Innovation

Marybel Montoya Alvarez has been selected as part of UNICEF Innovation30: Young Innovators Shaping the Future. Countries of Solution Deployment: Colombia, Argentina Innovation Accelerator: Royal Academy of Engineering, United Kingdom  Marybel Montoya, now 31, agrees with most of her lab colleagues that the fungi she works with looks unappealing.…

Within the gaming industry, less than a quarter of the workforce are women,  yet girls represent about 50 per cent of the world’s gamers ., a UNICEF initiative forGender Equality and theGaming Industry What?This coalition is a platform for UNICEF to connectwith key stakeholders - private companies, CivilSociety Organizations and young leaders -looking to positively impact the growing industryof online games that plays an important role inchildrens lives already. Brought together by…

The challenge, Preventable newborn mortality and morbidity are unacceptably high. In 2020, over 2.4 million children lose their lives within the first month, accounting for 47 per cent of deaths among children under the age of 5 globally . The vast majority of preventable newborn deaths happen in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) . In LMICs, there are…, 47% , of under-5 child deaths occur in newborns. Globally, 2.4 million children , died in their first month globally.  Stillbirth icon, The first 28 days, are key to prevent newborn deaths with proven interventions and improved care., The response, UNICEF is working with partners to improve the availability of needed technologies for essential newborn care at all health system levels and drive demand for existing and upcoming newborn product suites. Efforts are also focused on identifying gaps and increasing accessibility to sustainable, affordable, and easy-to-use products suitable for low-…, Icon for UNICEF Newborn Health Procurement Tool PILOT for Newborn Health Procurement Tool, Ensuring appropriate and comprehensive newborn care products available at health facilities can help save millions of babies in the first 28 days of their lives. Through project PILOT (ProcureMate for Integrated Lifesaving Obstetric and newborn Technologies), UNICEF worked to develop the Newborn Health Procurement Tool, an easy-to-use and…, Icon for UNICEF Jaundice Management BALLERINA for Jaundice Management, Jaundice occurs in almost all newborn patients. Early screening and diagnosis are crucial for enabling effective phototherapy treatment and prevent the progression of severe cases that could lead to potential brain damage due to limited access to blood transfusion within eight hours. UNICEF is working on project BALLERINA (Bilirubin Assessment to…, Icon for UNICEF Thermal Management HERO for Thermal Management, Adequate thermal support during transport can be critical to a newborn’s survival in the first hours of their lives.  Through project HERO (Heat Emergency Response for Optimal Neonatal Care),​ UNICEF is innovating to introduce and accelerate access to devices that provide effective thermal support during neonatal transport, as newborns are most…, Icon for UNICEF Hypoglycemia Management fireFIGHTer for Hypoglycemia Management, Hypoglycaemia affect 5–10% of healthy infants and 54% of late preterm babies . In low-resource settings, newborns often rely on cheap and non-standardised adult glucometers intended for diabetic patients, which fails to provide adequate, consistent monitoring of rapidly fluctuating glucose levels in newborns. Inaccurate diagnosis and delayed…, icon for Point of Care Ultrasound ASTRONAUT for Point of Care Ultrasound, Effective and timely ultrasounds scans are important to monitor and ensure the baby’s healthy development before and after birth.​ An early ultrasound scan before 24 weeks of gestation is recommended for pregnant women to accurately determine the gestational age, detect any fetal abnormalities or multiple pregnancies, and enhance the overall…, The impact, Working to improve access to affordable, high-quality newborn care products, UNICEF’s DREAMS suite for Newborn Health is crucial to help end preventable newborn deaths and stillbirths by 2030, as outlined in the Every Newborn Action Plan , ensuring every baby has a fair chance to dream big., Resources

Zanzibar President, His Excellency Hussein Mwinyi, inaugurated the Annual Farmers Exhibition. I had the good fortune to meet with the President and explain the innovative processes I am using for my business, Asili Fertilizers. Arafa Hamad Bakari, Waste Innovator & Winner, UNICEF-UNDP WasteX Innovation Challenge Arafa Hamad Bakari, a 27-year-…, About UNICEF Climate Innovation Portfolio, The UNICEF Innovation Global Climate Portfolio identifies, validates and scales transformational and frontier innovations that respond to key programmatic challenges that, if solved, will unlock faster progress for a climate-secure and resilient future for children and young people. The initiative  Innovation30 – Young Climate Innovators Shaping…

