Kathmandu, December 11

On the 70th anniversary of its founding, UNICEF has renewed it call to reach millions of children whose lives and futures are endangered by conflict, crisis, poverty, inequality and discrimination.

“UNICEF was founded after World War II to bring help and hope to all children at risk or in need – no matter which country they lived in or what role that country played in the war.

Our mission is no less urgent and universal today,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake in a global media release. “With so many children around the world in so much need, we are recommitting ourselves to delivering results for every child.”

Today, UNICEF is the world’s largest children’s organisation, working with partners in 190 countries and territories and through the efforts of 13,000 national and international staff to reach every child.

UNICEF’s relentless engagement in the world’s toughest places has helped create remarkable progress for children in recent decades. The number of children dying before their fifth birthdays has been more than halved in the past 25 years.

Hundreds of millions of children have been lifted out of poverty. Out-of-school rates among primary-school-aged children have been reduced by more than 40 per cent since 1990, read the release.

Since its founding, UNICEF has responded to thousands of humanitarian emergencies affecting children. In 2015, UNICEF and partners vaccinated 11.3 million children against measles in countries affected by crisis; provided 4 million children in emergency situations with access to formal or non-formal basic education; and provided psychosocial support for 2 million children caught in conflicts and natural disasters.

Despite this impressive progress, millions of children are still being left behind because they live in poverty or in hard-to-reach communities, because of their gender, race, religion, ethnic group, or because they have a disability.

Nearly 250 million children are growing up in countries affected by conflict and nearly 50 million children have been uprooted from their homes, it said.