UNICEF Asks for $1.3 Billion in Donations to Cover 2012 Operations

The United Nations Children’s Fund released its 2012 Humanitarian Action for Children report on Friday, asking for $1.28 billion to fund operations in more than 25 countries.

UNICEF is funded entirely by donations.

The report cites needs stemming from political turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa, crisis in Somalia, earthquake recovery in Haiti, floods in Pakistan, and violence in South Sudan.

UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Maria Calivis speaks at a joint news conference with UNICEF Representative in Yemen Geert Cappelaere (not pictured) in Sanaa January 24, 2012. (Mohamed al-Sayaghi/Reuters)

UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Maria Calivis speaks at a joint news conference with UNICEF Representative in Yemen Geert Cappelaere (not pictured) in Sanaa January 24, 2012. (Mohamed al-Sayaghi/Reuters)

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The top five nations UNICEF expects to serve will get just over half, $682 million, of the total funding. The 2012 budget for operations in Somalia is $289.1 million; Democratic Republic of the Congo, $143.9 million; Sudan, $98.1 million; Pakistan, $88.4 million; and South Sudan, $62.5 billion.

The organization's operations are mostly in Africa.

"Millions of children around the world rely on donations to UNICEF for therapeutic food, clean water, vaccinations, medical treatment, and other basic needs for survival,” said Caryl Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. “These funds are necessary to address critical needs that would otherwise have gone unmet." 

The organization works to provide children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, and emergency relief. It says donations come from individuals, foundations, corporations, non-governmental organizations and governments. It receives no funding from the assessed dues of the United Nations.

To read UNICEF's 2012 Humanitarian Action for Children report visit http://www.unicefusa.org/har.