Challenge and Change in Society: The Case of UNICEF - Essay Example

World Issue and Human Society: The Case of UNICEF The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is one of the oldest and largest international programs designed to improve the standard of living and protect the human rights of children around the world. Today it is known as the United Nation's Children's Fund, but still maintains the acronym of UNICEF. It is a high quality organization that exemplifies the critical characteristics of leadership. UNICEF was formed in 1946 following the aftermath of World War II. The War had left countless children in Europe facing hardship, famine, and disease. The organization was created to provide swift and emergency relief for the clothing and medical needs of the children of Europe. In the period of 1946-1950 UNICEF spent $112 million to provide "articles of clothing to five million children in twelve countries, vaccinated eight million against tuberculosis, rebuilt milk processing and distribution facilities, and [. . .] provided a daily supplementary meal to millions of children" (Haberman, 1972). Though the initial mandate of the program was for immediate and emergency aid, the organization has expanded to provide a wide range of diverse and long-term projects. The purpose of the United Nation's mandate is stated in UNICEF's mission statement which says it is to, "advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential" (About UNICEF: Who we are, n.d.). UNICEF has moved beyond emergency relief and into the areas of pro-active medical and educational needs. Its long-term and rapid response efforts are designed to help disadvantaged children that are the victims of poverty, violence, exploitation, and war. Many of their programs are gender specific as they fight for equal rights for girls and women. One of the goals of UNICEF is to promote girls' "full participation in the political, social, and economic development of their communities (About UNICEF: Who we are, n.d.). The numerous programs implemented by UNICEF have at their core the goal of improving the lives of children everywhere in the world. The motivation behind UNICEF lies in their belief in the principle that all children have civil and human rights that need protected. The Convention on the Human Rights of Children (CRC) is a widely ratified treaty that provides the protection of "civil rights and freedoms, family environment, basic health and welfare, education, leisure and cultural activitiesand special protection measures" (Why we do it: Children have rights, n.d.). UNICEF is driven by a philosophy that children not only deserve the basic protection of human rights, but the best way to change the world is to improve the condition of the children which will be tomorrow's adults. In their efforts to raise the standard of living for children UNICEF has programs that are implemented in 190 countries including most of the industrialized world. As an example of their international efforts is the recently launched program to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in eight countries in Western and Southern Africa and India (UNICEF, UNITAID, 2007). The PMTCT initiative works in partnership with UNITAID, a World Health Organization (WHO) effort whose mission is to provide "long-term, sustainable and predictable funding to increase access and reduce prices of quality drugs and diagnostics for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis in developing countries" (What is UNITAID, 2007). In the United States the United State's Fund for UNICEF has raised over $1.6 billion to "promote the survival, protection, and development of all children worldwide through fundraising, advocacy, and education (United States Fund for UNICEF, 2008). Because the United States is a leading voice in the United Nations UNICEF has looked to the American citizens for support and advocacy. The activities of UNICEF in the United States have not been without controversy. During the Cold War standoff between the US and the USSR the American public was sensitive to donations to an organization that was funding projects in communist countries. