Coordination and shared use of community resources are vital to resolving regional, national, and global health issues. Nurses work passionately and advocate for the rights of patients delivering about 90% of all global health care services (Kingma, 2018). This paper examines the roles of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), a global nonprofit agency, contributing to public health and enhancing safety, encouraging equal opportunity, and improving the quality of life. The paper details how UNICEF's mission and vision help in delivering its mandate, its capability in fostering equal opportunity, improvement of the quality of life, and factors that affect its operations. The paper discusses UNICEF's work outcomes, effects of funding sources, policy and legislation, and nurses' involvement with UNICEF.
UNICEF works in over 190 nations worldwide to protect children's rights, help them meet their basic needs and expand opportunities to help them reach their full potential, (World Health Organization; UNICEF, 2020). The mission and vision of UNICEF rely on the premise that children are the foundations of human advancement. Amid various global issues and challenges, it's difficult for any organization to solve all the problems. UNICEF's mission and vision, guide its strategic planning, innovations, collaborations, and initiatives towards better global health and safety. Consequently, UNICEF focuses on strengthening health systems for all children, adolescents, and women of reproductive age to access affordable, quality healthcare.
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The mission and vision of UNICEF guide several of its activities. The organization works towards zero preventable maternal, newborns, and child deaths. UNICEF has initiatives on child health conditions such as providing promotive, preventive & curative services for diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria, and immunization programs. UNICEF is committed to the health and well-being of children and adolescents. UNICEF supports national health plans on the improvement of age-specific health services for children, adolescent health and well-being, combating non-communicable diseases, prevention of injuries, and enhancement of support for children with developmental disabilities. UNICEF strengthens health systems by supporting primary healthcare at community levels in achieving universal health coverage (Meier et al., 2018). Finally, UNICEF handles health challenges in emergencies and humanitarian settings such as areas affected by natural disasters, conflicts, urbanization, political instability, migration, and economic instability.
There are several examples of initiatives that support UNICEF's mission and vision towards promoting public health and safety. The Rwanda child survival initiative includes emergency distribution of impregnated malaria nets in Nyagatare and Gatsibo districts to save lives of children and women (over 140,000 women and children in 85000 households), (World Health Organization & UNICEF, 2020). The initiative has a national hygiene and sanitation health campaign to enhance the population's health.
Child-Friendly Cities Initiatives (CFCI), led by UNICEF, supports municipal governments to achieve children's rights at local levels. CFCI works by coordinating governments and stakeholders such as civil society groups, academia, media, private sectors, and children in making decisions and taking actions to make cities healthy habitats through the creation of democratic societies and good governance. The CFCI initiative is currently in over 45 countries, Colombia, Germany, Iran, Andorra, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Senegal, and others.
Evaluation of UNICEF
UNICEF's ability to promote equal opportunity and enhance the community's quality of life determines its success rate and achievement (Jack & Jackson, 2016). UNICEF trains health care workers, social workers, and volunteers. This workforce is very crucial in executing community health programs in the world's hardest-to-reach children and mothers. The training ensures that the workers have the necessary skills to work. For instance, in the wake of the Covid-19 virus, these social workers, volunteers, and health care workers are spearheading vital promotive, preventive and responsive roles in communities worldwide, (Navarro, 2020). These workers are helping to slow down and stop the spread of the virus at low costs and places that would be otherwise difficult for UNICEF to reach.
UNICEF's global presence in over 190 countries is a significant advantage to its operational capacity boost. The organization leverages its global presence to globally enhance the quality of life for the highest number of children, adolescents, and women of reproductive age. UNICEF works with governments, communities, and other stakeholders to design policies and engage in activities that create robust, resilient, and inclusive health systems for children to survive and thrive.
Dependence on global voluntary funding. Since UNICEF depends solely on voluntary contributions, the amounts of funds received are dependent on what the contributors give. If the contributors don't support specific UNICEF programs such as children's immunizations, due to their cultural beliefs, it could make them reduce the contributions they give to UNICEF. In cases of economic decline, there will be a subsequent decline in funding and reduction in UNICEF's initiatives. UNICEF's financial capabilities depend on the ability and willingness of the contributors influenced by their social realities, economic statuses, and cultural practices.
