UNICEF Foundation Day is celebrated every year on December 11

UNICEF Foundation Day is celebrated every year on December 11

Around the world on December 11, people celebrate UNICEF Birthday, commemorating the day the charity was created in 1946. UNICEF, or the United Nations Children’s Fund, was initially created to provide emergency food and healthcare to children and mothers in countries that had been devastated by World War II. Now, the reputable and trustworthy charity has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization by providing healthcare and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. On this day, we especially remember their global impact and how we can make a difference ourselves. 

History of UNICEF Birthday

UNICEF, or the United Nations Children’s Fund, is an agency that is part of the United Nations, which is responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to children across the globe. The agency is one of the most extensive and distinguished social-welfare organizations in the world, with a presence in 192 countries and territories.

UNICEF is the beneficiary of the International Children’s Emergency Fund (ICEF), which was created by the U.N. Relief Rehabilitation Administration in 1946 to provide children and mothers affected by World War II with immediate aid. In that same year, the U.N. General Assembly founded the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to further institutionalize post-war relief work.

In 1950, UNICEF’s mission was expanded to confront the long-term needs of women and children, especially in developing countries. In 1953, the organization became an established component of the United Nations System. Following this, its name was changed to the United Nations Children’s Fund, though it kept the original acronym.

UNICEF relies entirely on contributions from governments and private donors. In 2019, UNICEF’s 137 government partners, along with intergovernmental organizations and inter-organizational arrangements, contributed $4.7 billion. The charity organization consists of government representatives that have been appointed by the United Nations Economic and Social Council, generally for three-year terms. 36 members on the executive board establish policies, approve programs, and oversee administrative and financial plans.

UNICEF has and continues to contribute greatly to humanitarian causes around the world. In 2018, it assisted in the birth of 27 million babies, administered pentavalent vaccines to an estimated 65.5 million children, provided education for 12 million children, treated four million children with severe acute malnutrition, and responded to 285 humanitarian emergencies in 90 countries.

For its contribution to humanity, UNICEF has received outstanding recognition for its work, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965, the Indira Gandhi Prize in 1989, and the Princess of Asturias Award in 2006. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, UNICEF, along with the World Health Organization and other agencies, issued instructions on healthy parenting. Every year, on December 11, we remember the creation of UNICEF and consider donating to help even more children in need around the world.