UNICEF Day: December 11

December 11, 2020

Every year, UNICEF Day is observed on December 11 by the United Nations. The UNICEF day is celebrated on December 11 because the United Nations General Assembly created UNICEF on December 11, 1946. UNICEF stands for United Nations International Children Emergency Fund. It was started in order to provide assistance, supplies and improve health, education, nutrition of children after World War II.

Background

The organisation was originally named UNICEF, that is, United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. However, in 1953 the words International and emergency were removed from its name by the United Nations. But still the acronym continued to exist.

UN adopted Declaration of the Rights of Child on November 20, 1959. It also adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child on November 20, 1989 and is guided by this convention. Due to these reasons November 20 is observed as Universal Children’s Day or World Children’s Day. The day is celebrated by UNICEF in order to promote international togetherness and awareness in child development.

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories. It aims to save lives of children, defend their rights and help them fulfil their potential.

It was awarded the Nobel Prize for peace in 1965. The work of UNICEF includes child Protection, child environment, child development and nutrition, education, polio eradication, children and age, reproductive and Child Health, advocacy and partnership, emergency preparedness and response, etc.

Report prepared by UNICEF

The UNICEF releases the State of World Children Report. According to the state of world children report, 2019, at least one in three children under five is overweight or undernourished. The report also says that at least one in two children suffer from hidden hunger. The three main concerns that threaten the survival and growth of children are undernutrition, overweight and hidden hunger. They are called the triple burden of malnutrition.

The major causes of triple burden of malnutrition are globalisation, in equities, urbanization, humanitarian crisis and climate shocks.