Spain signs an agreement with UNICEF to attend to the needs of Spanish children

In New York in 1954 an agreement between Spain and UNICEF was signed to meet the needs of children in our country. This agreement, the seed of what is now UNICEF España, led to the arrival of more than 300 kilos of powdered milk between 1954 and 1968. It also set up programmes to take care of preterm infants, to fight against trachoma and syphilis, and to rehabilitate children with disabilities. In 1961, at the instigation of a group of people, the first meeting of Asociación de Amigos de UNICEF (Association of friends of UNICEF) took place in Carmen Pardo Valcarce’s house; she was one of the pioneers of the project together with Juan Bosch Marín, a doctor from Valencia. The following objectives for the organisation in Spain were established: to raise awareness of UNICEF’s work and to contribute to solving children’s problems. In the early 70s Spain stopped being a country which received aid and became one of the main donors. Currently, the Fundación UNICEF España operates, like the other National Committees, on the basis of a Recognition Agreement signed with UNICEF and which is renewed periodically. There are three basic objectives: to raise awareness of children’s rights, publicising knowledge of the Children’s Rights Convention (1989); to have a political impact; and to raise money for financing projects in on-site offices.