51³Ô¹Ï

The protection, health, and welfare of children has been a focus of the 51³Ô¹Ï since the time of the creation of the Organization in 1945.

The destruction of Europe during World War Two, and the aftermath made the children of Europe vulnerable. The International Children¡¯s Emergency Fund (ICEF) was created by the UN Relief Rehabilitation Administration to help affected children. On 11 December 1946, a resolution of the 51³Ô¹Ï General Assembly brought the 51³Ô¹Ï Children¡¯s Fund (UNICEF) into being. In 1953, UNICEF became a permanent 51³Ô¹Ï agency and has served as the focal point for children in the UN system ever since.

In 1959, the UN General Assembly adopted the , which defines children¡¯s rights to protection, education, health care, shelter, and good nutrition.

The 51³Ô¹Ï declared 1979 as the International Year of the Child to increase awareness of the conditions facing the world¡¯s children and to spur action on children¡¯s rights.

At its forty-fourth session, in 1989, the General Assembly adopted the , which entered into force on 2 September 1990.

At its fifty-fourth session, the Assembly adopted : one on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, and one on the involvement of children in armed conflict. The first protocol entered into force on 18 January 2002 and the second on 12 February 2002.

The year 1990 was historic in the life of the 51³Ô¹Ï and its commitment to the well-being of children, as the first UN conference on children, the World Summit for Children, took place in New York. The Summit, convened by UNICEF, brought together an unprecedented number of heads of state to rally around the cause of children and adopt the Declaration on the Survival, Protection and Development of Children.

Five years later, at the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China, world leaders renewed their commitment to the rights of women and girls.

In 2002, a special session of the 51³Ô¹Ï General Assembly ¨C the first dedicated exclusively to children ¨C reviewed progress on the goals set by the 1990 World Summit for Children.

In addition to the work of UNICEF, and the legal conventions which established rights for children, many of the funds, programmes and agencies of the UN system have, as some element of their work, the well-being of children. From the focus on education of the  (UNESCO), to the efforts of the (ILO) to abolish child labor, to the Children and Youth Programme of the  (UNRWA), to the nutritional work for mothers and young children provided by the  (WFP), to disease-eradication campaigns by the  (WHO), the UN system is there for children.

Since 1999, the UN Security Council has made the situation of children affected by armed conflict an issue affecting peace and security.The UN Security Council has adopted resolutions to request the UN to:

• to gather and verify information detailing where and how children are affected by armed conflict;
• to use this information in the annual report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict presented to the Security Council;
• to name parties to conflict who commit violations that are triggers for listing;
• to engage in dialogue with listed Governments and armed groups to develop Action Plans to halt and prevent violations against children.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict serves as the leading UN advocate for the protection and well-being of children affected by armed conflict. The Special Representative's mandate was created by General Assembly Resolution , following the publication, in 1996, of a report by Gra?a Machel titled the ¡°Impact of Armed Conflict on Children¡±. Her report highlighted the disproportionate impact of war on children and identified them as the primary victims of armed conflict.

An  is a written, signed commitment between the 51³Ô¹Ï and parties to conflict listed in the Secretary-General¡¯s annual report on children and armed conflict. Each  outlines concrete, time-bound measure to end violations against children, release and reunify children with their families, but also to put in place legislation, tools and mechanisms to prevent future violations and to hold perpetrators accountable.

Child protection is also .  Conflicts disproportionately affect children. Many are subject to abductions, military recruitment, killing, maiming, and numerous forms of exploitation. In many conflict-ridden countries, peacekeeping missions are the largest actor on the ground and their contribution is vital to protecting children. The protection of children in conflict has been included in the mandates of  since 2001.

In 2006, a  provided a set of recommendations on how to end violence against children; and the Secretary-General appointed a  to ensure their effective follow-up and to monitor implementation.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by all 51³Ô¹Ï Member States in 2015 to end poverty, reduce inequality and build more peaceful, prosperous societies by 2030.  The SDG goals will help everyone live in better world. They will also leave children a better, more sustainable world in the future. More than  have renewed their commitment to children¡¯s rights in the context of implementing the SDGs. UNICEF works with governments, partners and other UN agencies to help countries ensure the goals deliver results for and with every child ¨C now and for generations to come.

The was originally known as the 51³Ô¹Ï International Children's Emergency Fund. It was created by the 51³Ô¹Ï General Assembly on 11 December 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children and mothers in countries that had been devastated by World War II. In 1950, UNICEF's mandate was extended to address the long-term needs of children and women in developing countries everywhere. In 1953 it became a permanent part of the 51³Ô¹Ï system, and the words "international" and "emergency" were dropped from the organization's name. Throughout its history,  UNICEF continues to work to promote the rights and well-being of children everywhere.