Humanitarian Action and Emergencies

In 2023, 30 percent of unrestricted funding supported lifesaving humanitarian programs worldwide. $36.7 million was used for the Emergency Program Fund (EPF), an effective first line of response that can be accessed within the first 24–48 hours of a sudden-onset emergency.

Every Child Survives and Thrives

Every child deserves a healthy start to life and the nurturing practices needed to thrive into adolescence and adulthood. In 2023, 35 percent of unrestricted investments were related to UNICEF’s efforts to ensure all children are surviving and thriving.

Every Child Learns

Every child has the right to an education, and UNICEF champions quality learning opportunities from early childhood through adolescence. In 2023, $162.8 million (17 percent) of unrestricted resources were allocated to educational initiatives.

Every Child Protected From Violence and Exploitation

Every child has the right to be protected and live in environments free from violence, neglect, and abuse–regardless of social norms, harmful cultural practices, conflict, and displacement. In 2023, $173.1 million (18 percent) of unrestricted resources were allocated to programming, ensuring protection and security for children.

Every Child Lives in a Safe and Clean Environment

Every child has a right to live in an environment that is conducive to his or her growth and safety. Climate change is a top driver of humanitarian need and human suffering, particularly for the poorest countries and the people living in them after the climatic “event” has passed. Through flexible funding, UNICEF was able to prioritize programming providing safe water and sanitation, mitigating climate change, and minimizing disaster risk–initiatives for which $171.2 million (18 percent) in unrestricted resources was allocated.

For Every Child an Equitable Chance in Life

Every child has the right to fulfill their potential, and yet millions of children face extreme poverty, conflict, discrimination, and exclusion. By addressing these challenges, UNICEF works to ensure that every child has a fair chance in life. In 2023, UNICEF invested $114.9 million (12 percent) of unrestricted resources in pursuit of equity for the most marginalized and poorest children.

Flexible Funding at Work

The Every Child Fund is helping drive UNICEF’s ability to deliver results for every child–particularly those most vulnerable. In countries around the world, flexible funding is improving social services for children. This funding ensures equity by building the capacity of social service workers to identify and support vulnerable children. UNICEF is advancing high-quality care by developing standards to harmonize quality-of-service delivery, as well as by building case management systems to register and track the response and resolution of child protection cases.

"Your contribution plays a crucial role in allowing UNICEF to respond to emerging crises...

while maintaining long-standing programs, strengthening the foundation of our humanitarian and development work. In a rapidly changing world, your gift provides UNICEF with predictability, flexibility, and efficiency to maximize results for children based on where they have the greatest need. We must build a better world for future generations, and we are so grateful for your leadership in this endeavor. The world’s children are counting on us. Thank you, again, for your commitment to working towards a world where every child is healthy, educated, protected, and respected—we could not lead this important lifesaving work without you.”

—Kerisha High-Parker, UNICEF USA