UNICEF outlines testing of the DAO concept

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is testing the concept DAO. The Block reports, citing a representative of the organisation at the Paris Blockchain Week.

According to the head of UNICEF’s Web3 department, Aruna Maharajan, the project is at an early stage and is built on the Polygon blockchain. The development is intended to facilitate discussions around digital public goods (DPG).

DPG is a type of open-source software that countries can use to build digital infrastructure as an alternative to private solutions.

UNICEF has already trialled the on-chain voting platform Snapshot.

The ultimate aim is for such projects to use a DAO to fund their activities, said Maharajan.

To date, UNICEF has invested in 41 crypto startups. As an example, Maharajan cited the Nepalese project Rumsan, a charitable blockchain platform.

The DAO concept is part of a broader Web3 initiative. In October 2019, the organisation set up a fund to accept donations in Bitcoin and Ether.

The head of UNICEF’s fund, Sanna Bedi, said the structure had the backing of four major companies, including ETC Labs, Animoca Brands and Huobi Charity.

In March 2022, the cryptocurrency exchange Binance donated $2.5 million to UNICEF to help children in Ukraine.