As a child, Dan Alvarez looked up at the sky and dreamed of working in space. His graduation thesis in electrical engineering earned him an internship with the team that launched Guatemala’s first satellite. Today, the 27-year-old Guatemalan engineer is working in partnership with UNICEF to develop drones that transmit essential real-time data…, About the UNICEF Innovation Climate Portfolio, The UNICEF Innovation Global Climate Portfolio identifies, validates and scales transformational and frontier innovations that respond to key programmatic challenges that, if solved, will unlock faster progress for a climate secure and resilient future for children and young people. The initiative Innovation30 – Young Climate Innovators Shaping…

In a string of firsts, UNICEF and SXSW came together to put youth at the heart of one of the biggest future thinking festivals in the world. Known for its celebration of creativity and forward-thinking ideas, the inaugural SXSW Sydney iteration proved to be an ideal platform for discussions and actions centred around the future of critical global…, Youth at the Heart, One of the standout themes of the partnership was the acknowledgement of youth not only as participants, but as meaningful contributors to the event. The festival embraced the idea that the future belongs to the young, and their voices and perspectives are indispensable. Young people were actively involved in panel discussions and a NxtWave…, New faces in new spaces, UNICEF’s commitment to the well-being of children and its efforts to foster innovation to accelerate this social impact found a fitting platform at the SXSW Sydney festival. UNICEF recognized the value of being in spaces where influential voices and big players in the innovation space converge to forge new partnerships and share insights around…, One minute for the future, In a world filled with distractions, the festival managed to redirect attention to the critical challenges facing society. Attendees recognized that if they were to allocate a minute of their time to the future, it should be dedicated to the significant issues that demand action. This emphasis on change as a catalyst for innovation permeated…, Just Open Innovation, Diverse representation is a crucial aspect of events like the SXSW Sydney festival. While these gatherings are brimming with innovation and ideas, making sure they are inclusive takes intentional efforts. Our efforts in Sydney attempted to ensure that the discussions, innovations, and solutions generated are reflective of the rich tapestry of our…, Beyond SXSW, UNICEF is committed to working with and for what we fondly refer to as 'generation innovation' - young social impact innovators and entrepreneurs from emerging economies. Powered by our collaborative funds and initiatives such as the Venture Fund , Innovation 30 , and UPSHIFT , alongside a great diversity of partners we will collectively unlock…

What if everyone, everywhere, had access to safe water and sanitation?, What if children had access to hygiene facilities and services that ensured preventable diseases like diarrhoea and cholera were just that - preventable? The global mechanism for making this vision a reality is embodied in Sustainable Development Goal 6 - clean water and sanitation for all. But with seven years left to achieve this goal, we're…, What if those who can help build and shape a WASH secure future come together as a formidable force for for good?, We need not imagine; we know that with collective action, this vision can become a reality impacting billions of lives worldwide.   For more information on how to support or partner with the UNICEF Sustainable WASH Innovation Hub, contact innovation@unicef.org   

From 2016-2020, less than 6 per cent of global development aid was targeted to work on adolescent girls. Increased investments in girl-centred programs are urgently needed to bridge gender gaps in education, digital literacy, and life skills training.  Through the Game Changers Coalition , UNICEF is collaborating with the gaming and technology…, In her first game jam, Milene has learned coding, problem-solving, and built her confidence by being part of a community of girls who are passionate about games like her in Recife, Brazil., domarrrrrrr Young girls during the three-day game jam in Almaty, Kazakhstan. They have participated in inspirational sessions about women's empowerment and have gained transferable skills during the game jam. Young girls during the three-day game jam in Almaty, Kazakhstan. They have participated in inspirational sessions about women's empowerment…, Young girls during the three-day Game Jam in Almaty, Kazakhstan. They participated in inspirational sessions about women's empowerment and gained transferable skills during the Game Jam., Ruslan Kostrykin Beyond building confidence and developing transferable skills, the game jam in Armenia has inspired these young girls with stories of empowerment and role models.  Beyond building confidence and developing transferable skills, the game jam in Armenia has inspired these young girls with stories of empowerment and role models. , Young girls participating in the Game Jam held in the Gyumri Technology Center in Armenia. Beyond building confidence and developing transferable skills, the game jam in Armenia has inspired these young girls with stories of empowerment and role models. , Ginosyan Menghorng, Game Changers Coalition Ambassador and young leader from Cambodia, has supported us in delivering the Training of Trainers to teachers who will implement the program in five schools. Menghorng, Game Changers Coalition Ambassador and young leader from Cambodia, has supported us in delivering the Training of Trainers to teachers…, Menghorng, Game Changers Coalition Ambassador and young leader from Cambodia, has supported us in delivering the Training of Trainers to teachers who will implement the program in five schools. Having students helping teachers learn is a game changer for her and her teachers, where everybody wins., Daravatey Seng In her first game jam, Milene has learned coding, problem-solving, and built her confidence by being part of a community of girls who are passionate about games like her in Recife, Brazil. Young girls during the three-day game jam in Almaty, Kazakhstan. They have participated in inspirational sessions about women's empowerment and…

