Full meaning of UNESCO and UNICEF: Exactly how do they differ?

Full meaning of UNESCO and UNICEF: Exactly how do they differ?

In 1945, the United Nations (UN) was formed. This international organisation has 193 member countries. It maintains international peace and security and harmonises the actions of countries. The United Nations system includes specialised agencies, including UNESCO and UNICEF.

Full meaning of UNESCO and UNICEF
The UNICEF and UNESCO logos. Photo: @UNICEF, @UNESCO (modified by author)
Source: UGC

UNESCO and UNICEF are among the commonly mentioned agencies of the United Nations. Others are the World Bank Group, the World Food Programme, and the World Health Organization. Each of these agencies has a specific mandate.

UNESCO and UNICEF: are the two different?

UNESCO and UNICEF are two specialised agencies of the United Nations. Although many people think the two have similar functions, each has a specific mandate.

What is the meaning of UNICEF and UNESCO?

The full meaning of UNESCO and UNICEF is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and the United Nations Children's Fund (formerly the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund).

Overview of UNICEF

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The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) was previously known as the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund. This specialised agency works in at least 190 countries and territories.

Its primary objective is to protect the rights of every child. It reaches out to the most disadvantaged children and adolescents and does everything possible to ensure they survive, thrive, and attain their potential.

UNICEF works closely with other specialised agencies in the United Nations to ensure children are on the global agenda. It engages in thorough research and offers practical solutions for issues related to children.

What is UNICEF dedicated to?

Evidenced by its motto, UNICEF is dedicated to the protection of children's rights, ensuring children's basic needs are met, and promoting children's welfare so they can reach their full potential.

roles of UNESCO and UNICEF
A little boy and girl in blue tops playing on a swing. Photo: pexels.com, @Git Stephen Gitau
Source: UGC

What are the functions of UNICEF?

The functions of UNICEF are aimed at the protection of children and promotion of their welfare. It achieves its mission by doing the following.

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  • Protection of children who struggle for survival and have health concerns.
  • Speaking on behalf of children, upholding the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and working for its implementation.
  • Provision of primary health care services, nutrition, basic education, and sanitation in developing countries.
  • Taking steps to prevent diseases, e.g., tuberculosis, malaria, and skin diseases.
  • Provision of technical supplies and stationery material related to education.
  • Provision of help to children during emergencies arising from natural calamities, civil wars, and the spread of epidemics.
  • Provision of funds for training health and sanitation workers, teachers, and nutritionists.

Overview of UNESCO

The full form of UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. It is a specialised agency of the United Nations. The primary goal of this specialised agency is to ensure world peace and security.

It attains its primary goal through promoting international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture.

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UNESCO shares knowledge about different cultures and fosters understanding and tolerance to create inclusive societies.

The agency has designated sites in various parts of the world to bring out the best in shared humanity. The designated areas include those listed below.

  • 1157 world heritage sites
  • 677 intangible heritage elements
  • 748 biosphere reserves
  • 915 UNESCO global geoparks
  • 200+ UNEVOC centres
mandate of UNESCO and UNICEF
People from different cultures portraying the peace sign with their fingers. Photo: pexels.com, @fauxels
Source: UGC

Mission of UNESCO

The mission of this specialised agency is to build a culture of peace, eradicate poverty, and promote sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication, and information.

Are UNESCO and UNICEF the same?

From the brief overview of the two, it is apparent that UNESCO and UNICEF are not the same. Both are specialised agencies in the United Nations.

However, their mandate is different. UNICEF focuses on children's welfare, while UNESCO focuses on the promotion of world peace and security through cultural awareness and acceptance.

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What is the full meaning of UNICEF and UNESCO?

The full form of UNICEF and UNESCO is the United Nations Children's Fund and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

What is the difference between the UN and UNICEF?

UN is an international organisation that maintains international peace and security and harmonises the actions of countries. UNICEF is one of the specialised agencies in the UN, and it focuses on children's welfare and protection.

What are the official UN languages?

The official languages are Arabic, English, Chinese, Spanish, French, and Russian.

UNESCO and UNICEF are agencies created by the United Nations. Each has a unique mandate. Together, they help the UN to accomplish its mission.

Legit.ng recently published the aims and objectives of ECOWAS. ECOWAS stands for the Economic Community of West African States.

It is a regional intergovernmental organisation that promotes economic integration, cooperation, and development among its member states. ECOWAS has its headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.

Source: Legit.ng

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