HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW OF UNICEF.
UNICEF is one of the biggest names in international aid and humanitarian work in the world today. It has won the noble prize as an award to first organisation and not an individual. Despite UNICEF’s awareness, fundraising, relief work and research, very few people know much about its origin. UNICEF was founded in 1946 commencing with a mission of proving emergency food and health care to the children in the countries that had been destroyed in world war II. Its original name was United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. It was later changed to United Nations Children’s Fund in 1954 after being officially adopted as a permanent branch in UN.
In 1959, UNICEF being a permanent member of the UN, the UN General Assembly adopts the declaration of the Rights of the Child, which defines children’s rights to protection, education, health care, shelter and good nutrition. In 1961, UNICEF decides to not only focus on the health issues of the child but also focus on the needs of the child as whole beginning with education by providing teacher training and classroom equipment in newly independent countries. In 1982, UNICEF came up with Child Survival and Development Revolution where it takes responsibility to save millions of children each year. The revolution includes four aspects; growth monitoring, oral rehydration therapy, breast feeding and immunisation. In 1989, there’s a convention on the rights of the child and comes into action in 1990 where there’s the world summit for children. The convention of the rights of the child becomes the most widely and accepted humans rights treaty in history. In 1996, UNICEF focuses on children and conflict. It offers to support the impacts of armed conflict on children. In 2001, UNICEF launches the say yes for children’s campaign that focuses on improving children’s lives. In 2002, a special session on children is carried out. The UN General Assembly was convened to review progress since the world summit for children in 1990 and re-energize the global commitment to children’s rights.
Challenge facing UNICEF.
Unicef report finds female genital cutting to be common in Indonesia. from the New York Times.
Unicef is facing a challenge of female genital cutting in Indonesia. According to the New York Times, female genital cutting has always been seen as an issue in Africa, not until lately that it has spread widely in Asia, Indonesia in particular where almost half of the women undergo it. Despite the fact that this act has been noticed to have declined in several countries where the practice is concentrated for example in Egypt, from 97% to 70% of ages 15-19, Burkina faso has dropped from 89% to 58% and Liberia, 72% to 31%, it has been on an increase in Indonesia. According to Claudia Cappa, a statistics specialist for Unicef, a new data from Indonesia showed that cutting was not just an African problem.
The data from Indonesia, a most populous muslim majority nation shows that the commonness of genital cutting in the country where secular and religious attitudes towards the practice are increasingly in conflict. The Indonesia authorities tried to ban it 10 years ago but many people were against it as they find this act important for marriage for girls and women. This made the government soften the rules and allowed the circumcision but only to be done by medical professionals so as not to injure girls and women.
In addition, theres a lot of opposition and proportion from the public to the banning of the genital cutting in Indonesia to reasons like its culture and religious on the opposition side. For example Jurnalis Uddin, the chairman of the centre for Population and Gender Studies at Yarsi University in Sakarta regards cutting as an act of culture and symbolic. And yet, an Indonesian non-governmental organisation that lobbies the government wants it to ban cutting. there has also been conflicting views that have influenced public policy towards cutting. for example in 2010, the Ministry of Health issued a regulation saying female circumcision should be performed by only licensed doctors, midwives and nurses but anti-cutting activists objected to the regulation and in 2014 it was repealed. Unicef officials assert that the repeal does not go far enough because it doesn't prohibit cutting or punish the people practicing it. these are some of the challenges UNICEF is facing on this particular issue.

Potential solutions for UNICEF. * I would bring about sensitisation of genital cutting to the public and make the people understand the dangers of circumcision for example it complicates women during birth and also increases the chances of fistula. Maybe with this kind of information for the people may change their attitude towards cutting of girls and women so as to avoid the complications hence saving the girl child and women. * I would urge Unicef to use force to ban genital cutting in Indonesia. This could be done through the government authorities of Indonesia to put up policies against genital cutting and punishments for people who still practice it. * Popularisation of family planning methods to reduce the birth rates in the country so as to avoid more girl child babies that could later have to go through genital cutting. * Another solution would be advising UNICEF to ban genital cutting every where to girls of age 18 years and below. This gives girls the chance to decide whether they want to be cut since they are considered adults to make decisions. * I would urge Unicef to make the genital cutting in Indonesia a global issue by showing other organisations and countries how serious this issue is and how dangerous it could be to young girls and women around the world. This would put more pressure on there countries and organisations in the fight the spread of genital cutting all over the world and fight for the countries that are already facing this issue. This can later bring about institutional power, where governments and agents will have the ability to decide whats best for the society by banning genital cutting for the good of the people.

Reasons why the potential solutions may or may not be feasible. * Theres too much cultural rigidity in Indonesia. Even though there was sensitisation about the consequences of genital cutting, most people are so focused on culture and religion that they believe there are no consequences for example in the article, Lia Sarifah, a 47 year old shares her experience when she was cut as one she is proud of and rather doesn't regret or i ashamed of. On the other hand, if people are shown how dangerous the consequences of genital cutting are, their attitude towards it might change positively and people can decide to do away with it. * The use of force through implementation of government policies can cause chaos and rebellions in countries like Indonesia. This can result to more problems in the country that will have to be solved too hence more pressure on governments and organisations concerned. * With popularising family planning for example in countries like Indonesia, this wouldn't be of great use since its like a conservative in the Islamic religious country. * What the future of Unicef looks like. * More delicate situations especially in terms of war since we, are in a more globalised society. As a result, more funds are required in order to sustain their operations and to fulfil their mandate to the children affected by conflict, for example in Syria and Iraq. This is worsened especially when UNICEF is not allocated enough funds. * Not only is Unicef in times of conflict but also when there are natural calamities which are devastating and largely unpredictable. UNICEF’s role is further catalysed if the authorities in the area of the calamity lack the necessary manpower and skills to attend to the affected more so children, who are the most vulnerable. * On a positive note, UNICEF develops policies that should be implemented by the respective governments in order to ensure basic uniform standard of education that can be of help in solving the challenges that various countries undergo. This could be done through sharing the successes of one country in one aspect of children’s eduction with other . * In addition, UNICEF should also represent the rights of children at the highest level of global decision making such as the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council so as to not only ensure the resolutions made by the two institutions do take into consideration the rights of children and not infringe on them, but also promote the rights of children in jurisdictions where children’s rights are violated or where the respective governments neglect children who live and learn in deplorable conditions.