In 2020, 733 million people still have no access to electricity, nearly 80 per cent of whom live in Africa, especially in rural areas. Where sustainable energy access is lacking or unreliable, children and young people pay the biggest price as they are one of the most-affected groups due to lack of energy access.   Ensuring access to affordable,…

In 2022, heavy monsoon rains wreaked havoc in Pakistan, affecting a staggering one-third of the population, including 16 million children. The catastrophic floods resulted in over 1,700 deaths, leaving countless families homeless and deprived of their livelihoods, access to food and healthcare. Long after  the crisis, malnutrition and disease…

The COVID-19 pandemic worsened the global learning crisis, erasing  about two decades of global progress towards ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for children and young people. Now is the time for urgent action to transform education systems for this and coming generations.   The…

The UNICEF Climate Innovation Portfolio identifies, validates and scales transformational and frontier innovations that respond to key programmatic challenges that, if solved, will unlock faster progress for a climate secure and resilient future for children and young people.   The Climate Crisis is a Child Rights Crisis.  Almost every child on…, Youth for Climate and Clean Air, Multi-faceted approach to raise awareness and take action to address air pollution and climate change by championing young people as climate changemakers. This initiative combines multiple applications and narratives including interactive policy scorecards, two-way communication between young people and policy makers, a teen parliament to…, Climate Policies for Children Dashboard, Tool for global, regional, and country-level information and visualization system to analyze child-sensitivity considerations in new and updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to shed light on how children’s rights are being considered in climate action. Global, Egypt, Equador, Malaysia, Malawi, Turkey, Uruguay, UNICEF - UNDP YELL Youth Environment Living Labs, Online platform and provision of micro-grants facilitating youth-led climate action through local indigenous partnerships and narratives. This solution reimagines youth participation in climate and environmental action by championing local narratives and context-based innovation among young people through an innovative engagement framework.  …, YOSO - Powering up the next generation of Solar Technicians, Solution that aims to provide youth with certified solar technician skills; address systematic barriers to girls' entry into solar tech; employ a social business model that provides the YOSO School Solar certification, with graduates contributing back to the school through a work-study programme for one year; and installing solar panels in rural…, UNICEF - UNDP WasteX Lab, Innovation lab using digital and non-digital technologies, expertise, and a center of excellence to address systemic challenges related to solid waste management. This solution provides leadership, best practices, research, support, and training to craft and deploy solutions to develop a circular economy for plastic.   Zanzibar Read More, UNICEF – UNDP Bio Hack my World, Biohacking lab addressing biowaste by fostering innovation, education, skills development, and meaningful youth engagement. The initiative is creating eco-entrepreneurial solutions for a greener future by providing space and equipment for innovators, students, and teachers to experiment with biowaste repurposing, testing ideas and social…, GeoSight, GIS platform for enhanced climate resilient humanitarian preparedness and response. This platform is designed to host, manipulate, and display spatial data related to various risk factors, including security data, humanitarian access information, climate risk indicators, and more. The project's goal is to provide decision-makers with valuable…, DroneBots, Drone system technology for climate crisis recovery that can provide connectivity (internet and mobile services) to risk assessors in remote communities, facilitating real-time monitoring and rapid assessment to aid national coordination of disaster response.   Guatemala (Spark Incubator Winner) Read More Innovation30 - Young Climate Innovators…