UNICEF

United Nations International Children's

Emergency Fund
GROUP DETAILS:

ROLL NUMBERS NAME

20 Khan Hafsa
26 Khan Zaema
41 Namrah Sayed
48 Shaikh Fizza
58 Shaikh Saima
65 Siddiqui Saima
66 Siddiqui Shirin
67 Siddiqui Shumaila
70 Sayed Ilaf
71 Midhat Zehra
 1. INTRODUCTION TO UNICEF

The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund was created by the United
Nations General Assembly on 11 December 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to
children in countries that had been devastated by World War II.
Ludwik Rajchman is widely regarded as the founder of UNICEF and served as its first chairman
from 1946. On Rajchman's suggestion, the American Maurice Pate was appointed its first
executive director, serving from 1947 until his death in 1965.
UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has
spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families.
UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965 and the Prince of Asturias Award of
Concord in 2006.
UNICEF believes that, “All children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential- to
the benefit of a better world.”
UNICEF's programs emphasize developing community-level services to promote the health
and well-being of children.
UNICEF's serves as the primary point of distribution for such essential items
as vaccines, antiretroviral medicines for children and mothers with HIV, nutritional
supplements, emergency shelters, family reunification, and educational supplies.

REFERENCES:

1.UNICEFUNICEF - Wikipedia
https://en.m.wikipedia.org › wiki › UNIC...
2.Home page | UNICEF
https://www.unicef.org
2. GOVERNANCE
Each country office carries out UNICEF’s mission through a unique program of co-operation
developed with the host government. This five-year program focuses on practical ways to
realize the right of children and women. Regional office guide this work and provide technical
assistance to country offices needed. Overall management and administration of the
organization takes place at headquarters, where global policy on children is shaped. Guiding
and monitoring all of the UNICEF’s work is an Executive Board made up of 36 members who are
government representatives(1) .
Child undernutrition remains one of the major challenge for low-income and middle-income
countries(2). UNICEF’s conceptual frame underpin the causes of undernutrition as basics (
comprises of social, economic, and political context that leads to lack of capital: financial,
human, physical, social, and natusral ) and underlying ( income, poverty, : employment, self
employment, dwelling, assets, remittances, pensions, transfers, etc) where poverty plays the
central division role(2).
In a given country, development as a whole and economic development in particular
determines public health spending, and that in turn can play a vital role for improvement in
health(3). However , there is little evidence to suggest that increased spending contributes to
meaningful reductions in health disparities(4). The effect of public health spending can further
be enhanced by good governance, and efficient allocation of public health spending can reduce
child mortality(3,5).
Studies showed that government is central element in determining the efficacy of public
spending. In particular a study by Rajkumar and Swaroop (2008) found out that, a 1% increases
in the share of public health spending in gross domestic product (GDP)reduces under – 5
mortality rate by 0.32% in countries with good governance and 0.20% in countries with average
governance, and has no impact on countries with weak governance(3). This study pointed
malpractice in governance as the cause of inefficiency in health service delivery system. In
those countries with weak governance, public resources are washed out and are not converted
into public investment. As a result, such poor quality of governance in countries limit the
 efficiency of conversion of public investment on to improved education and health services. In
this regards, some literatures revealed that there is a link between good governance and lower
mortality, and longer life expectancy(3,6).
Hence, the important the important thing is the amount are resources in the health sector, as
measured by public spending on health (PSH), is a potentially important determinant along with
quality of governance (7). The country where there is economic growth with rapid expansion in
urbanization. Then there is so many studies are carried out in developing countries regarding
good governance and public health spending on nutritional status.
Therefore , according to the studies the effect of governance quality, public health spending
and urbanization on child undernutrition gives the partial effect of demographic and other
economic covariates.

