Tutela dell’infanzia e cooperazione allo sviluppo: il contributo dell’UNICEF e il caso italiano (1947-1965)

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was established in December 1946 to rescue mothers and children in Europe and Asia after the World War II. From the beginning it contributed to enhance the protection of motherhood and childhood within the UN political agenda and the policies of the recipient countries. In Europe, it acted at first as a humanitarian agency and then it started technical assistance programmes, urging states to build efficient welfare systems. After the emergency on the continent had ended, it shifted its interests towards Third World, thus helping to connect child welfare with economic/social development of less developed countries. In that context, UNICEF applied some successful European experiences. Italy, which was initially beneficiary of the Fund’s programs and then member of the organization, was one of the most meaningful model.

联合国儿童基金会（United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund，UNICEF）于1946年12月正式成立，其创立初衷是救助第二次世界大战后欧洲与亚洲地区的母亲与儿童。成立伊始，该机构便致力于将母亲与儿童权益保护纳入联合国政治议程以及受援国的政策体系之中。在欧洲地区，其最初以人道主义援助机构的身份开展工作，随后启动技术援助项目，敦促各国构建高效的社会福利制度。当欧洲大陆的战后紧急局势得到缓解后，该机构将工作重心转向第三世界国家，推动儿童福利事业与欠发达国家的经济、社会发展相结合。在此背景下，联合国儿童基金会借鉴了多项在欧洲取得成功的实践经验，其中意大利便是极具代表性的范例：该国最初是该基金援助项目的受益国，之后成为该组织的成员国。