The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) benefits from the unparalleled support of the United States.
The United States is UNICEF’s largest donor, with contributions totaling more than $880 million in fiscal year 2021.
UNICEF is funded entirely through voluntary contributions from governments, foundations, nongovernmental organizations and private citizens. The United Nations does not include it in regular budget allocations.
“The United States is extremely proud to be a devoted partner and leading contributor to UNICEF as it works tirelessly to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and provide them with the ability to reach their potential, from early childhood through adolescence,” said U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
U.S. citizens, in turn, have long supported UNICEF’s mandate to promote children’s welfare worldwide. Since the 1950s, U.S. citizens have participated in “Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF,” one of UNICEF’s largest fundraisers.
Children go from door to door on Halloween to collect change for UNICEF’s programming. This campaign went digital in 2022, with a QR code for donors to scan, but some children still opted to trick or treat the old-fashioned way.
The United Nations General Assembly established the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund in 1946 to help children in the aftermath of World War II.
The fund proved to be so successful that the U.N. General Assembly extended UNICEF’s mandate indefinitely in 1953, renaming it the United Nations Children’s Fund, while maintaining the UNICEF acronym.
Catherine Russell, an American, has served as the fund’s executive director since December 2021.
“American leadership has strengthened the organization at every turn throughout its 75-year existence,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in 2021.
UNICEF promotes children’s welfare worldwide in several areas: health, education, protection, humanitarian emergency response, water, sanitation and hygiene.
In Sudan, UNICEF has distributed critical supplies in Khartoum, including emergency health kits and essential medicines for hospitals.
In Ukraine, UNICEF is working to provide crucial support for children and families, including health care and nutrition, education, water, sanitation and hygiene.
During the pandemic, UNICEF helped deliver more than half a billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to 144 countries.
“Today, UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence,” Thomas-Greenfield said.
