Getting to Know International Organizations: Part 1

The website I chose to explore was UNICEF, an acronym standing for the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund.  UNICEF was established in 1946 and the initial intent was to meet the emergency needs of children in post-war Europe and China but has expanded to help meet the needs of children in over 190 countries. 

So far, I have learned that UNICEF has six different focus areas, which are:

·      Child protection and inclusion:  gender equality, children with disabilities, environment and climate change and social inclusion

·      Child survival:  HIV/AIDS, nutrition, immunizations, health

·      Education:  gender equality, emergencies and other humanitarian action, innovation in education

·      Emergency response

·      Gender equality

·      Research and analysis:  learning and knowledge exchange

Through the UNICEF website, I have learned that the organization works to prevent and reverse the effects of poverty.  While most adults can recover from poverty, as its effects can impact children for their entire lifetime.  Naturally, they will not get a second chance at a healthy start in life and if they fall into poverty in their early years, it is likely to be passed on to future generations.

I chose to review the Save the Children website (savethechildren.org) because of the wide range of services that they provide to and for children all over the world.  They are involved in the health initiatives, from HIV and AIDS prevention programs and adolescent sexual reproductive health intervention services, to disaster response and education.  In the United States, they offer assistance in school readiness and success, literacy, healthy eating choices and policy changes.  This organization serves over 157 million children in 120 countries.

Their website sums up their mission quite well:  No matter the challenge, we always put children first in everything we do.  Ensuring their safety and well being is a promise we make to them and our supporters alike.

I have decided to study the Harlem Children’s Zone website.  Harlem has such a rich history but the economy was not thriving for several reasons.  I was excited to see a website devoted to the care of the children in Harlem and I look forward to seeing how the foundation reaches out to the community to serve young children.