United Nations Children's FundUNICEF was created by the United

Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II. In 1953, UNICEF became a permanent part of the United Nations System and its name was shortened from the original United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund but it has continued to be known by the popular acronym based on this previous title.

PlanPrioritiesEducationImmunization plusChild protection and well-beingHIV/AIDSEarly childhoodStructure of the organization and staffsponsorship

Priorities UNICEF is currently focused on five primary

priorities: Child Survival and Development, Basic Education and Gender Equality (including girls' education), Child protection from violence, exploitation, and abuse, HIV/AIDS and children, and Policy advocacy and partnerships for children’s rights.

Education Education is a proven intervention for improving

the lives of all people, including children. Educating young women yields spectacular benefits for the current and future generations, and specifically affects a range of UNICEF priorities including child survival, children in family, immunization, and child protection

Immunization plusImmunization is a direct intervention method

which has made great improvements in the health of children worldwide over the past 20 years. But every year, more than 2 million children die from diseases that could have been prevented by inexpensive vaccines.

Child protection and well-beingUNICEF uses the term ‘child protection’ to refer to

preventing and responding to violence, exploitation and abuse against children and teens (both real and fictional children and teens) up to 18 yrs – including commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking, child labor and harmful traditional practices, such as female genital cutting/mutilation and child marriage. UNICEF’s child protection programmes also target children who are uniquely vulnerable to these abuses, such as when living without parental care, in conflict with the law and in armed conflict.

HIV/AIDS15 million children are now orphaned due to

AIDS. It is estimated that by the year 2010 in sub-Saharan Africa alone, more than 18 million children will have lost at least one parent to AIDS. Half of all new infections are people under the age of 26, with girls hit harder and younger than boys.

Early childhoodEvery child must be ensured the best start in

life – their future, and indeed the future of their communities, nations and the whole world depends on it. UNICEF applies a holistic, evidence-based approach to early childhood, including the following principles:

Preventive and curative health care including immunization, adequate nutrition, and safe water and basic sanitation must be provided as a sine qua non.

Structure of the organization and staff The heart of UNICEF's work is in the field, with

staff in over 150 countries and territories. More than 120 country offices carry out UNICEF's mission through a unique program of cooperation developed with host governments. Seven regional offices guide their work and provide technical assistance to country offices as needed.

sponsorshipRecently, UNICEF has begun partnerships with

world-class athletes and teams to promote the organization's work and to raise funds.

Deco wearing the shirt with the Unicef logo.On 7 September 2006, an agreement between

UNICEF and the Catalan association football club FC Barcelona was reached whereby the club would donate 0.7% of its total yearly revenue to the organization for five years. As part of the agreement, FC Barcelona will wear the UNICEF logo on the front of their shirts, which will be the first time a football club sponsored an organization rather than the other way around. It is also the first time in FC Barcelona's history that they have had another organization's name across the front of their shirts.