, helping to lift entire communities.
Despite these benefits, in too many countries vaccine coverage is far below the level needed to protect children and their communities.
Conflicts, displacement, COVID-19-related disruptions, economic crisis, environmental shocks, and vaccine misinformation have hindered efforts to reach children with essential immunizations.
More than 14 million infants did not receive a single vaccine last year, leaving them at risk of preventable severe illnesses and death. The most poor and marginalized children – often most in need of vaccines – continue to be the least likely to get them.
UNICEF works to ensure that children across the world, no matter who they are or where they live, have access to the vaccines they need to survive and thrive.
What we do
Every year, UNICEF helps vaccinate almost half of the world’s children, giving them the chance to grow up healthy.
Our work in immunization is guided by three goals:
- Catching up: vaccinating millions of children to restore immunization progress lost during the pandemic and making catch-up immunizations part of routine services.
- No child left behind: reaching every child with essential immunization and making new vaccines available to children in all countries.
- Stronger systems: building strong, sustainable health and immunization systems for the future.
UNICEF focuses on reaching the most marginalized children, including those in remote-rural areas, urban poor communities, and conflict zones, to give every child access to life-saving vaccines.
We also support countries in restoring disrupted services, improving immunization supply chains, addressing mis- and disinformation, using data for better decision-making, and integrating vaccination programmes within national health systems.
By working with governments, communities, and partners, UNICEF is paving the way for a world where every child is protected from preventable diseases and has the opportunity to thrive.
Our focus areas
Reaching those most in need
Most of the world’s unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children live in remote-rural areas, urban poor communities, and areas affected by conflict. But no matter how challenging the setting is, UNICEF is committed to reaching the children most at risk of life-threatening diseases.
UNICEF works with governments and partners in over 100 countries to strengthen and tailor immunization programmes to meet the needs of children and their families. This includes using data and tools to find children who have missed out on vaccines, ensuring vaccines safely reach the last mile, helping to bring health services closer to families, building vaccine trust and demand, and linking vaccination with other essential services so families get more help in one visit.
Vaccine procurement and supply
As the world’s largest buyer of vaccines, UNICEF has unique leverage to negotiate the lowest prices. Buying big and being transparent enables us to shape markets, cut costs and increase efficiency – this means more children can be vaccinated, even in countries with limited resources. UNICEF's market-shaping efforts have helped ensure a steady supply of affordable vaccines, helping countries meet their immunization goals.
UNICEF procures vaccines on behalf of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, or at the request of governments and partners, delivering them to over 100 countries each year. We also advocate for vaccine supply and mobilize resources to procure vaccines that may not be covered by other financing.
Strengthening the cold chain
Most vaccines must be kept cold to remain effective, which means specialized equipment and practices are needed at every point of vaccine supply and delivery – forming the cold chain.
UNICEF helps countries plan, manage, and improve their vaccine delivery systems, from procurement to storage, distribution, and waste management, to ensure vaccines are distributed safely and effectively.
To maintain the cold chain, UNICEF supports countries in adopting mobile technology and vaccine-vial temperature monitors, helping protect vaccines from extreme weather conditions. Solar power projects also help to ensure that cold chain equipment remain functional, even in remote areas or in fragile settings where the electricity infrastructure is unreliable or damaged.
We are also working to tackle delivery challenges, including developing new models of social enterprise and private delivery networks, to ensure vaccines reach communities down to the last mile.
Technology and innovation
Innovation is at the heart of UNICEF’s work. From digital tools that track children’s vaccination status and connect parents with services, to leveraging machine learning in predictive analytics for stock-out prevention, we use technology to make immunization programs smarter and more efficient.
UNICEF’s Geospatial Health Solutions help us identify underserved populations, and our community engagement through the RapidPro platform provides countries with vital health information.
We are also working with partners to develop, test and introduce new vaccines and vaccination methods to ensure no child is left behind.
Outbreak prevention and response
UNICEF responds to outbreaks of both endemic and emerging diseases, including measles, cholera, COVID-19, diphtheria, mpox, and yellow fever. By supporting countries in planning and implementing quality preventive and reactive vaccination campaigns, we help protect children who have never received any vaccines as well as under-immunized communities.
UNICEF is a member of the Measles & Rubella Partnership, supporting the rapid deployment of funds to countries experiencing measles outbreaks and organizing vaccination campaigns that prevent future outbreaks, including in humanitarian settings.
UNICEF also collaborates with governments to scale up vaccines for outbreak-prone diseases and to integrate them into routine immunization schedules. We work to strengthen systems for outbreak preparedness and pandemic resilience, while building capacity to respond swiftly to future health crises.
Disease eradication and elimination
Thanks to continuous work in immunization, the world is close to eradicating polio. Vaccination against measles, rubella and tetanus are also bringing us towards the elimination of these diseases, while improved access to HPV vaccines could also help us realize a world free from cervical cancer.
By combining vaccination campaigns with other essential health interventions, we can maximize their impact and work towards a future where no child dies from a disease we know how to prevent.
Demand for immunization
Building trust in vaccines and reducing the spread of misinformation is essential for the success of immunization programmes. UNICEF uses evidence-based strategies to stimulate demand for vaccines, ensuring families have accurate immunization information so they can make the best decisions for their children.
We know that the best solutions start with listening: understanding parents’ and communities’ concerns and addressing the barriers they face. We also know that local health workers play a key role in building vaccine confidence. UNICEF strengthens the skills of frontline workers and other trusted community leaders to help them combat misinformation.
At the national level, UNICEF strengthens the capacity of countries to apply behavioural insights through implementation research, social listening and infodemic management.
Environmental sustainability
UNICEF promotes the use of environmentally friendly technologies, such as solar-powered cold chain equipment, and supports waste management systems to safely dispose of medical supplies. By aligning our work with sustainability goals, we ensure that future generations can thrive in a healthier world.
Immunization planning, budgeting and financing
UNICEF provides technical advice to countries on all aspects of immunization programs. We support decision-making on new vaccine introductions, strengthen the availability and use of data for action, and build the capacity of program managers to run effective immunization services. By empowering local systems and leaders, we ensure that progress is sustainable.
We also work to ensure that vaccines and immunization services are adequately financed by governments and donors, with fully executed and transparent budgets. And we work with governments to secure the resources needed to integrate immunization into broader health and development plans.
Local partners
Partnerships with civil society organizations play a critical role in reaching children. These organizations bring unique strengths in building trust with communities, addressing local challenges, and delivering services in places where government health systems may face barriers. Through close collaboration with civil society organizations, UNICEF supports community-driven immunization efforts, ensuring that marginalized groups, especially zero-dose children, have access to vaccines. These partnerships help build demand, improve vaccine confidence, and address misinformation at the grassroots level.
