Published 13:16 IST, December 11th 2019
UNICEF Day 2019: Facts about the organisation protecting children's rights
UNICEF Day 2019 is celebrated every year as the organisation guarding children's right was founded on the same date in the year 1946 by the UN General Assembly.
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UNICEF day is celebrated on December 11 every year as the organisation guarding children's right was founded on the same date in the year 1946. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is a United Nations agency responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children around the world. It was established by the UN General Assembly, at the behest of Polish physician Ludwik Rajchman. Here are a few facts about the organisation:
Established in 1949 in India
1. UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories aiming to save children’s lives, to defend their rights, and to help them fulfil their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
2. UNICRC or United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is the basis of UNICEF’S work. The Convention has 54 articles that cover all aspects of a child’s life and set out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children are entitled to. It also explains how adults and governments must work together to make sure all children can enjoy all their rights.
3. The organisation works in the field of adolescent development, uprooted children, communications, gender equality, child protection, children with disability, environment and climate change and social inclusion of underprivileged children.
4. It was founded in 1946 to help protect children after the second world war. Its main aim was to help the starving and ill children from war-torn regions in Europe, China and the Middle Esat.
5. The flag of UNICEF is blue in colour and includes the globe and olive leaves from the UN flag. It features a mother and child in the globe circle.
6. The organisation was originally named United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. In 1953, two words ‘International and ‘Emergency’ were dropped but the acronym continued.
7. UNICEF’s main goal is to give ‘every child the chance to grow up healthy, happy and safe’.
8. The organisation began its work in India in 1949 with three staff members and established an office in Delhi three years later. Currently, it advocates for the rights of India’s children in 16 states.
9. According to its 2018 report, UNICEF supported birth in health facilities for 27 million babies, three doses of the Pentavalent vaccine for an estimated 65.5 million children, education for 12 million children and treatment for 4 million children with severe acute malnutrition.
10. UNICEF's Supply Division is based in Copenhagen, Denmark. It serves as the primary point of distribution for essential items like vaccines, antiretroviral medicines for children and mothers with HIV, nutritional supplements, emergency shelters, family reunification and educational supplies.
Updated 13:46 IST, December 11th 2019