FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is UNICEF IRC?
- When was UNICEF IRC established and where is it?
- How many people work at UNICEF IRC?
- How are staff recruited?
- Who finances UNICEF IRC?
- What are the aims of UNICEF IRC?
- What are the priority research areas for UNICEF IRC?
- How does UNICEF IRC disseminate its results?
- Does UNICEF IRC accept or publish external research?
- What is the relationship between UNICEF IRC and the Italian National Committee for UNICEF?
- How can I order your publications?
- How do the media learn about your activities?
The UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre (IRC) is the research arm of UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund. It is the only research centre in the world maintained by a UN Agency and was created to strengthen the research capability of UNICEF and to support its advocacy for children worldwide.
When was UNICEF IRC established and where is it?
The UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre has now been in operation for more than ten years. The Centre was established in Florence, Italy, at the Istituto degli Innocenti in 1989, following an agreement between UNICEF and the Italian government. The Istituto is an appropriate setting for UNICEF's Research Centre; in the 15th century the Istituto was founded as the first orphanage in the world.
How many people work at UNICEF IRC?
The Centre is staffed by a team of around 30 people including a Director, researchers, communicators and support staff.
Most staff are international UNICEF staff. You can find information about current vacancies, internships and the UN Junior Professional Officer programme by consulting UNICEF's main website.
The Centre receives strong support from the Government of Italy, which recently increased its annual contribution. Other donors, notably the Governments of Finland, Norway, and Sweden and the World Bank, support specific activities, as do various UNICEF
Offices and National Committees.
However, the Centre is facing a shortage of funds for a number of ongoing programmes. Efforts to identify new sources of funding for crucial activities are now a top priority.
What are the aims of UNICEF IRC?
The Centre is the vanguard of studies on children's rights and helps to identify and research current and
future priorities for UNICEF programmes in the field.
The Centre's work draws on the resources and experience of large networks of experts in UNICEF field offices, in research institutions and beyond and has helped to shape the Human Rights Agenda for Children.
- focus on areas that are relatively new to UNICEF and that may be important for its work in the future;
- focus on statistics and areas that may be sensitive or even controversial;
- fill knowledge gaps in existing areas of UNICEF's work.
What are the priority research areas for UNICEF IRC?
The Centre carries out researches in two main areas:
socio-economic policy analysis and the
implementation of international human rights standards.
Research on the impact of economic and social policies on children and families aims to promote policy reform in favour of vulnerable groups. Reduction of child poverty is one priority as child poverty is the biggest obstacle to the realization of child rights, such as the right to an education, to good health and even to
play.
Monitoring the implementing of International Human Rights the Centre examines the obstacles to child rights and promotes the application of standards like the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in every country from America to Africa, from Europe to Asia.
How does UNICEF IRC disseminate its results?
UNICEF IRC produces publications as a result of its research activities.
Its three flagship publications are the MONEE Report, the Innocenti Digests and the Report Card series. The Centre also releases a host of other publications such as
Working Papers, and Innocenti Insights and information on our website databases.
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More details
Does UNICEF IRC accept or publish external research?
No, we carry out our own research. We often do this in conjunction with other researchers, research institutes and expert UNICEF colleagues, whom we approach as necessary.
What is the relationship between UNICEF IRC and the Italian National Committee for UNICEF?
The
Italian National Committee for UNICEF is the official NGO representing UNICEF in Italy. The National Committee is located in Rome and organizes national campaigns and local initiatives to raise funds on behalf of UNICEF. The National Committee, also, collaborates with schools to promote courses of development education for children and young people and disseminate information and documentation
on UNICEF activities in the world.
UNICEF IRC is one of UNICEF's Headquarters locations and is totally devoted to research. It cooperates with the Italian National Committee to strengthen mutual activities and initiatives, and to enhance the role of the organization in industrialized countries.
How can I order your publications?
Most of our publications can be downloaded from this website as pdf files. If you wish to get them in hard copy, they can be ordered on-line and will be sent to you by our distributor SMI, UK.
How do the media learn about your activities?
Accredited journalists can register to enter our
Newsroom for embargoed
materials linked to major events.
Membership of our Newsroom gives journalists access to pre-launch embargoed copies of reports, press releases and other materials such as videos, news releases, photos and graphics - all of them downloadable.