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) even "attacked UNICEF Christmas cards, which it claimed were part of a broader communist plan to destroy religious beliefs and customs" (Top ten most embarrassing moment, n.d.). More recently UNICEF has come under criticism for allegedly financing terrorist organizations. Dave Kopel (2007), research director of the Independence Institute, in Golden, Colorado, contends that "UNICEF has been a major financier of Palestinian "summer camps" which encourage children to become suicide bombers". In addition Kopel (2007) states that UNICEF has funded propaganda produced by Sadaam Hussein's regime as well as terrorist propaganda used in Palestinian Youth schools, which is heavily critical of Israel. UNICEF's long history of success has been accomplished by the carefully balancing global politics and the needs of the world's children. The children who are the recipients of UNICEF aid usually find themselves in a critical situation due to poverty. It is because of this commonality that many of UNICEF's programs are aimed at reducing or eliminating poverty. UNICEF states that their reason for fighting child poverty is because, "Spending on a child's health, nutrition, education, and social, emotional and cognitive development [. . .] is also an investment in a healthier, more literate and, ultimately, more productive population" (Why we do it: Poverty reduction starts with children, n.d.). Nutrition programs and medical services promoted by UNICEF are aimed at producing a healthier generation of children as they grow into adulthood. Poverty is often closely linked with education and is perpetuated across generations. According to UNICEF children are denied education because, "families may have difficulty affording school fees or the cost of uniforms, or may need children to work to contribute to the family income" (Fact Sheet, n.d.). Escaping poverty can help a child break the cycle of under-education and education can break the cycle of poverty. In addition, there is a large gender gap in education in many parts of the world. UNICEF claims that 64 percent of the illiterate population of the world are women (Fact Sheet, n.d.). In response to this statistic, UNICEF is focusing its educational efforts on 25 specific countries in Africa and South Asia where cultural traditions have denied education to females (Fact Sheet, n.d.). These programs can result in reducing poverty, improving education, and protecting the rights of girls. UNICEF's diverse programs are totally funded by their fundraising efforts and are derived entirely from voluntary contributions (UNICEF, 2007, p.35). It should be noted that UNICEF receives none of its funding from the United Nations' budget and 96 percent of the donations go directly to fund projects with only 4 percent used to cover administrative costs (UNICEF "Champions for Children" program, 2007). In 2006 UNICEF raised $2.78 billion to be used in their goal of helping the children of the world. The largest contributing country was the United States, which contributed nearly $350 million (UNICEF, 2007, p.38). These contributions are earmarked as 'regular', which can be used for any purpose, and 'other' which are designated for a specific purpose. In addition, UNICEF raises money to deal with emergency situations such as war or natural disasters. Figure 1 shows a breakdown of UNICEF's income by source. Figure 1 (UNICEF, 2007, p.35) An example of a program that is labeled an emergency effort, that has funding that is restricted to a single purpose, was the fundraising campaign in the wake of the Tsunami's devastation in Sri Lanka. In this case there were a series of advertisements in which celebrities "..suggested that UNICEF best understood the plight of Asia's tsunami child victims. The viewer of the fundraising ad was invited to visit the organization's tsunami website" (Rajagham-Seanayake, 2005, p.111). These funds were earmarked to aid the estimated 1,000 children of Sri Lanka that had lost both parents in the Tsunami. While the Tsunami aid that was earmarked for Sri Lanka was viewed as a valid donation and a worthy cause, it came under intense scrutiny and some criticism. Critics contended that the situation in Sri Lanka was grossly exaggerated and contended that few of the 1,000 victims actually required any aid. Most of the children had extended families that had been cultivated through their Asian culture. By the time the aid was disbursed, few of the victims remained homeless. This was one of the few efforts by UNICEF that has been labeled as a failure. UNICEF is almost exclusively manned by a staff of volunteer workers, with a minimal staff of professional administrators. UNICEF is comprised of over 7,000 volunteer workers of which 90 percent reside in the country where the programs are administered (UNICEF "Champions for Children" program, 2007). In the United States the volunteers typically work in one of the three areas of education, advocacy, or fundraising. Educational volunteers "educate themselves and their communities about UNICEF's child survival work" (Volunteer, 2008). Many of the volunteers come from a background that