UNICEF is the United Nations children's fund. UNICEF wants to improve living conditions for children across the world and to promote their rights. In developing countries, UNICEF has implemented development programmes and, where necessary, emergency relief operations.
In order to be able to provide a more structural contribution to the rights of children worldwide, the Government of Flanders concluded a cooperation agreement with UNICEF in 2011. The Government contributes EUR 750,000 to the functioning of UNICEF on an annual basis. Of this, one third goes towards the general operation of UNICEF, and the remaining EUR 500,000 are used to help fund child protection programmes in Malawi and Mozambique. By focusing on this UNICEF thematic priority, Flanders wants to help with the issue of forced child marriages, a common practice in South Africa.