The United Nations Children's Fund, more colloquially known as UNICEF, is the main United Nations organization defending, promoting and protecting children's rights. Its main focus is working towards protecting the world's most disadvantaged children. It believes that children have the right to adequate nutrition, clean water, education, health and protection[Uni]. They have the global authority to influence decision-makers and partners that can turn their ideas into reality. Their goal is to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination place in a child's path and are active in more than 190 countries and territories through the country programmes and National Committees [UNI]. .
The Executive Board is the governing body of UNICEF, providing intergovernmental support and oversight to the organization, in accordance with the overall policy guidance of the United Nations General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council [UNI1]. The Executive Board reviews UNICEF activities and approves its policies, country programmes and budgets. It comprises 36 members, representing the five regional groups of Member States at the United Nations. The Bureau, including the President and four Vice-Presidents, coordinates its work, with each representative embodying one of the five regional groups [UNI1]. The Executive Board meets three times each calendar year, in a first regular session between January and February, an annual session amid May and June and finally a second regular session in September. Executive Board sessions are held at the United Nations headquarters in New York [UNI1].
The Office of the Secretary of the Executive Board supports and aids the Executive Board. It is responsible for maintaining an effective relationship between the Executive Board and the UNICEF secretariat, and helps to organize the field visits of the Executive Board.