22 January 2025

Protect and Prioritize Every Child in Ukraine

The Convention on the Rights of the Child was ratified by Ukraine just four days after gaining independence in August 1991. Since then, despite challenges, much progress has been made in improving child wellbeing and achieving child specific targets on 15 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Life expectancy at...
15 December 2023

Germany expands partnership with UNICEF on child and youth centered recovery in Ukraine

UNICEF, in collaboration with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the KfW Development Bank, is expanding its efforts to provide integrated social services and water and sanitation services for nearly 1 million war-affected children, youth, parents, and caregivers in U...
09 April 2022

UNICEF and the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine sign a Memorandum in support of children affected by war

UNICEF and the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine signed a Memorandum consolidating efforts to protect childrens’ rights. The focus will be on the protection of the rights of orphan children, children in institutional care, children from foster families, family-type orphanages, foster families that have been tak...
06 April 2022

Resources and helplines for families fleeing Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has forced millions to flee their homes in search of safety. If you or someone you know is taking refuge in a neighbouring country, here's how to access essential services – including shelter, food, protection and other forms of support – in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania ...
30 September 2021

Guidelines for journalists reporting on children

Principles and guidelines for media reporting on children, Media reporting on children and young people should never put them at risk. UNICEF has developed principles and guidelines to help journalists report on children’s issues in a way that enables them to serve the public interest without compromising the righ...
08 September 2021

Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore on unaccompanied and separated children evacuated from Afghanistan

NEW YORK, 7 September 2021, – “Since 14 August, hundreds of children have been separated from their families amidst chaotic conditions, including large-scale evacuations, in and around the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. Some of these children were evacuated on flights to Germany, Qatar and other coun...
31 March 2021

UNICEF history

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was established in 1946, in the aftermath of World War II. Our mandate was clear: to help children and young people whose lives and futures were at risk – no matter what role their country had played in the war. What mattered to UNICEF was reachin...
31 March 2021

Becoming the leading voice: 2006–2015

As more people became aware of the inequalities facing the most vulnerable, UNICEF took a leading role to challenge systemic inequity around the world., 2010 , “By helping the most disadvantaged children today – by giving them a fair chance in life – we can help break the bonds of extreme poverty tomorrow.” Anth...
31 March 2021

Bringing the world together: 1989–2005

Find out how UNICEF brought nations together under the banner of children’s rights., 1989, 159 United Nations Member States adopt the Convention on the Rights of the Child , the most universally approved human rights treaty for the protection of children. “The best interests of children must be the primary conce...
31 March 2021

Moving with the times: 1980–1988

With new knowledge backed by data, UNICEF increased the urgency of its appeals – healthy children need essential resources., 1980 , “We need to give children’s essential needs a ‘first call’ on society’s resources.” James Grant, UNICEF Executive Director (1980–1995). James Grant raises the United Nations flag on ...
31 March 2021

Emerging from the ashes of war: 1946–1979

From the smoke and ashes of World War II, a refugee crisis emerged unlike any the world had seen. Out of this destruction, UNICEF was created to ease the burden of the world’s most vulnerable children., 1946, The International Children’s Emergency Fund (ICEF) is created by the UN Relief Rehabilitation Administrati...
12 November 2019

Convention on the Rights of the Child

On November 20, 1989 world leaders made a historic commitment to the world’s children by adopting the United Nations What is the Convention on the Rights of the Child? Convention on the Rights of the Child – an international agreement on childhood. It’s become the most widely ratified human rights treaty in his...