REFERENCES:

1. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNICEF.
2. Black RE, Allen LH, Bhutta ZA, Caulfield LE, de Onis M, Ezzati M, Mathers C,Rivera J. Maternal
and child undernutrition: global and regional exposures and health consequences. Lancet
(London, England). 2008;371(9608):243–60.
3. Rajkumar AS, Swaroop V. Public spending and outcomes: does governance matter? J Dev Econ.
2008;86:96–111.
4. Singh SR. Public health spending and population health: a systematic review. Am J Prev Med.
2014;47(5):634–40.
5. Farag M, Nandakumar AK, Wallack S, Hodgkin D, Gaumer G, Erbil C. Health expenditures, health
outcomes and the role of good governance. Int J Health Care Finance Econ. 2013;13(1):33–52.
6. Yaqub JO, Ojapinwa TV, Yussuff RO. Public health expenditure and health outcomes in Nigeria.
European Scientific Journal. 2012;8(13):190–201.
7. Gupta SVM, Tiongson ER. The effectiveness of government spending on education and health
care in developing and transition economies. Eur J Polit Econ. 2002;18(4):71
8. 3.UNICEF NATIONAL COMMITTEE
The National Committees are an integral part of UNICEF's global organization and a unique
feature of UNICEF. Currently there are 34 National Committees in the world, each established
as an independent local non- governmental organization.
Serving as the public face and dedicated voice of UNICEF, the National Committees work
tirelessly to raise funds from the private sector, promote children’s rights and secure worldwide
visibility for children threatened by poverty, disasters, armed conflict, abuse and exploitation.
UNICEF is funded exclusively by voluntary contributions, and raise around one-third of UNICEF’s
annual income. This comes through contributions from corporations, civil society organization
and more than 6 million individual donors worldwide. They also rally many different partners-
including the media, national and local government officials, NGOs, specialists such as doctors
and lawyers, corporations, schools, young people and the general public -on issues related to
children’s rights.
www.unicef.org/unicef

UNICEF National Committees: A network for children

UNICEF is a unique in the UN system in having a very sturdy, supportive network of private
citizens- its National Committees. Currently, there are Committees for UNICEF in 38
Industrialized countries. Autonomous non governmental organizations (NGOs), they are
recognized by their Government and operate under formal relations with UNICEF. They vary in
size, style and structure ; some are nearly as old as UNICEF itself, and others have been formed
within the last year. Yet all share a common purpose. They enable people, in their private
capacities, to participate in United Nations efforts to save and improve the lives of children
throughout the world.
The Committees are the main voice of UNICEF among the public in the richer countries. In
addition to paid staff, they engage the efforts of more than 100,000 volunteers. They help raise
awareness about the situation facing children in countries UNICEF assists and, increasingly,
about the rights of children everywhere. In their own countries, they maintain contacts with the
media, organize seminars, support education for development in schools and work with judicial,
political and educational institutions on the development issues prioritized by UNICEF.
National committees also raise funds. In 1994,they contributed almost 30 percent of UNICEF's
overall income. Indeed, of the top 15 donors to UNICEF, including governments, six are National
committees, some of which provided UNICEF with substantially larger contributions than their
Governments.
The sole recipients of funds raised by the committees have always been children in developing
countries. The beneficiaries of Committees' knowledge and advocacy form a far broader group,
however, including children in their own countries.
The Convention on the Right of the Child enables committees to work on rights issues that
affect children in both industrialized and developing countries. Commercial sexual exploitation
of children (including sex tourism), the impact of war on children and the effects of land-mines
on children are but a few of these.
A number of National committees also were instrumental in the process leading to their
governments' ratification of the convention. Since then, many have become involved in the
required formal process of governmental reporting on progress towards implementing the
convention.
Several committees have helped form or have joined powerful conditions of NGOs and other
groups interested in child rights. These are becoming increasingly useful sources of knowledge
and expertise for governments and interested citizens.
One example of the new role of committees is their i involvement in the movement against
anti-personal land-mines. In Belgium, Denmark, Ireland and Sweden, Campaigns supported by
Committees have prompted those Governments to move towards a total ban on anti-personnel
mines. In Austria, France, Germany, Ireland and United kingdom, for example, public advocacy
and political pressure by committees and their NGO partners have forced Governments to
propose much tougher restrictions on the use and supply of mines.
The National Committees have been crucial to UNICEF for decades. They help give form to a
spontaneous human response to the plight of some of the worlds most disadvantaged children.

