Day 37: UNICEF
Day 37: UNICEF
Website: http://www.unicef.org (a top level and slightly impenetrable but exremely info-rich international page)
http://www.unicef.org.uk/About-us/ (UK UNICEF, a much more userfriendly website (except the detail of briefly showing a full page photo of some scavenging children instead of content when you first arrive))
UNICEF is the world's leading organisation protecting the rights of children and young people in more than 150 less-developed countries around the world (with a presence in more than 190 countries and territories). They describe their remit with quite a stirring 'speech' on the 'who we are' page of their website: http://www.unicef.org/about/who/index_introduction.html The key thing is that UNICEF are the body who seem to take the most practical interest in making good on the aspirations in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and are the only organisation specifically named in it as a source of expert advice and assistance on which governments can call.
The key focus areas of the charity are: child survival and development, basic education and gender equality, HIV/AIDS and children, child protection and policy advocacy and partnerships. In these last, UNICEF focuses on the critical impact social and economic policy issues have on children, saying that "Our work is centered around child poverty and disparities, social protection, migration and social budgeting."
UNICEF write that "We help governments to build schools, train teachers and provide textbooks so that every child can get an education. We support families and communities to care for children and protect them against exploitation and abuse, fulfilling their right to a childhood. We work with partners to ensure that every child has the opportunity to take part in sport and play.
We support governments to build and equip health systems, train health workers and provide food and clean water, so every child can be as healthy as possible. UNICEF is also the world’s largest distributer of vaccines to the developing world. In 2008, we supplied vaccines for 56 per cent of the world’s children, protecting them against death from preventable diseases.
We aim to involve children at every level of decision-making, from school councils to international summits, upholding their right to be heard. Working at the highest levels of government and through local staff and partners on the ground, we work to address poverty and discrimination so that every child is treated fairly.
UNICEF recognises that children are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of HIV and AIDS and climate change. In 2005, we launched our global campaign, Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS, to bring about real and lasting change for children affected by HIV and AIDS. In 2010, we launched Carbon Positive, a tool that allows individuals and businesses to calculate their carbon footprint and support climate change adaptation programmes."
In the UK UNICEF runs four current programmes: Rights Respecting Schools Award, the Baby Friendly Initiative, Child Friendly Communities and also lobbies Parliament.
I chose to add UNICEF to my charity list because they are one of the charities that is mentioned by name in Scout badge syllabuses when suggesting activites based on the work of international aid organisations. This has meant that I have ended up having repeated exposure to the organisation over several years (I will admit I do not really miss supervising "make a play to show the others about the problems of HIV in Africa based on this factsheet") and I have always seen UNICEF in this context alongside other charities which I had heard of elsewhere and generally supported, which has raised the profile of this also-worthy cause in my mind.
Donation Page: http://www.unicef.org.uk/Donate/Donate-Now (UNICEF has a slightly odd funding structure where UNICEF UK is a registered charity raising funds and awareness to support UNICEF's work, but UNICEF itself is an International Organisation and doesn't take donations directly, even though it also doesn't get any money from the UN.)
Today my 5 pounds has possibly paid to provide HIV tests for 6 pregnant women to help protect their babies. I'd also be very glad if it went towards child vaccination programmes, as mass vaccination actually beats disease rather than 'just' curing it.
Website: http://www.unicef.org (a top level and slightly impenetrable but exremely info-rich international page)
http://www.unicef.org.uk/About-us/ (UK UNICEF, a much more userfriendly website (except the detail of briefly showing a full page photo of some scavenging children instead of content when you first arrive))
UNICEF is the world's leading organisation protecting the rights of children and young people in more than 150 less-developed countries around the world (with a presence in more than 190 countries and territories). They describe their remit with quite a stirring 'speech' on the 'who we are' page of their website: http://www.unicef.org/about/who/index_introduction.html The key thing is that UNICEF are the body who seem to take the most practical interest in making good on the aspirations in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and are the only organisation specifically named in it as a source of expert advice and assistance on which governments can call.
The key focus areas of the charity are: child survival and development, basic education and gender equality, HIV/AIDS and children, child protection and policy advocacy and partnerships. In these last, UNICEF focuses on the critical impact social and economic policy issues have on children, saying that "Our work is centered around child poverty and disparities, social protection, migration and social budgeting."
UNICEF write that "We help governments to build schools, train teachers and provide textbooks so that every child can get an education. We support families and communities to care for children and protect them against exploitation and abuse, fulfilling their right to a childhood. We work with partners to ensure that every child has the opportunity to take part in sport and play.
We support governments to build and equip health systems, train health workers and provide food and clean water, so every child can be as healthy as possible. UNICEF is also the world’s largest distributer of vaccines to the developing world. In 2008, we supplied vaccines for 56 per cent of the world’s children, protecting them against death from preventable diseases.
We aim to involve children at every level of decision-making, from school councils to international summits, upholding their right to be heard. Working at the highest levels of government and through local staff and partners on the ground, we work to address poverty and discrimination so that every child is treated fairly.
UNICEF recognises that children are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of HIV and AIDS and climate change. In 2005, we launched our global campaign, Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS, to bring about real and lasting change for children affected by HIV and AIDS. In 2010, we launched Carbon Positive, a tool that allows individuals and businesses to calculate their carbon footprint and support climate change adaptation programmes."
In the UK UNICEF runs four current programmes: Rights Respecting Schools Award, the Baby Friendly Initiative, Child Friendly Communities and also lobbies Parliament.
I chose to add UNICEF to my charity list because they are one of the charities that is mentioned by name in Scout badge syllabuses when suggesting activites based on the work of international aid organisations. This has meant that I have ended up having repeated exposure to the organisation over several years (I will admit I do not really miss supervising "make a play to show the others about the problems of HIV in Africa based on this factsheet") and I have always seen UNICEF in this context alongside other charities which I had heard of elsewhere and generally supported, which has raised the profile of this also-worthy cause in my mind.
Donation Page: http://www.unicef.org.uk/Donate/Donate-Now (UNICEF has a slightly odd funding structure where UNICEF UK is a registered charity raising funds and awareness to support UNICEF's work, but UNICEF itself is an International Organisation and doesn't take donations directly, even though it also doesn't get any money from the UN.)
Today my 5 pounds has possibly paid to provide HIV tests for 6 pregnant women to help protect their babies. I'd also be very glad if it went towards child vaccination programmes, as mass vaccination actually beats disease rather than 'just' curing it.