Partnerships for children
Who we work with
Meeting the demands of development in South Africa requires strong partnerships with a multiplicity of actors. UNICEF works with partners at all levels of society to ensure that children in South Africa are afforded the best chance to grow up educated, healthy and protected.
With national and international development partners, UNICEF forges alliances to improve the mechanisms of development assistance while leveraging resources for the benefit of children and women.
At the national level, UNICEF supports the Government in developing national policies, programmes and plans of action that are child-focused and gender-responsive.
To assist with the implementation of plans and programmes, UNICEF works with various national and international organisations and foundations.
The valued partnerships that UNICEF has with the private sector, academic and research institutions, civil society organisations, community leaders and celebrity advocates – underlined by a shared commitment to achieving change for children – are fundamental to the impact of our work.
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Our programme partners
UNICEF supports the South African Government in building a strategic response to the challenges faced by children in the areas of health, education and protection. We work closely with the National and Provincial Departments of Health, Basic Education, Social Development and the Department for Women, Youth and People with Disabilities. Additionally, we also work with Statistics South Africa and the National Prosecuting Authority.
To assist with the implementation of plans and programmes, UNICEF partners with several non-governmental organisations and bodies such as the National Child Care and Protection Forum, The Nelson Mandela Foundation, the South African Council of Faith-based Organisations, The Jim Joel Foundation, Save the Children, UNFPA and UNAIDS.
We also work with academic and research institutions to assist with child-focused research and the development of concrete evidence to inform advocacy and policy dialogue. The Human Sciences Research Council, the Medical Research Council and the Universities of Limpopo, Cape Town and Stellenbosch are our key partners in this endeavour. These partnerships contribute to the generation of child-centred statistics that can be used to monitor programmes to ensure they reach the most deprived children and women.
Learn more about What we do
Our corporate and foundation partners
We strongly believe in the power of corporate engagement and collaborative efforts to advance the rights and the development of every child. We work closely with multinational corporations, national companies and small-to-medium-sized businesses to identify, design and implement alliances that leverage the strengths of the corporate sector on behalf of the world’s children.
In turn, we support companies that aim to strengthen their commitment towards a positive contribution to the world’s communities and the environment in which they live. We provide support to the corporate sector to achieve their corporate social responsibilities, commitments to children and business objectives.
We are especially proud of UNICEF's CEO Network, a group of industry leaders within the South African private sector, whose joint action has recorded major successes for children.
Join the CEO Network or find out more.
Ambassadors and advocates
UNICEF works with numerous high-profile personalities to raise awareness around children’s issues and the work of the organisation, at a national and a global level.
The organisation has, over many decades, tasked prominent personalities in the fields of music, television, sport, film and many other industries to use their popularity to highlight issues that are relevant to the safety and well-being of all children.
Those that accept these responsibilities convened by UNICEF, are then appointed as either Ambassadors or Celebrity Advocates.
These high-profile individuals, with the guidance and support of UNICEF offices in various parts of the world, assist with fundraising, advocacy events, campaigns and programmes to raise awareness and resources for the well-being of children.
Read more about our ambassadors and advocates.