REFERENCE: www.unicef.org
 4.PROMOTION AND FUNDRAISING
In the United States, Canada, Nepal and some other countries, UNICEF is known for its “Trick-
or-Treat for UNICEF” program in which children collect money for UNICEF from the houses.
They trick or treat or Halloween night, sometimes instead of candy (1). Many people
in developed countries first hear about UNICEF's work through the activities of one of the
36 National Committees for UNICEF. These non-governmental organizations(NGO) are primarily
responsible for fundraising, selling UNICEF greeting cards and products, creating private and
public partnerships, advocating for children's rights, and providing other support. The US Fund
for UNICEF is the oldest of the national committees, founded in 1947 (2).
New Zealand appointed, in 2005, 18-year-old Hayley Westenra, a talented, world famous
opera / pop singer as their Ambassador to UNICEF, in an effort to enlist the youth of the world
in supporting UNICEF. Westenra has made several trips to visit underprivileged children in third
world countries on behalf of UNICEF, in an effort to publicize their plight, and has engaged in
fund-raising activities in support of the UNICEF mission, as well (3).
On 19 April 2007, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg was appointed UNICEF
Eminent Advocate for Children, in which role she has visited Brazil (2007), China (2008), and
Burundi (2009) (4). In 2009, the British retailer Tesco used "Change for Good" as advertising,
which is trademarked by UNICEF for charity usage but not for commercial or retail use (5).
In 2013 William Armstrong was the first British male to take on the 1600km JOGLE solo
unaided challenge raising funds and creating a media frenzy at the time. Many ambassadors
including Hollywood actor Ewan McGregor were big fans of his quest to promote UNICEF (6).
In Implementing the private fundraising and partnerships plan, National committees, UNICEF
country offices and head quarters divisions will work together to achieve two broad goals:
1- Maximize contributions from the private sectors for UNICEF programs and
2- Expand strategic engagement with the private sector and advocate child rights. (7)
How much funds does UNICEF raise each year?
 UNICEF and its partners provided education for 7.5 million children. UNICEF distributed $66.1
million worth of educational supplies for children. UNICEF USA raised $568 million from the
American public during Fiscal Year 2016
UNICEF is supported entirely by the voluntary contributions of governments, non-
governmental organizations (NGOs), foundations, corporations and private
individuals. UNICEF receives no funding from the assessed dues of the United Nations (8).
UNICEF USA also continues to receive the highest ratings for accountability and transparency
from Charity Navigator, and our program expense ratio of 89 percent means we are a highly
efficient charity, as defined by independent monitors, with 2.7 percent of our expenses going to
administration and 8 percent to fundraising. This means that, out of every dollar spent, 89 cents
goes toward helping children. We spend just 8 cents on fundraising costs, and 3 cents on
administration (9).
REFERENCES:
1- "Information by country". UNICEF. 2014-03-17. Retrieved 2014-08-03
2- US Fund for UNICEF, unicefusa.org Archived October 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
3- Google sites
4- Burundi – Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg visits Burundi. UNICEF. Retrieved on
2012-03-26.
5- "Unicef accuses Tesco of misusing charity slogan". The Irish Times, July 25, 2009 (2009-07-07).
Retrieved on 2012-03-26.
6- WIKIPEDIA
7- www.unicef.org
8- https://www.unicefusa.org/about/publications/annual-report-2016
9- www.unicefusa.org
 5.Types of Funding
UNICEF is committed to the effective use of resources to bring about change in the lives of
millions of children around the world each day.Public-sector partners can contribute through
any of the following ways:

A.Regular Resources:
This funding line has no restrictions in its use. It is the most flexible contribution for UNICEF
and ensures continuity of services vital for the organization to advocate for the protection of
children’s rights to help meet the basic needs of children and to expand their opportunities to
reach their full potential. Steady and predictable funding allows UNICEF to bridge gaps and
react quickly to new challenges through surges in its response and innovations in its
programmes.

