50 Year of UNICEF in Pakistan

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), established on 11 December 1946, represents the international community\'s response, through the United Nations system, to meeting the basic needs for survival, protection and development of the worlds children. UNICEF currently operates programme activities in 161 countries and territories.
UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for the protection of children\'s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children\'s RIGHTS AS ENDURING ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOURS Towards children. UNICEF was awarded the Noble Peace Prize in 1965.
UNICEF began its operations in Pakistan in 1948 to assist the Government in solving the problems of refugees coming into Pakistan. The UNICEF Country Office in Pakistan is located in Islamabad. A team of international and national professionals and support staff is led by the Country Representative.
UNICEF has four provincial programme offices in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta in line with the federal and provincial government structure since most of the social sector programme implementation is with the provincial governments. The provincial programme offices, led by Resident Project Officers, coordinate with their counterparts implementation of UNICEF assisted programmes and undertake programme monitoring and evaluation. The programme of cooperation for the Northern Areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir is managed from Islamabad.
A Greeting Card Operation section is located in Karachi. Its main task is to market the cards, calendars and stationery produced by UNICEF New York Headquarters. It is now the policy that all UNICEF field offices, including Pakistan, can retain all funds raised through card and other product sales and private fund raising to support UNICEF programmes in the country.
Pakistan has served a number of times on the UNICEF Executive Board and has also been elected its chairperson.
During the 1990s, UNICEF has been supporting the achievement of goals for children for the Year 2000, which were set at the 1990 World Summit for Children and a Plan of Action was signed by 154 Heads of State or Government. Broad consensus has been reached among experts, governments and world leaders that the measures identified in the Plan of Action can make the greatest impact on child lives, at a minimum cost. The goals represent the most important focus for common efforts on behalf of children.
Pakistan Post Office has issued a set of four stamps to commemorate the activities of UNICEF in Pakistan during the last 50 years. These stamps highlight the following priority themes for the Pakistani Children:-
- Educate the girl child
- No more polio
- Clean Water for all
- Eliminate iodine deficiency disorders.
The commemorative postage stamps, with leaflets and First Day of Issue Covers will be available for sale at all Philatelic Bureaus with effect from 11-12-1998.