Our mandate
Answers that are easily available, readable and usable
Children live in a world going through rapid change – from rising conflict to digital disruption and from mounting debt crises to climate shocks. To understand the challenges and opportunities children face, and to set effective strategies for progress, high-quality evidence has never been more vital.
UNICEF Office of Strategy and Evidence – Innocenti works to provide that evidence and to guide UNICEF to deliver results for children. We are inspired by the belief that stronger evidence leads to better decisions, and better decisions mean better lives for children.
Who are we?
Based in Florence, UNICEF Innocenti was formed from the merger of the Division of Data, Analytics, Planning and Monitoring (DAPM) and the Global Office of Research and Foresight (GORaF). Led by our director, Bo Viktor Nylund, we are a global team of more than 150 professionals representing over 40 nationalities.
What are we accountable for?
1. We lead UNICEF’s evidence ecosystem, including official statistics for children, research and foresight and monitoring, and aim to inform and influence improvements in national policies and programme delivery. We set methodological and ethical standards for data collection and research, advance innovation in data science, and strengthen national statistical systems.
2. We lead in setting UNICEF’s corporate strategy, planning, monitoring, reporting, organisational performance and risk management. We work to strengthen UNICEF’s effectiveness across its work, ensuring decisions are driven by the very best evidence.
3. And we lead on data governance across UNICEF, working to improve the quality, protection and responsible use of data across the organization and the systems we support.
What do we do?
Data and analytics: UNICEF is the leading global source of official statistics and data on children. We collect, analyse and curate data in key areas including WASH, nutrition and poverty. Underpinned by results from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys programme (MICS), this work helps UNICEF and its partners understand trends, identify disparities and inform policy, advocacy and equitable action for children. We also support global monitoring and accountability, while helping countries strengthen national data systems, build child-focused data ecosystems and advance standards for data governance, protection and the responsible use of emerging technologies.
Research and foresight: UNICEF Innocenti uses rigorous and ethical approaches to seek answers to the issues affecting children’s rights – bringing a research lens to examine the situation and lives of children in the present day and foresight analysis to investigate future trajectories. With the active participation of young people, we aim to inform policy and advocacy to help UNICEF and the global community promote the wellbeing of children and advance their rights. Focus areas include education, gender and protection, social policy and economic analysis, climate and the environment, and the impacts of digital technology and artificial intelligence on children. Key outputs include the State of the World’s Children and the Innocenti Report Card.
Programme effectiveness: UNICEF Innocenti sets the standards, tools and processes that guide how UNICEF plans, implements, monitors and reports on programmes. We also lead on programmatic risk management, including social and environmental safeguarding. This work helps align corporate strategic planning and monitoring with country programmes, strengthens partnerships and oversight and improves how results are tracked and reported.
Data governance and transformation: UNICEF Innocenti strengthens data governance and leads data transformation to improve how UNICEF uses data. Externally, we advance data governance to protect children’s rights, promote digital safety and enable responsible innovation.
How do we work with the rest of UNICEF?
UNICEF Innocenti works across UNICEF, including with Headquarters, Centres of Excellence, Regional Offices, Country Offices and National Committees, to ensure evidence informs planning, delivery and accountability. We partner also with governments, academia and global institutions to reinforce national systems and advance evidence-based policy and advocacy.