B.Thematic Funding:
While Regular Resources remain the most flexible contributions for UNICEF, Thematic Funds
are categorized as Other Resources (OR), and are the second- most efficient and effective
contributions to the organization. This is funding that donors earmark to support strategic and
predefined objectives by UNICEF Strategic Plan Outcome Areas and humanitarian action and
gender at Global, Regional Or Country Level.

C. Other Resources Regular:

Other Resources Regular (ORR) are earmarked funds, received for a specific programme
purpose at global, regional and country levels or strategic priority.ORR are allocted to fund
development activities as outlined in country programmes approved by the UNICEF Executive
Board.

D. Emergency Funding and Appeals:

These are funds earmarked for specific emergency response needs or projections. This form
of support is unique and is referred to as Other Resources Emergency(ORE). In a Humanitarian
 crisis, UNICEF can immediately provide life-saving assistance to meet the rights and needs of
affected children and women by mobilizing necessary resources in a timely manner.

E. Pooled Funding and Trust Funds:

Pooled funds are Other Resources(OR), comingled with contributions from donors. This
modality is administered for a number of countries through direct disbursement to country
offices such as thematic funding (Medium-Term Strategic Plan and humanitarian) or via a Joint
Programme arrangement using the Administrative Agent or Managing Agent in a pass-through
or pooled joint funding arrangement respectively. Joint funding such as MDTFs and pooled
funds for joint programmes is held in a trust account, which is not recognized to UNICEF until
the funds are disbursed for programmes.
6: SPONSORSHIP

Partnerships: at the very heart of our work

Partnerships are at the heart of everything UNICEF does. The power of partnerships allows
us to expand our reach, working with a wide range of like-minded partners to deliver our
universal mandate for children, in line with our Strategic Plan. We work with partners to
accelerate progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and, together, form a
global, rights-based agenda for children that has a strong focus on the most vulnerable.

While the governments of the region remain our chief partners, we also work with
intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations; academia; UN agencies;
international financial institutions and the private sector. We nurture and build partnership to
achieve wider goals for children, to close equity gaps and to address the most pressing child
rights violations across the region.

*Intergovernmental organizations
Council of Europe - Child protection | Gender
European Union (EU) - Child protection | Gender
European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) - Adolescents
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) - Gender
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) - Health

*Non-governmental organizations and advocacy networks

Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) - Health
European Network of Ombudspersons for Children (ENOC) - Child protection
European Expert Group on De-I - Child protection
European Disability Forum (EDF) - Child protection
European Institute for Gender Equality - Gender
European Women’s Lobby - Gender
Food Fortification Initiative ( FFI) - Health
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) - Health
Gavi, the vaccine alliance - Health
International Step-by-Step Association - Education | Gender | ECD
Iodine Global Network (IGN) - Heath
International Baby For Action (IFBAN) - Health
International Pediatric Association (IPA) - Health
Oak foundation - Child protection
Open Society Foundations - ECD
Roma Education Fund - ECD
Sabin Vaccine Institute - Health
Save the Children - Health | Child protection
Scale Up Nutrition (SUN) - Health
SickKids Centre for Global Child Health (C-GCH) - Health
Social Service Institute (SSI) - Child protection
Terre des hommes - Child protection
World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action(WABA) - Health
Youth Policy Labs - Adolescents

*Academic and research networks

Aga Khan University (AKU) - Health
Ankara University - ECD
Budapest Institute - Gender
Child Protection Hub for South East Europe - Child protection
Curatio International Foundation - Health
Equality Institute - Gender
European School for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health in Trieste, Italy - Health
Harvard School of Public Health - Health
Institute of Home Visiting - ECD
Kazakhstan Academy of Nutrition (Private entity) - Health

*UN agencies and international financial institutions

Asian Development Bank (ADB) - Health
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) - Health
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) - Education
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) - Child protection
UNAIDS - Adolescents
United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) - Health | Child protection | Gender
| Adolescents
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) - Health | Child protection | Gender | Adolescents
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) - Child protection
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Adolescents
| Education
UNESCO Institute for Statistics - Education
The United Nations Refugees Agency(UNHCR) - Health | Child protection
United Nations Working Group on social protection - Social policy
UN Women - Gender, Adolescents
World Bank (WB) - Health | Education
World Food Programme (WFP) - Health
World Health Organization (WHO) - Health | Gender | ECD | Adolescents

