UNICEF USA

In emergencies, proper hygiene and sanitation are important for protecting vulnerable children and families from illness and disease. At a hospital in #Gaza, UNICEF recently supported the installation of four septic tanks to better protect health care providers, patients, visitors and others seeking medical treatment.

#ForEveryChild, play. At a Roma settlement in northern Greece, a UNICEF staff member joins children in a lively game of soccer. But this isn’t just about play. Here, UNICEF and dedicated partners hosted group consultations that brought together caregivers, health practitioners, psychologists and cultural mediators. Through fun and educational activities, children learned about the critical importance of water and hygiene, helping to build healthier futures.

At UNICEF USA, we’re fortunate to have many bipartisan supporters in Congress who recognize the importance of UNICEF's work for the world’s children. This week, we saw that bipartisan support when the Senate proposed a bill that included a suggested increase to UNICEF's core resources at $150 million for U.S. Fiscal Year 2025. While there’s still a road ahead before spending bills are finalized, we are grateful for this signal of support. We never take it for granted. We continue to advocate for the U.S. Government to prioritize development and humanitarian funding in its foreign policy efforts. This leadership helps ensure that various actors, including UNICEF and other international and local organizational partners, can reach communities in need and promote sustainable impact. I submitted public witness testimonies to the Subcommittees on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs on behalf of more than 10 million U.S. supporters of UNICEF USA, outlining what UNICEF has been able to accomplish in the last few years. Here are some of the highlights: • In 2023, UNICEF responded to 412 new and ongoing humanitarian crises in 107 countries and provided safe water and sanitation for 41.7 million children and families facing emergencies. • In 2023, UNICEF delivered 2.79 billion vaccine doses to 105 countries and continues to procure enough vaccines every year to reach 45% of the world’s children under five years old. • Recent UN reports show that global child mortality hit a record low in 2022, with a 51% decline in the under-five mortality rate since 2000. For those of you who don’t know, UNICEF doesn’t receive funding from the United Nations; all of UNICEF’s funds come from voluntary contributions from public and private sources — and a third of UNICEF’s total funding comes from non-governmental sources. So, what does this mean? It means that UNICEF’s impact belongs to all of us. Our supporters—tenured and new, public and private, governmental and non-governmental—continue to make possible UNICEF’s work for every child, everywhere. Children need our support now more than ever before. Let's continue to drive impact, together.

Young people worldwide are leading the charge in building a better, more equitable future. Interested in joining them? Register with UNICEF Clubs to take action! UNICEF Clubs partner with UNICEF USA to advocate for children's rights, fundraise for children around the globe and educate their communities. Learn more at the link below.

This is youth advocacy in action. Young David, pictured here with UNICEF’s Naysán Sahba, is the president of a children’s committee at an internally displaced persons (IDP) site in North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Under David’s leadership, the children’s committee is a powerful force for change. The committee works to defend the rights of all children living in the IDP site by raising awareness among families and lobbying to improve their living conditions.

Every day, almost 2,000 children under 5 die because of health impacts linked to air pollution — but we have the power to change this. In Vietnam, a country plagued by poor air quality, UNICEF and the Clarios Foundation are working with communities to clear the way to better health outcomes.

The ongoing bombardment of the #Gaza Strip has created a dire water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) crisis for children and their families. UNICEF is on the ground, working with partners to protect children's right to safe water and sanitation.

Every week, the team at this UNICEF-supported outpatient nutrition center in Adré, Chad, treats hundreds of children for malnutrition. This is one mother's story of partnering with health workers to keep her baby safe.

Young people worldwide are leading the charge in building a better, more equitable future. Interested in joining them? Register with UNICEF Clubs to take action!

Yesterday, I joined fellow leaders across the global health, development and humanitarian sectors in recognizing an incredible milestone: More children are surviving today than ever before. Since 2000, the global mortality rate for children under five has declined by 51%. Incredible. This milestone was made possible by the tireless efforts of USAID, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a deep network of governments, NGOs, community-based organizations, faith-based partners and others, including our teams at UNICEF and UNICEF USA. We appreciate Congress' longstanding bipartisan support of UNICEF and its priorities. Most importantly, I must also thank those individuals on the ground—midwives and skilled health personnel, local vaccinators, advocates and others—who dedicate their days to supporting children and communities in the world’s hardest-to-reach places. This milestone is a stark reminder that, together, we have the power to change the world. We already have. And there's more to be done—both in response to crises and in ensuring that systems are responsive and resilient, and that communities have access to the tools they need to thrive. #FiveAndThrive #MNCH American Academy of Pediatrics, DefeatDD, Results for Development, Save the Children International, Global Health Council, World Vision