Product innovation

Innovation has always been integral to UNICEF, intertwined with the organization’s origin and mission. Products like nutrient-rich powdered skim milk used in the 1960s for combating malnutrition in children, and oral rehydration salts in the 1990s as a remedy for diarrhoea, were critical innovations of their time. Harnessing 75 years of experience…, 2010-2014: Letting a thousand flowers bloom, UNICEF’s global supply hub launched its first formalized product innovation unit in 2010, to strategize and streamline the innovation of supplies across the organization. The initially small team, beginning with just two staff, embraced a bold approach characterized by exploring numerous ideas. This phase of innovation involved trying every idea…, 2015-2017: Research, development, and co-created innovation, A more strategic approach to innovation was necessary to balance the enthusiasm for generating ideas with pragmatism for the practical implementation of those ideas. One of the standout successes during this time was the UNICEF's High Performance Tent High Performance Ten t, a versatile solution used during emergencies as a health facility, school…, 2018-2019: Scaling innovation  , With thousands of innovators in the development sector striving to introduce new products for children, but with few products reaching scale mainly due to resource limitations, it became clear that UNICEF must prioritize its efforts and focus in areas where it can have the biggest impact: scaling innovations. By utilizing its vast presence across…, 2020-2024: Driving demand  , As UNICEF delved deeper into the nuances of scaling innovations, a crucial realisation emerged: true scaling is inherently linked to driving demand. After noting numerous instances where countries refused new products, UNICEF recognized that the challenge of scaling is seldom about supply, but directly tied to a lack of demand. It's about ensuring…