*Private partners
A detailed list of resource partners and contributions is available in the annual Compendium of
Resource Partner Contributions.
 UNICEF and Corporate Engagement(1)

* Why partner with UNICEF:-

UNICEF strongly believes in the power of partnerships and collaborative efforts and has rich
history of working with the corporate sector. We work closely with multi-national corporations,
national companies and small- to medium-sized businesses to identify, design and implement
alliances that leverage the strengths of the corporate sector on behalf of the world’s children.
In turn, UNICEF supports companies that aim to strengthen their commitment towards a
positive contribution to the world’s communities and environment and provide support to
achieve their CSR and business objectives. Opportunities include efforts driven by long-term,
integrated and multi-faceted partnerships which include both traditional and innovative
approaches, such as:
• strategic philanthropy through cash & in-kind contributions
• employee-giving programmes
• humanitarian relief & support of emergency appeals
• cause-marketing initiatives
• events & sponsorship
• innovations & program solutions for children
• policy & advocacy for child rights
• promoting corporate responsibility
• training & capacity building

UNICEF is proud that its main corporate partners continue to make sound long-term
investments in the next generation despite the recent economic downturn, through
strengthened support towards child priorities such as basic healthcare, nutrition, social
protection, clean water, and education. After all, the corporate sector thrives on what
successful development work brings – access to a healthy educated workforce and consumers,
as well as societal stability and peace.

By working together, companies help support UNICEF programmes, emergency relief efforts
and help advance issues vital to children.(2)

*SOME NEWSLINES :-
1.Cannes Lions, ‘la Caixa’ Banking Foundation and UNICEF announce the winner of the 2017
Young Lions Health Award
2.Alwaleed Philanthropies and UNICEF join hands to help save millions of children from measles
and rubella
3.Montblanc and UNICEF renew long-standing partnership, helping to empower 5 million
children through education
4.Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser of Qatar visits education programmes helping
600,000 out-of-school children get an education in Sudan
5.IKEA & IKEA Foundation, UNICEF and partners launch the ‘Let’s Play for Change’ initiative for
children
6.Pampers and UNICEF mark the impact of a 10-Year Public-Private Partnership at the World
Economic Forum in Davos
7.La Caixa Foundation, UNICEF launch new partnership to fight childhood pneumonia
8.One million babies protected through immunizations with support of Olympiacos Football
Club: UNICEF(3)

*REFERENCES
1) https://www.uniicef.org>

unicef.in.com

http://en.m.wikipedia.org>
7.Facilities of UNICEF

There is a vast list of facilities that UNICEF provides which include:

CHILD PROTECTION AND INCLUSION:

UNICEF works with partners around the world to promote policies and expand access to
services that protect all children.

Initiatives taken by UNICEF for child protection:

Child protection

Child uprooted

Communication for development

Gender equality

CHILD SURVIVAL:

UNICEF has helped reduce child mortality all over the world by working to reach the most
vulnerable children, everywhere.

Initiatives taken by UNICEF for child survival:

Early child development

HIV/AIDS

Immunization

Nutrition

Sanitization
EDUCATION:

UNICEF works around the world to support quality learning for every girl and boy, especially
those in greatest danger of being left behind.

Initiatives taken by UNICEF for Education:

Education for disabled

Gender equality

Innovation in education

Education in emergency

UNICEF IN EMERGENCIES:

UNICEF is on the ground before, during, and after emergencies, working to reach children and
families with lifesaving aid and long-term assistance.

Initiatives for emergencies:

Emergencies and other humanitarian actions

Humanitarian actions for children

GENDER:

UNICEF works all over the world to empower girls and women, and to ensure their full
participation in political, social, and economic systems.

