UNICEF Information Centre and Research Area

Access Requests
Records and Archives Services

What Archives can researchers access?

• Archives and records that were publicly accessible at the time of issuance

• Archives that are more than 20 years old

• Archives that are less than 20 years old on condition that the originating office has given written consent for access.

Archives that meet the above requirements are brought to the Research Area of the UNICEF Information Centre at New York Headquarters for researchers to review. Researcher Guidelines and Forms available here.

For more information on UNICEF Rules of Access see James Grant's Executive Directive EXD-2867 UNICEF Records and Archives. This includes Addendum 1, AI-359 Procedural Guidelines for UNICEF Records and Archives.

Note: Other than personnel records, there are no known UNICEF records more than 20 years old which have been identified as restricted by either the Secretary General or UNICEF Executive Director. All reasonable requests to review UNICEF records less than 20 years old are usually agreed by the originating office, subject to resource availability.

As UNICEF Records and Archives policy runs parallel to the United Nations, please also refer to

007 ST/SGB/2007/5 Secretary-General’s Bulletin on Record-keeping and the management of United Nations archives 

ST/SGB/2007/6 Secretary-General's Bulletin on Information sensitivity, classification and handling

United Nations Records - Access and Declassification (2004)


Services

UNICEF Records and Archives Management (RAM) staff
are part of UNICEF’s Information Knowledge Management Unit (IKMU). They protect and preserve UNICEF's archives as an irreplaceable part of the collective memory of the organization. They are are involved with all aspects of current document management and recordkeeping, ranging from measures to ensure that UNICEF staff create and manage their daily documents in a time-saving, cost-effective manner, to preserving and making records of continuing value accessible as UNICEF archives.

• RAM staff have the primary goal of supporting the identification of, protection of and continued access to all UNICEF Records and Archives irrespective of the media, method, location or time of creation, transmittal or storage both in NYHQ and Field Offices.
   

• RAM staff must also:

  • Encourage unique identification of groups of records;

  • Develop decision aids for "appraisal value' recommendations;

  • Support the "reuse" of UNICEF information;

  • Update instructions and monitor training;

  • Identify unit responsible for issuing essential UNICEF document or record series;

  • Oversee transfer of historical record or document series to long term preservation or greater accessible alternate media of storage;

  • Work closely with the international community to obtain and provide professional information and advice.
     

The views expressed or information presented do NOT necessarily represent the official position of any person or organization.