The United Nations Children's Fund or UNICEF, is an agency of the United Nations and is headquartered in New York. It was founded in December 1946 as the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund to help children in the aftermath of World War II. Although the words International and Emergency were later dropped, the original acronym has been retained.
UNICEF provides long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries. It focuses on five primary priorities : Child Survival and Development, Basic Education and Gender Equality, Child protection from violence, exploitation and abuse, HIV/AIDS and children, and Policy advocacy and partnerships for children’s rights.
UNICEF is supported entirely by voluntary donations. Governments contribute two thirds of the organization's resources; private groups and some 6 million individuals contribute the rest through the National Committees. In 2006 the income of UNICEF was 2.7 billion dollars.
In 1965, the United Nations Children's Fund was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
- UNICEF - Official site