INNOVATION FOR CHILDREN:

UNICEF works with partners in every sector to co-create innovative solutions that accelerate
progress for children and young people.
SUPPLY AND LOGISTICS:

UNICEF works with partners in every sector to co-create innovative solutions that accelerate
progress for children and young people.

RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS:

UNICEF’s global programmes and initiatives are grounded in rigorous research and thoughtful
analysis about the situation of children.
 8.Controversies of UNICEF Adoption program:
UNICEF has a policy preferring orphanages only be used as temporary accommodation for
children when there is no alternative. UNICEF has historically opposed the creation of large-
scale, permanent orphanages for children, preferring instead to find children places in their
(extended) families and communities, wherever possible. UNICEF has preferred to see children
cared for in their birth countries rather than be adopted by foreign parents.
Infant mortality : One concern is that the child mortality rate has not decreased in some areas
as rapidly as had been planned, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, where in 2013 "the region still
has the highest child mortality rate: 92 deaths per 1000 live births".[46] and that "Globally,
nearly half of under-five deaths are attributable to undernutrition."
NSA surveillance: Further information: Global surveillance disclosureDocuments released by
Edward Snowden in December showed that UNICEF was among the surveillance targets of
British and American intelligence agencies.(1)
References
1) http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNECEF
9.Nutrition In UNICEF

" The level of child undernutrition remains unacceptable throughout the world, with 90 per
cent of the developing world’s chronically undernourished (stunted) children living in Asia and
Africa. "
The level of child undernutrition remains unacceptable throughout the world, with 90 per
cent of the developing world’s chronically undernourished (stunted) children living in Asia and
Africa. Detrimental and often undetected until severe, undernutrition undermines the survival,
growth and development of children and women, and diminishes the strength and capacity of
nations.
With persistently high levels of undernutrition in the developing world, vital opportunities to
save millions of lives are being lost, and many more millions of children are not growing and
developing to their full potential.
Nutrition is a core pillar of human development and concrete, large-scale programming not
only can reduce the burden of undernutrition and deprivation in countries but also can advance
the progress of nations.
Fast Facts
In India 20 per cent of children under five years of age suffer from wasting due to acute
undernutrition. More than one third of the world’s children who are wasted live in India. Forty
three per cent of Indian children under five years are underweight and 48 per cent (i.e. 61
million children) are stunted due to chronic
undernutrition, India accounts for more than 3 out of every 10 stunted children in the world.
Undernutrition is substantially higher in rural than in urban areas. Short birth intervals are
associated with higher levels of undernutrition. The per centage of children who are severely
underweight is almost five times higher among children whose mothers have no education than
among children whose mothers have 12 or more years of schooling. Undernutrition is more
common for children of mothers who are undernourished themselves (i.e. body mass index
below 18.5) than for children whose mothers are not undernourished. Children from scheduled
tribes have the poorest nutritional status on almost every measure and the high prevalence of
wasting in this group (28 per cent) is of particular concern.
• India has the highest number of low birth weight babies per year at an estimated 7.4 million.
• Only 25 per cent of newborns were put to the breast within one hour of birth.
• Less than half of children (46 per cent) under six months of age are exclusively breastfed.
• Only 20 per cent children age 6-23 months are fed appropriately according to all three
recommended practices for infant and young child feeding.
• 70 per cent children age 6- 59 months are anaemic. Children of mothers who are severely
anaemic are seven times as likely to be severely anaemic as children of mothers who are not
anaemic.
• Only half (51 per cent) of households use adequately iodized salt.
• Only one third (33 per cent) Indian children receive any service from an anganwadi centre;
less than 25per cent receive supplementary foods through ICDS; and only 18 per cent have their
weights measured in an AWC.

