Global support
How UNICEF supports humanitarian action for children around the world.
Country-level humanitarian action is supported by a global architecture made up of UNICEF’s seven regional offices and headquarters divisions. These offices provide the core infrastructure to support field preparedness and response to save lives, protect rights, reduce vulnerabilities to disasters and conflicts, support global and country coordination mechanisms and promote humanitarian partnerships.
UNICEF’s global support is coordinated by the Office of Emergency Programmes (EMOPS), the focal point for emergency preparedness and response, humanitarian policies, staff security and support to UNICEF's regional and country offices, as well as strategic coordination with external humanitarian partners both within and outside the United Nations system.
EMOPS leads efforts to ensure that UNICEF’s role in humanitarian crises is clearly defined, that the organization is properly equipped to fulfill that role, and that all levels of the organization are prepared to ensure the rights of all children including those affected by humanitarian crises. The division also coordinates headquarters support to country and regional offices dealing with emergencies. HQ divisions, along with EMOPS, provide the core infrastructure to support field preparedness and response to save lives, protect rights, reduce vulnerabilities to disasters and conflicts, support global and country coordination mechanisms, promote humanitarian partnerships and ensure the safety of personnel and assets.
24/7 support
The UNICEF Office of Emergency Programmes coordinates the organization’s global support for humanitarian action, including through a security team and the 24/7 Operations Centre (OPSCEN), OPSCEN monitors humanitarian crises, political events and security-related incidents around the world with a view to ensuring the safety of staff and providing both field offices and senior decision-makers with critical information related to humanitarian emergencies. The division is located in both New York and Geneva, which allows for systematic and strategic engagement with humanitarian partners and sister United Nations agencies.
2024 requirements
In 2024, this support will cost US$112 million. UNICEF will cover 34 per cent of this cost through its core resources and will require US$73.7 million in flexible and multi-year funding to cover the remaining needs.
UNICEF Global Support includes four major components:
View pages in more detail in the Humanitarian Action for Children 2024 Overview.