United Nations Children’s Fund

Children’s rights and a global programme

Established in 1946, UNICEF developed from assistance for children affected by the Second World War into a worldwide organization working for children’s rights. It supports and advocates for services that help children survive, develop and participate in society, with particular attention to those facing disadvantage or exclusion.

UNICEF’s headquarters is in New York. Its international structure also includes specialized offices for functions such as supplies, research and partnerships. These locations support a programme delivered with governments, communities and other organizations across countries and territories.

Sources: [1], [2].

Health from birth through adolescence

UNICEF’s health programmes address care around pregnancy and birth, newborn survival and preventable childhood illness. They include support for essential maternal and newborn services, immunization, and prevention and care for conditions such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria.

The agency also works on adolescent health, mental health, injury prevention and the needs of children with disabilities or developmental delays. Strengthening primary healthcare, especially at community level, connects these priorities with nutrition, early childhood development, HIV services and water and sanitation. Emergency health support forms part of the same effort to maintain essential services when conflict or disasters disrupt them.

Sources: [3].

Vaccines, supplies and healthy environments

UNICEF’s immunization work combines vaccine procurement with support for delivery. It helps countries improve supply chains and cold storage, use data to identify missed children, restore interrupted vaccination and bring immunization together with other services. Its programme materials describe work toward reaching children in remote communities, disadvantaged urban areas and places affected by conflict.

Water, sanitation and hygiene are another part of children’s health. A joint WHO–UNICEF report launched in January 2026 examined the policies, funding, staffing and institutional arrangements that support WASH services. This systems work complements programmes that help communities access safe water and hygiene facilities.

A UN Global Mobility member page carrying a 2013 copyright notice lists UNICEF as part of that historical staff-mobility programme.

Sources: [4], [5], [6].

Sources

1. UNICEF: identity, mandate and history
2. UNICEF: headquarters and offices
3. UNICEF: health programmes
4. UNICEF: immunization
5. WHO and UNICEF: drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene systems, 26 January 2026
6. UN Global Mobility: historical member list, page carrying a 2013 copyright notice
7. UNAIDS: cosponsoring organizations