Children and young people need support to nurture their potential as innovators. They are also aware of the challenges their communities face. Cultivating their creativity and critical thinking skills is key to helping them develop their capacity to address these issues.  Through three different play initiatives, About UNICEF Supply Division…, Imagining the future and building it, brick by brick, UNICEF teamed up with the LEGO Group to launch Build the Change workshops across different countries and regions. Thousands of young innovators from Cambodia, Costa Rica, Egypt and New games awaken the creative spirit of children Madagascar joined this special collaboration to build a more child-friendly world using LEGO bricks. Children were…, Teacher Kong Kunthea, 29, guides children to share ideas and build solutions during the LEGO Build the Change workshop in Prey Chhrok Primary School, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia in September 2022. The workshops explored what child friendly spaces should look like and what products children who have fled conflict or natural disasters might need to…, UNICEF/UN0727453/Sells A schoolboy showing his work made with LEGO bricks. Egypt-MyDreamJob-2023, Chris William Abkar, 12, a South Sudanese student in Egypt shares his dreams of being a pilot. “I built something between a plane and a bike, I called it the ‘flying bike’. This will take me anywhere, in any country where I can have a beautiful big home and my family and I can live all together.”, UNICEF/Egypt/2022/CRS School children playing with LEGO bricks. Costa Rica-BuildTheChange-2023, During the LEGO Build the Change workshops in Costa Rica, teachers spoke to children about migration and the challenges facing children and families who leave their homes behind. Children shared their ideas and solutions, building shelters and homes to welcome children on the move., UNICEF/Costa Rica/2022/Howell School children having fun while playing with LEGO bricks. Madagascar-UN0763120-2023, School children from Ampefiloha Primary Public School, Antananarivo, Madagascar have fun while sharing their ideas to make a better world for children using LEGO bricks. Over 16,000 students participated in the LEGO Build the Change workshops organized by UNICEF and the Ministry of Education of Madagascar., UNICEF/UN0763120/Ramasomanana A teacher and her schoolchildren playing with LEGO bricks. A schoolboy showing his work made with LEGO bricks. School children playing with LEGO bricks. School children having fun while playing with LEGO bricks., Repurposing cardboard into play for children’s recovery, One of UNICEF’s latest product innovation initiatives, Project Play Project Play, aims to repurpose packaging into toys to stimulate play among malnourished children. The project is already bringing smiles to children in Uganda, Pakistan and Sierra Leone during proof-of-concept testing that started in 2022. By including pre-printed and pre-cut…, UNICEF Uganda unveiling the new printed toys integrated into Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) packaging, developed through a collaborative co-creation process with suppliers that ensured no compromise on strength and minimum disturbance to production lines., UNICEF/Uganda/2022/Etia A child playing with her new cardboard toy. Uganda-ProjectPlay2-2023, A child at the Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, Uganda, found an innovative use for the cardboard car-toy by turning it into a phone – creativity at its finest!, UNICEF/Uganda/2022/Nabisere Two caretekers playing with a girl. SierraLeone-ProjectPlay-2023, At Ola During Children’s Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone, caretakers participating in UNICEF’s early child development program are encouraged to create a caring environment that includes play stimulation crucial for healthy growth and development., UNICEF/Sierra Leone/2022/Mason A mother playing with her son. Pakistan-ProjectPlay-2023, “My son liked it so much that he was folding and unfolding the animals constantly, his mind was completely engaged", says Sundai, a mother from the flood-affected area in Umerkot, Pakistan, as she smiles watching her 3-year-old play with cardboard toys., UNICEF/Pakistan/2022/Shuja Two volunteers unveiling the new printed toys. A child playing with her new cardboard toy. Two caretekers playing with a girl. A mother playing with her son., Creating sustainable toys for malnourished children, designed by children, Drawing inspiration from Project Play, "Play to Heal" competition: toys made by and for children from carton packaging UNICEF Burundi organized Play to Heal , a three-day competition for 100 children aged 5-15. This time around it was kids who became the creators of toys for other kids. The young minds were invited to design toys for the…, Children showing the best designs of their choice during the last day of the three-day toy-making competition in Burundi., UNICEF/Burundi/2022/Santamaría A schoolgirl with the toy she made her win the first prize. Burundi-PlayToHeal2-2023, "The box can be attractive to younger children in several ways, including the colors, sticks and numbers. At the same time, the mother or caretaker can also use it to teach the child colors and numbers.” Ninzinza Nycia Josepha, 12, who won the first prize., UNICEF/Burundi/2022/Amizero A boy surrounded by UNICEF staff showing a cardboard house. Burundi-Play-to-Heal6-2023, Justin, a 14-year-old child from the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) sites, wins the 4th prize with his creative cardboard house: "The child will try to discover my house (the floor, the stairs inside...) through the doors and windows. Children love to play with houses, cardboard boxes are common in our communities, the child can also search…, UNICEF/Burundi/2022/Amizero Healthcare staff playing with a child in hospital. Burundi-PlayToHeal4-2023, Healthcare staff engages in playful cognitive stimulation with a child at Buyenzi Health Centre in Burundi. Toys made by the young creators are currently used for the stimulation of children under 5 years of age suffering from severe acute malnutrition at three pilot health centers in the country., UNICEF/Burundi/2022/Heraty Children showing the results of a toy-making competition. A schoolgirl with the toy she made her win the first prize. A boy surrounded by UNICEF staff showing a cardboard house. Healthcare staff playing with a child in hospital.

Issued in September 2016 and revised in January 2023. Through this Target Product Profiles Target Product Profile (TPP) UNICEF is seeking a solution for Driving product innovation innovative and easy to use water detection methods that can accurately determine faecal contamination as rapidly as possible. Resources: Project page Questions and…

International Day of Persons with Disabilities, celebrated on 3 December, is an opportunity to shine a light on assistive technology, supportive devices like wheelchairs and hearing aids that change the lives of children with disabilities, allowing all children, no matter their disability, to learn, play, participate and become active members of…

For nearly five decades UNICEF has supplied tents to provide shelter to people fleeing conflict and disaster. They are one of the first supplies deployed in an emergency. With disasters often leaving infrastructure partially or completely destroyed, the tents become makeshift classrooms for displaced students, nutrition facilities providing…

Issued November 2021  Without faecal sludge and wastewater management, deadly diseases can quickly spread in humanitarian settings. But access to wastewater and faecal sludge treatment options that are affordable, easy to deploy and that deliver satisfactory performance remains a challenge in humanitarian emergencies.    UNICEF is seeking Driving…

In the mountainous regions of Afghanistan, freezing temperatures of -9 °C (15 °F) are common for many communities during the winter months. Around 50 per cent of the country is covered by mountains where most inhabitants are rural, isolated from social services, and experience harsh winters, rough terrain, and a lack of modern heating.   Standard…

Original article published by the World Health Organization (WHO).   Eight-year old Aseel had a surgery when she was a baby that left her partially paralyzed. She has spent most of her life finding ways to adapt and experience a normal childhood in a refugee camp in Jordan. Being a refugee hasn’t made her life easier. Until recently, Aseel used a…