(Source NFHS 3, 2005-2006)

Key Issues
Undernutrition jeopardizes children’s survival, health, growth and development, and it slows
national progress towards development goals.
Undernutrition is often an invisible problem. There is a critical window of opportunity to
prevent undernutrition by taking care of the nutrition of children in the first two years of life,
girls during adolescence, and mothers during pregnancy and lactation – when proven nutrition
interventions offer children the best chance to survive and reach optimal growth and
development. Optimal infant and young child feeding entails the initiation of breastfeeding
within one hour of birth; exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of the child’s life; and
continued breastfeeding for two years or more, together with safe, age-appropriate and
hygienically prepared complementary foods starting at 6 months of age.
There is growing evidence of the benefits to mother and child of early initiation of
breastfeeding, preferably within the first hour after birth. Early initiation of breastfeeding
contributes to reducing neonatal mortality. It ensures early skin-to-skin contact, which is
important in preventing hypothermia and establishing the bond between the mother and her
child. Early initiation of breastfeeding also reduces a mother’s risk of post-partum
haemorrhage, one of the leading causes of maternal mortality. Colostrum, the milk produced
by the mother just after delivery during the first post-partum days, provides protective
antibodies and essential nutrients, acting as a first “natural” immunization for newborns,
strengthening their immune system and reducing the chances of death in the neonatal period.
Optimal complementary feeding is the most effective intervention that can significantly reduce
stunting during the first two years of life. A comprehensive programme approach to improving
complementary feeding practices includes timely introduction of age-appropriate and
hygienically prepared complementary foods, counseling for caregivers on feeding and care
practices and on the optimal use of locally available foods, improving access to quality foods for
poor families through social protection schemes and safety nets, and the provision of fortified
foods and micronutrient supplements when needed.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are highly prevalent throughout the developing world.
Anaemia in young children is a serious concern, because it can result in increased morbidity
from infectious diseases and impaired cognitive performance, behavioral and motor
development, coordination, language development, and school achievement. Vitamin A is
essential for a well-functioning immune system; its deficiency increases the risk of mortality
significantly. Vitamin A supplementation twice yearly reduces the risk of blindness, infection,
undernutrition and death associated with vitamin A deficiency, particularly among the most
vulnerable children. Iodized salt consumed as table salt and/or as food-grade salt (used in food
processing) improves brain development; prevents motor and hearing deficits. Zinc given as
part of Oral Rehydration Therapy for the treatments for diarrhoea reduces duration and
severity of diarrhoea and subsequent episodes
Hand washing with soap by caregivers’ and children prior to food preparation and eating,
serving foods immediately after preparation, using clean utensils and avoiding feeding bottles
helps reduce diarrhoea and associated undernutrition in the child.
Every adolescent girl must be protected against undernutrition and nutritional deficiencies like
anaemia through dietary counseling, weekly iron and folic acid supplementation, twice yearly
de-worming prophylaxis. In addition developing life-skills to avoid early marriage and early
pregnancy is also vital.
Every pregnant woman must have access to sufficient quality and quantity food including
during pregnancy and lactation. Every pregnant woman and breastfeeding mother must take
iron folic acid supplements daily to reduce maternal anaemia and improve pregnancy and
lactation outcomes. Regular consumption of salt with adequate levels of iodine is required by
all pregnant women in order to prevent foetal brain damage associated with iodine deficiency.
Significant disparity in nutritional status also exists in terms of mothers’ education and literacy.
A number of studies and analyses have found a
significant association between low maternal literacy and poor nutrition status of young
children. In many developing countries, the low status of women is considered to be one of the
primary determinants of undernutrition across the life cycle. Women’s low status can result in
their own health outcomes being compromised, which in turn can lead to lower infant birth
weight and may affect the quality of infant care and nutrition. A study in India showed that
women with higher autonomy (indicated by access to money and freedom to choose to go to
the market) were significantly less likely to have a stunted child when compared with their
peers who had less autonomy.
Children who are undernourished, not optimally breastfed or suffering from micronutrient
deficiencies have substantially lower chances of survival than children who are well nourished.
They are much more likely to suffer from a serious infection and die from common childhood
illnesses such as diarrhoea, measles, pneumonia and malaria, as well as HIV and AIDS.
According to the most recent estimates, child undernutrition contributes to more than one
third of child deaths. Undernourished children who survive may enter the vicious cycle of
recurring illness and faltering growth, with irreversible damage to their growth, cognitive
development, school performance, and future productivity as adults.
UNICEF ACTION:
UNICEF supports the Government in its objectives to reduce and prevent malnutrition, and to
improve the development of children under three-years-old, especially those in marginalized
groups.
UNICEF is assisting the government to further expand and enhance the quality of ICDS in
various ways: by improving the training of anganwadi workers; by developing innovative
communication approaches with mothers; helping to improve monitoring and reporting
systems; providing essential supplies; by developing community based early childcare
interventions.
UNICEF supports iron supplementation for adolescent girls and Vitamin A supplementation for
children. It encourages the universal use of adequately iodised salt by educating the general
population and collaborating with the salt industry.
UNICEF’s program contributes to reducing hunger and malnutrition rates, especially among the
three most vulnerable groups of children (0-35 months old), children of economically
disadvantaged populations and children of socially excluded groups.
10.UNICEF In India

