USAID grants $300m to UNICEF for mothers, children globally

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded about $300 million to the United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF) to improve the lives of mothers and children globally.

A press statement by USAID, said Administrator Samantha Power announced the renewal of USAID’s long-standing and successful partnership with UNICEF to improve the health and well-being of mothers, children, families, and communities around the world at the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers meeting.

It read in part, The five-year award of up to $300 million, subject to annual appropriations, will build on lessons learned from prior programs and continue to improve lives in areas such as health; education; water, sanitation, and hygiene;  youth engagement; and child protection.

In partnership with the U.S. Government, UNICEF will strengthen local health system capacity, support the resilience of communities and countries in responding to public health emergencies and other crises, and ensure the lasting impact of USAID’s investments.

To promote increased transparency and accountability the agreement also sharpens the focus on data-driven results and strengthens monitoring and reporting of program progress.

 The U.S. looks forward to seeing all members of the G7, as well as other partner governments, increase and sustains support for UNICEF’s vital work at this critical time.