UNICEF appoints Singer Nahid Afrin as first Youth Advocate of NE region to fight for child rights

United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has appointed popular singer Nahid Afrin (17) of Assam as the first ‘Youth Advocate’ of the northeastern region to fight for child rights. UNICEF engages ‘Youth Advocates’ to harness their voice as agents of change in society. Nahid had made her playback debut in 2016 Bollywood film ‘Akira’ starring Sonakshi Sinha in the lead. She received best female playback singer award at the Assam state Film Award 2018.

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Formerly known as United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund is special program of UN devoted to aiding national efforts to improve the health, nutrition, education, and general welfare of children. It was created in 1946 to provide relief to children in countries devastated by World War II. It is headquartered in New York City.
After 1950, it directed its efforts toward general programs for improvement of children’s welfare, particularly in less-developed countries and various emergency situations. Its broader mission was reflected in present name adopted in 1953. It was awarded Nobel Prize for Peace in 1965.
Since 1996 UNICEF programs have been guided by Convention on Rights of the Child (1989), which affirms right of all children to enjoyment of highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.
Much of UNICEF’s efforts are concentrated in areas in which relatively small expenditures, but have significant impact on lives of the most disadvantaged children, such as the prevention and treatment of disease. Its activities are financed by both government and private contributions. It supports immunization programs for childhood diseases and programs to prevent spread of HIV/AIDS. It also provides funding for health services, educational facilities and other welfare services.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2018