UNICEF is fully committed to working with the Government of India to ensure that each child
born in this vast and complex country gets the best start in life, thrives and develops potential.

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.

India is home to the largest number of children in the world with nearly 40 per cent of its
estimated 1.2 billion population under the age of 18. The gross domestic product (GDP) in India
has grown at a decent average over the last five years. However, the economic growth has not
yielded commensurate results in the reduction of poverty and disparity.

About 1 in 3 child lives in poverty and close to 53 per cent of adolescent girls and 30 per cent
of adolescent boys are anemic. More than 6 million children aged 6-14 years drop out before
they complete the full eight year elementary education cycle. While 1 in 4 women was married
before the age of 18 and 10.1 million are engaged in child labour[1].
A measure of the Indian government's involvement in child welfare lies in the relatively
unknown fact that India contributes more for the welfare of the world's children than any other
developing country. Over the last three years, the Indian government's contribution to UNICEF
has not only put it ahead of all developing countries, but has also placed India in the "Top
Twelve" of UNICEF's donors all over the world. The Indian pledge of $ 1.34 million for 1976
ranks 10th among all contributions made to UNICEF during that year. India's commitment was
even higher in 1975, when its contribution of $ 1.53 million placed it as the world's 12th largest
donor. In 1974. India ranked 11th with its commitment of $ 1.33 million.
 UNICEF succeeded in India, a country where health, education, nutrition and sanitation in
rural areas are almost non-existent, or in most cases, are given little or no priority? Has UNICEF,
bearing its gifts of finance, equipment and drugs, succeeded in bringing that elusive tomorrow
any closer to the children of India? The question acquires an added significance with the advent
of Children's Day on November 14.
The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). Conceived in the
turbulent aftermath of World War II as an emergency measure to aid the children of a war-
ravaged Europe, UNICEF, 30 years later has been transformed into a gigantic global crusade
aimed at providing the children of the world that promised tomorrow.
In terms of material aid, UNICEF's contribution to India has been colossal. Between 1949 and
1973, UNICEF aid to India amounted to Rs. 71.6 crores. The Rs. 43.7 crores that UNICEF has
pledged to India for the period 1974-79 represents the largest funding commitment that
UNICEF has allocated to any single country [2].

An initiative taken by UNICEF to mobilize Indian society to speak up for the more than eight
million children currently out of school in the country. Awaaz do is primarily an online campaign
with focus on empowering citizens to get actively involved and demand right for children. The
idea behind the campaign is to help more than eight million children in the country, who are
currently out of school, and to provide them formal education.
Launched in 2010, the campaign has received support from citizens through online social
campaign with more than 250 thousand registrations on the official website and from
government and corporate organizations with several corporate and media houses partnering
with UNICEF for the cause. Priyanka Chopra, UNICEF celebrity ambassador, and Kapil
Sibal, Minister of Human Resource Development, have signed up as an Awaaz Do champions to
garner support for the campaign[3].

Bibliography
 http://unicef.in/WhoWeAre/IndiaCountryProgramme
 https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19761130-what-impact-has-unicef-
made-in-india-has-it-succeeded-in-its-objectives-819607-2015-04-20
 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UNICEFS