Aseel, age eight, was left partially paralysed after undergoing surgery at eight months old. She has spent most of her life finding ways to adapt and experience a normal childhood. But as a refugee living in Za’atari Refugee Camp in Jordan, she struggled to stay engaged in the classroom since the stroller she was using as a make-shift wheelchair…, A new momentum for inclusive supplies, In recent years, UNICEF has been building the momentum to improve the situation for the nearly  Children with disabilities 240 million children who live with one or more disability worldwide. Through four overarching strategies, UNICEF aims to expand access to assistive technology and make the world a better and more inclusive place for children…, The impact of disability-friendly supplies, Disability-friendly supplies have a direct impact on the well-being of children. Assistive technology supports their inclusion into society, thereby increasing the opportunities for education and employment. For example, a proper use of hearing aids leads young children to improved language skills. Or, an appropriate wheelchair - like the one…

Sohel, 10, was born with a physical disability affecting his feet, making it extremely difficult to walk. Rajuma, 6, also has a physical disability, where she experiences pain in her knees and is unable to walk long distances.    Both Sohel and Rajuma are Rohingya refugees living in a refugee camp in Bangladesh. For children with disabilities…, Inclusive Innovation , With the aim to find a solution that enables for safe use of latrines, UNICEF worked with the private sector to develop an assistive technology device. This resulted in the innovation of an add-on modular component that fits onto traditional latrines to make them accessible for persons with disabilities.    Inclusive innovation squatting plates…, UNICEF commitment to children with disabilities , In addition to Sohel and Rajuma, hundreds of others have been accessing the new latrines, as they too were involved in the pilot-testing phase. This includes people with different types of disabilities as well as chronic illnesses, the elderly and pregnant women.   To ensure more persons with disabilities  – including children  – are reached,…

Tents have served UNICEF well for many years. The changing nature of humanitarian crises – including climate change and protracted emergencies – has posed new challenges to ensuring these spaces remain safe and secure. Extreme weather exposes tents to increasing risks of collapse and larger temperature variances, making it too hot or cold inside…, Co-creation with the private sector, UNICEF explained its needs for a new type of tent to industry partners and identified more than 1,000 requirements, including resistance to extreme weather, improved indoor temperature, increased internal space and ease of transport and set up.  The co-creation approach involved UNICEF and different manufacturers collaborating through a trial-and-…, The final product, The UNICEF High Performance Tents include a number of enhancements to improve efficiency and make life more comfortable for children in emergencies. The innovations include: A new anchoring system to keep the tent properly secured and improve durability to withstand extreme weather. A straight wall design to provide 20 per cent more usable floor…

In May last year, Emma, 34, was giving birth to her fourth child. She was prepared for this special moment, as were the healthcare workers in her village of Kirakira in Papua New Guinea. However, there were complications, and Emma began to lose a significant amount of blood.   “I went off [lost consciousness]. I did not know what was happening.…, Preventable maternal deaths, Post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) - or severe bleeding after childbirth - is the largest direct cause of maternal mortality worldwide, responsible for more than a quarter of the 300,000 estimated deaths each year. These women are dying from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, with WHO: key facts on maternal mortality 94 per cent of…, A life-saving garment,   A woman demonstrates how the Non-pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment is used at a health clinic in Papua New Guinea. A woman demonstrates how the Non-pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment is used at a health clinic in Papua New Guinea. The Non-pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment (NASG) is a low-cost first-aid device that limits persistent PPH. It’s a compression suit…, NASG in Papua New Guinea and Bangladesh, In 2018, UNICEF added NASG to its portfolio of innovation projects to use its capacity in scaling proven technologies to make this life-saving product available in locations where it’s needed most. NASG has been introduced in several countries, including Papua New Guinea and Bangladesh. In Papua New Guinea, since its introduction in March 2019…, Scaling NASG to save the lives of more mothers, Through research and advocacy efforts UNICEF is striving to build a global consensus for NASG. Multiple clinical studies note a significant impact that NASG has on reducing maternal mortality at a low cost for programming (on average, US$3 per use). 1   WHO recommendations for the prevention and treatment of postpartum haemorrhage WHO recommends…