A Moment to Think of Others...

New Year is a time for reflection, so let's pause for a moment and think of those less fortunate than ourselves, and look in particular at UNICEF's international campaigns for children.  UNICEF is a world organisation acting to promote the interests of children and try to improve the world into which they have been born.

UNICEF operates in developed and developing countries across the world, and have different campaigns in each country.  At an international level, they have five areas of focus:-

• Child survival and development: children across the world suffer huge inequality, UNICEF would like all children to be offered access to medicine and basic healthcare, water, nutritious food and adequate sanitation
• Basic education and gender equality: UNICEF state that education is a fundamental human right, they are pushing for rights-based education for girls and boys throughout the world.  A rights-based education will help alleviate deep-rooted inequalities that persist in many societies, both developed and developing
• HIV/AIDS and children: A child dies of AIDS every two minutes, hundreds of thousands of children under the age of 15 need treatment for AIDS, AIDS is preventable and treatable; UNICEF wants to prevent new cases of AIDS, prevent mother-to-child transmission, provide treatment to children suffering AIDS and provide protection, care and support for children orphaned by AIDS
• Child protection: Millions of children throughout the world are subjected to violence, exploitation and abuse, including terrible forms of child labour; UNICEF advocates creating a protective environment, in partnership with national governments, to protect children from the worst abuses as they grow up
• Policy advocacy and partnerships: UNICEF works with policy makers, national governments, lawmakers and the media worldwide, they wish to research issues affecting children and work with policy makers to push for regulatory frameworks to enhance the lives of children across the globe

Let's spare a thought for those growing up in the same world that we grew up in, but in unimaginable circumstances.  Let's support the work of UNICEF and other children's charities in the hope that one day, their ambitious but respectable goals might be reached.  Find out more on UNICEF's international focus areas.