Global Annual Results Reports 2021
Programme results achieved by contributions received from partners
The 2021 Global Annual Results Reports take stock of UNICEF’s results at the global, regional and country levels, based on the goals and cross-cutting priorities of the UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2018-2021.
For an overview of the results within each area, please visit the report pages below which provide examples, case studies and interactive data. There you can also download the full reports for a detailed look at the results achieved in 2021.
UNICEF thematic funding
These reports highlight the achievements made possible by the contributions of loosely earmarked global thematic funding received from partners, including the governments of Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United States Fund for UNICEF and the Danish Committee for UNICEF.
Global thematic funding is one of the best ways to achieve impact for children and it gives partners an opportunity to achieve large-scale results in the new UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2022-2025 through flexible, softly earmarked, multi-year funding. They contribute to the UNICEF mandate 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. Thematic funding is the second highest quality funding UNICEF can receive after Core Resources for Results (RR). It facilitates longer-term planning and sustainability and reduces transaction costs, leaving more resources to achieve results for children. In countries affected by humanitarian crises, it also allows for a faster, more agile and cost-effective UNICEF response.
Measuring results
These reports cover health; nutrition; HIV and AIDS; early childhood development; education; water, sanitation and hygiene; safe and clean environments; child protection; social protection; inclusion; and governance. They also cover UNICEF’s cross-cutting work on gender equality and humanitarian action.
Goal Area 1 – Every child survives and thrives
In 2021, UNICEF continued to support countries to save lives, maintain critical services and continue strengthening the systems that support children’s ability to survive and thrive.
Goal Area 2 – Every child learns
Recognizing the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on marginalized children, UNICEF scaled up interventions in 2021 to protect children’s rights to education and protect them from the worst effects of the pandemic and school closures.
Goal Area 3 – Every child is protected from violence and exploitation
In 2021, UNICEF adapted programming to continue to reach vulnerable children across the world, with efforts to prevent and respond to violence, exploitation, abuse and harmful practices, as set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Goal Area 4 – Every child lives in a safe and clean environment
In 2021, UNICEF worked to fulfil the rights of all children to a safe and clean environment in the areas of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); disaster risk reduction (DRR), resilience strengthening and peacebuilding; urban and rural governance; and environmental sustainability.
Goal Area 5 – Every child has an equitable chance in life
As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continued to reverberate around the world in 2021, UNICEF continued to work to reduce child poverty by influencing fiscal policies and mechanisms; enhance coverage and adequacy of child-sensitive social protection systems; address discrimination, including on the grounds of age, gender identity and disability; increase the participation, voice and agency of children, adolescents and young people in civic life; and amplify child rights in human rights mechanisms.
Gender equality
In this final year of the implementation of the current UNICEF Gender Action Plan, 2018–2021 (GAP), UNICEF substantially increased investment in resources, leadership, capacity and accountability to accelerate results for women and girls and ensure an equal future all girls and boys.
Humanitarian action
To meet humanitarian needs in 2021, UNICEF drew on the full force of its mandate and a dynamic network of partners to provide a protective and life-saving response for children in 153 countries to 483 new or ongoing humanitarian crises.
The maps in these reports do not reflect a position by UNICEF on the legal status of any country or territory or the delimitation of any frontiers.
With thanks
This report highlights the achievements made possible by the generous contributions of softly earmarked thematic funding received from various partners. UNICEF would like to express it's sincere appreciation for these contributions.
