The United Nations creates the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF

Following World War Two, thousands of children in Europe died of hunger and cold before their first birthday. With the aim of providing them with emergency aid, the UN created UNICEF, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund in 1946 at the First Session of its General Assembly. This fund arose with the aim of establishing urgent programmes for children and adolescents in countries affected by the war, and of generally protecting health. Aid was distributed to all children, with no kind of discrimination. In 1950, once Europe had recovered and when some countries believed UNICEF’s mission to have finished, The UN General Assembly extended its mandate to «meet the emergency and long-term needs of children particularly in less developed countries». In 1953 UNICEF became a permanent organism of the United Nations System, and was known as the United Nations Fund for Children. Over the following years, its mandate widened to include education and professional training programmes, which meant that UNICEF consolidated into the international organisation with practical experience in situ. Currently, UNICEF works in 190 countries through different programmes and National Committees to guarantee compliance with children and adolescents’ rights, promoting their wellbeing and opportunities for development.