Geneva: The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday appealed to donors for $1.2 billion to carry out its work in 2010.

The money would be used in 28 countries and territories identified as being in the "most desperate need," UNICEF said in a statement.

The agency pledged to focus the aid on health and development projects in areas such as nutrition, immunisation and access to safe water.

"The ongoing global financial crisis, compounded by unstable food prices, is causing increase in poverty and malnutrition, and severely threatening progress that has been made for children in some developing countries," UNICEF said.

While Haiti was receiving a tremendous amount of attention because of the recent devastating earthquake, many other areas of the world were also in need, but remained out of the main focus, UNICEF said.

According to the agency, the widespread prevalence of sexual violence against children and women required attention. IANS