We believe that raising and caring for children is the cornerstone of human development. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) was created to achieve this goal-to cooperate with other institutions to overcome the obstacles to children's growth caused by poverty, violence, disease and discrimination. We believe that we can work together to advance this humanitarian cause.
We support all measures to provide children with the best start in life, because getting proper care at an early age can lay the most solid foundation for a person's future.
We advocate girls' education-ensuring that they complete at least primary education-because it will benefit all children, both boys and girls. Educated girls will grow up to be smarter, become good citizens and responsible mothers who take care of their children.
We strive to immunize all children against common diseases of children, so that they can get adequate nutrition, because it is wrong to let a child suffer from preventable diseases or die of preventable diseases.
We strive to prevent the spread of AIDS among young people, because it is right to protect them from harm and give them the ability to protect others. We help children and families affected by AIDS to live a dignified life again.
We need everyone's participation to create an environment to protect children. We are always ready to help children alleviate their suffering in emergencies and wherever they are threatened, because no child should be subjected to violence, abuse or exploitation.
UNICEF supports the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We strive to ensure that people who are discriminated against, especially girls and women, are treated equally. We are working hard to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and the commitments in the Charter of the United Nations. We strive for peace and security and try to encourage everyone to be responsible for the commitments made by children.
We are part of the global children's movement, a broad alliance dedicated to improving children's lives. We encourage young people to speak freely and participate in decisions that affect their lives through activities such as sports and the special session of the United Nations General Assembly on children.
We work in more than 90 countries and regions through the national plan and the national committee. We are the United Nations Children's Fund.
UNICEF is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from governments, individuals, enterprises and other foundations. Among them, one-third of the funds come from private enterprises every year. All funds raised in China will be used for UNICEF projects in China.
UNICEF has 37 national committees, which are mainly responsible for publicity and fund-raising in developed countries and regions. These national committees raise funds for charity, organize social activities, set up information databases, hold seminars and raise funds through direct mail and greeting card sales, with the aim of raising public awareness and making them better aware of the challenges facing developing countries.