Effects of Funding Sources, Policy, and Legislation on UNICEF
UNICEF has an 88.9 expense ratio, implying that 88.9 cents of every dollar spent go directly to helping children (Keeley & Little, 2017). UNICEF depends on the voluntary contributions of governments, foundations, private individuals, corporations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for funding. The generosity and financial capabilities of the contributors determine the funds. Fluctuations in incomes and economic changes and variations in socio-cultural norms affect the willingness and abilities of the contributors. A decline could mean a reduction in UNICEF's ability to promote equal opportunity and enhance the quality of life for children, adolescents, and reproductive-age women. Conversely, if the governments, NGOs, companies, and individuals have and give more funds to UNICEF, it will execute more activities to benefit children, adolescents, and women of reproductive age.
Policies and legislation by governments and the appropriate institutions have a significant effect on UNICEF's delivery of services. Some of the critical challenges that UNICEF faces are low school enrollment and completion, health problems, malnutrition, and violence, most of which exist as a result of poverty (Unicef, 2020). Government legislation and policies determine whether UNICEF better achieves its goals or has problems. For instance, countries that have abortion-tolerant laws will lead to some women aborting. Abortion goes against what UNICEF stands for in ensuring children are born well and live with their families under proper care and love. Conversely, policies and legislation that create jobs, increase the minimum wage, support equitable pay, promote balanced work schedules, and promote high-quality child education, will help UNICEF fulfill its vision and mission.
Impacts of UNICEF's Work and Involvement of Nurses
UNICEF's over 70 years of existence and presence in over 190 nations have made undeniable health impacts on communities globally. Notably, UNICEF has surpassed all other humanitarian organizations in the world in aiding saving of children's lives in the world, (Keeley & Little, 2017). UNICEF supports the delivery of live births by availing skilled birth attendants in health facilities. UNICEF reaches adolescent girls with incentives for choosing alternatives to child marriage. The organization supports millions of children in accessing education in emergencies, provides millions of children with learning materials, and responds to emergencies globally. UNICEF provides improved sanitation to millions of people by activities such as promoting the building of toilets to create healthier environments. UNICEF treats millions of children in emergency, severe acute malnutrition situations. The organization sends nutritionists to screen the affected, trucks safe drinking water and distributes life-saving nutrition supplies for children.
According to Kingma (2018), nurses work with UNICEF as volunteers, interns, and as specialists in areas such as communication development, teaching/training, monitoring & evaluation, consultancy, protocol, and management on various capacities. Nurses at UNICEF are especially crucial in disaster response, nurse practitioner work, rural and remote nursing, HIV-AIDS care, pediatric care, and nursing education.
Conclusion
UNICEF's positive contribution to public health and enhancement of safety, promotion of equal opportunity, and improvement of life quality are irrefutable. UNICEF's mission and vision guide its decision-making, actions, and focus. UNICEF's ability to achieve its objectives is dependent on the generosity of contributors, legislation, and policies by the communities/nations it serves. UNICEF has achieved significant milestones by helping save the lives of millions of children, preventing early marriages, and averting malnutrition. Nurses can use their knowledge, skills, and abilities at UNICEF through volunteering, offering consultancy services, and working as practitioners in areas of their specialty.
References
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Keeley, B., & Little, C. (2017). The State of the Worlds Children 2017: Children in a Digital World. UNICEF. New York. NY 10017: 3 United Nations Plaza.
Kingma, M. (2018). Nurses on the move: Migration and the global health care economy. Cornell University Press.
Meier, B. M., Motlagh, M., & Kumanan, R. (2018). The United Nations Children’s Fund. Human Rights in Global Health: Rights-Based Governance for a Globalizing World , 179.
Navarro, V. (2020). Neoliberalism, globalization, and inequalities: Consequences for health and quality of life. Routledge.
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