has generated an interest in child welfare, children's health, and education. Because government grants fund a significant portion of UNICEF's budgetary requirements, UNICEF needs volunteers to advocate on their behalf. Volunteers are needed to contact government officials and make the case for supporting UNICEF's programs (Volunteer, 2008). Fundraising is an area that volunteers can give the organization the critical support that it needs. "Volunteers host fundraising events, participate in the Tap Project, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEFCampaign, and raise funds online" (Volunteers, 2008). These volunteer positions can easily be obtained through UNICEFUSA's online volunteer center. In addition to the professional staff and volunteer workers, UNICEF has a committed board of International Goodwill Ambassadors. The list of Ambassadors include soccer star David Beckman, comedienne Whoopi Goldberg, actress Susan Sarandon, and singer Judy Collins (UNICEF, 2007, p.35). These celebrities are able to reach the public and help focus the world's attention on the plight of children. UNICEF has no official affiliation with any government, religion, or political organization. It is almost totally volunteer based in both funding and manpower. However, they do partner with organizations around the world to maximize their efforts through the synergistic process. As an example, UNICEF has "..collaborated with think tanks and leading universities, including Maastricht University (the Netherlands), for cutting-edge information in policy analysis" (UNICEF, 2007, p.32). The World Bank collaborated with UNICEF to get training for 103 staff members in a course titled 'Marginal Budgeting for Bottlenecks' aimed at increasing their effectiveness in the areas of nutrition and health (UNICEF, 2007, p.32). In addition, corporations around the world partner with UNICEF to encourage individual funding within their organizations (UNICEF, 2007, p.29). The London School of Economics, Oxford University, the Economic Policy Research Institute and Institute for Democracy in South Africa, and other international educational institutions have taken on the task of educating and improving the skills of UNICEF's staff (UNICEF, 2007, p.32). In addition, UNICEF partners with organizations within the UN to maximize their resources and administer their programs. They also team up with local relief organizations in the area that they are currently working in. An example of a typical UNICEF program is one that is fighting malaria in Sierra Leone. Under the program, "nurses across Sierra Leone are handing out free nets to pregnant women and children under five - the two groups most at risk" (Lee, 2007). Malaria has become an important issue in Sierra Leone where Dr. Samuel Smith, a District Medical Officer says, "Malaria is responsible for the largest number of outpatient cases in our hospitals and community clinics. It is also responsible for the highest number of deaths of under-fives" (as cited in Lee, 2007). A major obstacle to providing the needed medical care is poverty. Lee reports that, "Most people know that malaria is spread by mosquitoes but few have the resources to shield themselves from the threat" (Lee, 2007). Even the simplest preventative measures are unaffordable to the average resident whose life has been ravaged by war and decades of underdevelopment. Lee (2007) says that, "most families simply accept malaria as a potentially tragic part of everyday life". The simple and inexpensive action of providing mosquito nets is a major step toward reducing the incidence of malaria in children under five years of age. Though the efforts in Sierra Leone can be considered a success even if only one child is saved, the project continually confronts the face of human suffering. A typical story involves the average child such as Rachel. Lee (2007) reports on her personal tragedy. "Lying motionless on her tiny hospital bed, Rachel Fornah, 3, is barely breathing. Her unfocussed eyes appear to see nothing - not the nurse injecting more medicine into the tube attached to her head, nor her mother anxiously stroking her outstretched hand". Her mother says that she has already lost one child to malaria and the doctors fear for the worst as Rachel has the most deadly form of the disease. Still, UNICEF's efforts continue to provide the needed help to the children of Sierra Leone. A project that is similar to the Sierra Leone malaria effort is the Gates' Foundation drive to eliminate malaria on the African continent. Like UNICEF, the Gates Foundation is funded by private donations. While it provides for the distribution of mosquito nets, it