$ 0There are eight different UN programs and funds, which are financed through voluntary contributions rather than assessed contributions. Here, we want to present two of them:
UNICEF:
Seeing the devastation to Europe following the Second World War, the UN General Assembly created the UN International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in 1946 to care for the needs of children in the post-conflict situation. Though it originally was intended to be a short-term program, in 1950, the UN decided to extend the mandate of UNICEF permanently, and in doing so, shortened its name to the UN Children’s Fund (still called UNICEF). UNICEF works to promote the welfare of children, including efforts in the areas of child health, education, and protection. One of its guiding documents is the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is the most widely accepted human rights treaty in history.
UNHCR:
Similar to UNICEF, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was originally created to last only three years and address the problem of European refugees following World War II. However, as different conflicts around the world continued to create refugees, the mandate of the UNHCR was continually renewed. Today, UNHCR claims more than 7,000 personnel working in 123 countries, participating in a wide range of operational activities including legal protection, public affairs, logistics, and health. The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees defines what a refugee is and what rights are accorded to them. While the UNHCR primarily works to safeguard these rights, its work also extends to reach internally displaced people who have been forced to move within their own country, and promoting the skills of refugees supporting themselves.