UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized and works for the Millennium Development Goals and for the progress promised in the United Nations Charter. UNICEF believes that nurturing and caring for children are the cornerstones of human progress. UNICEF was created with this purpose in mind - to work with others to overcome the obstacles that poverty, violence, disease and discrimination plays in a child's path. UNICEF has the global authority to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. That makes UNICEF unique among world organizations, and unique among those working with the young. UNICEF works in 190 countries through country programmes and National Committees in order to: promote children welfare and girls' education, create protective environments for children, promote women empowerment, peace and security, and create the awareness of HIV/AIDS among young people. During the international year of sanitation, UNICEF promoted several novel experiments, helped nations develop their water and sanitation plans, and conducted several awareness programmes on water harvesting, storage, conservation and sanitation.