also funds programs to develop and disburse new vaccines and treatments (Malaria, 2007). Another international program aimed at malaria is the World Health Organization's Global Malaria Programme (GMP). The GMP focuses on "malaria surveillance, monitoring and evaluation, policy and strategy formulation, technical assistance, and coordination of WHO's global efforts to fight malaria" (Global Malaria Programme (GMP), 2007). The WHO is the public health arm of the United Nations and receives its funding from the UN's budget. The efforts of UNICEF exemplify the leadership characteristics of excellence and cooperation. Their excellence is demonstrated in the 96 percent return rate of their funding. Almost all of their money is used directly on the victims. Compared to other charities and NGOs, this is a remarkable figure. In addition, their programs reach out to the people who are least able to help themselves, the children. By creating a better, brighter, and healthier class of children UNICEF is improving the quality of life for all living people. Cooperation is evident everywhere you look in UNICEF. It begins with the cooperation of volunteers, who are probably local residents and familiar with the problem at hand. In addition, UNICEF has been successful in gaining the cooperation of celebrities, private business, and institutions in a position to help. This exemplifies my personal belief that everyone in a position to help owes the world an act of generosity. Individuals should reach out and help worthy causes through donations or volunteering time. Organizations should take the socially responsible position of providing funding, facilities, and resources to raise the quality of life for the global community. In conclusion, UNICEF is one of the most efficient and effective organizations in the world. By focusing their efforts on children, they have confronted the root of the problem. Their efforts have been successful at breaking the cycle of poverty around the world. Poverty, at the core of most social ills, is reduced by improving education. UNICEF has been able to impact education and has been pro-active at reducing the gender gap. UNICEF has been successful without any affiliation to any other organization. They are true examples of excellence in leadership qualities. They are honest, excellent, and excel in the area of cooperation. References About UNICEF: Who we are (n.d.). Retrieved January 8, 2008, from http://www.unicef.org/about/who/index_mission.html Fact sheet (n.d.). Retrieved January 8, 2008, from http://www.unicef.org/voy/explore/education/explore_166.html Global Malaria Programme (GMP) (2007). Retrieved January 9, 2008, from http://www.who.int/malaria/ Haberman, F. (Ed.). (1972). Nobel lectures: Peace 1951-1970. Amsterdam: Elsevier Publishing Company. Kopel, D. (2007, October 26). Tricked by UNICEF: Financing of Palestinian terrorism makes for one scary Halloween. National Review. Retrieved January 8, 2008, from http://article.nationalreview.com/print/q=ZjczNGRkZDliNGQ5NWQzZTM3NmIyOTU5Mzk2N2QyY2Y= Lee, R. (2007, April 25). For children in Sierra Leone, poverty and malaria are a deadly combination. Retrieved January 9, 2008, from http://www.unicef.org/health/sierraleone_39463.html Malaria (2007). Retrieved January 9, 2008, from http://www.gatesfoundation.org/GlobalHealth/Pri_Diseases/Malaria/ Rajagham-Seanayake, D. (2005). Sri Lanka and the violence of reconstruction. Development, 48(3), 111-120. Top ten most embarrassing moment in the history of the textbook. n.d. . Stay Free, 18. Retrieved January 8, 2008, from http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/electronic-publications/stay-free/archives/18/topten.html UNICEF. (2007). Annual Report. New York. pp.1-46 UNICEF "Champions for Children" program (2007). Retrieved January 9, 2008, from http://www.airlineamb.org/TopLevel/3_Programs/champions4children_AAI.html UNICEF, UNITAID team up to prevent HIV infection in newborns (2007, November 30). Retrieved January 8, 2008, from http://www.unicef.org/media/media_41985.html United States Fund for UNICEF (2008). Retrieved January 8, 2008, from http://www.guidestar.org/pqShowGsReport.donpoId=164959&partner=justgive Volunteer (2008). Retrieved January 9, 2008, from http://www.unicefusa.org/site/c.duLRI8O0H/b.25937/k.C882/Volunteer__US_Fund_for_UNICEF.htm What is UNITAID (2007). Retrieved January 8, 2008, from http://www.unitaid.eu/ Why we do it: Children have rights (n.d.). Retrieved January 8, 2008, from http://www.unicef.org/why/why_rights.html Why we do it: Poverty reduction starts with children (n.d.). Retrieved January 8, 2008, from http://www.unicef.org/why/why_poverty.html Read More