Thuha 10 years old a student at Shuda Emirate School for Girls in Debaga, Iraq. She is sitting at a desk, holding a blue backpack, smiling.

Our work

Our work

UNICEF works to build a better world for every child, every day. A world where every child has the chance to fulfill their potential and grow up healthy and safe.  

UNICEF has more than 13,000 people working for children in more than 190 countries responding to emergencies and building long-term resilience. We save children’s lives with vaccines, clean water, and therapeutic food. We protect children from violence, exploitation, and abuse. We support quality education that empowers children. And we seek to create a safe and sustainable world where children can live, learn, and grow. 

UNICEF UK

The United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) is a UK registered charity that raises funds for UNICEF’s emergency and development work around the world and advocates for lasting change for children worldwide. UNICEF UK is one of 33 UNICEF National Committees and is one of the key voices amongst these.   

We uphold the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and work with partners and supporters to promote children’s voices, unlock resources for children, and advocate for and create change.  

We have also delivered programmes for children in the UK for more than 25 years.

We reach around 2.5 million children each year through our Baby Friendly Initiative, Rights Respecting Schools Award, and Child Friendly Cities and Communities programmes.

General Principles

Four articles in the Convention are seen as special. Known as the General Principles, they help to interpret all the other articles and play a fundamental role in realising all the rights in the Convention for all children.

They are:
1. Non-discrimination (Article 2)

2. Best interest of the child (Article 3)

3. Right to life, survival and development (Article 6)

4. Respect for the views of the child (Article 12)

Our Strategy

Our UNICEF UK 2023–26 strategy is founded in ambition – ambition for children and ambition for our organisation.

We have set ourselves a target of raising £650 million over four years.  

We seek to influence the UK Government and Nations to secure strong commitment to Child Rights both in the UK and internationally, incorporating the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and return to allocating 0.7% of Gross National Income on international development. 

Ashly Jordan, 8 years old, smiles during Children's Rights Fair of UNICEF Venezuela, at the Simon Bolivar Park of La Carlota, in Caracas, on July 22, 2023.