ABBA Reveal Their Decades Of Supporting Unicef

Pop legends ABBA have revealed their decades-long support of Unicef. The Swedish group spoke to the BBC, who reported that the song Chiquitita was given to the charity in 1979, with the copyright earning considerable royalties in the decades since.

About Chiquitita

As told by the BBC, the song was in face penned for ‘Unicef’s Year of the Child’, and Chiquitita translates as ‘little girl’ in Spanish. Songwriter Bjorn Ulvaeus explained:

“We gave the copyright to Unicef. A lot of money has come in over the years because Chiquitita has been played and streamed a lot, and lots of records have been sold. So, I’m very happy about that.

I think that the most urgent thing that can be done on this globe is the empowerment of young women and girls. That would change our world. It’s so sad that there are cultures and religions around the globe that just don’t give girls equal chances. So, early on we said to Unicef, that’s where we want our money to go.”

The sad fact is that over forty years later, the money is still fighting these issues for women and girls, particularly in Guatemala. The Central American country has huge problems with sexual abuse, violence, and forced motherhood on young girls across the nation – the BBC cites that 346 girls aged 14 and under had babies in Alta Verapaz, which is the poorest region, with large numbers of girls under the age of 16 also becoming mothers.

The money from Chiquitita funds crucial workshops for primary schools about health and self-esteem, and provides therapy with psychologists for teenage mothers from sexual abuse. The Association of Friends of Development and Peace (ADP) is funded from the ABBA song, and provide these services. Other good work that the ADP do includes the creation of public information spots, providing social workers to reach abused children in remote communities.

The BBC report continues to explain the culture and attitudes that are rife, with Child Psychologist Leslie Pau Soto saying:

“Machismo is woven into the Mayan culture. Here they produce cardamom, coffee, cacao, maize and beans, and men’s physical strength is greatly valued while women are minimised and restricted to the home.

Women are generally not allowed to study, and those women who attempt to study or work are stigmatised. Women are always controlled, obeying whatever the men want, until the men achieve complete dominion over them.”

Additionally, it resoundingly looks like the problems come from the top, with Guatemala having very low rates of prosecution rates for domestic violence and rape, which is already low globally.

While there is still much to be done, the women of Guatemala believe they are seeing an impact in the country 43 years since Chiquitita was released. The support given to the abused is notable, and adult women believe that men are starting to respect women’s rights. The song continues to raise money, and hopefully there will be a day when children no longer need to be counselled through their abuse.

Chiquitita lyrics

Chiquitita, tell me what’s wrong
You’re enchained by your own sorrow
In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow

How I hate to see you like this
There is no way you can deny it
I can see that you’re oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, tell me the truth
I’m a shoulder you can cry on
Your best friend, I’m the one you must rely on

You were always sure of yourself
Now I see you’ve broken a feather
I hope we can patch it up together

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they’re leavin’
You’ll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You would have no time for grievin’

Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shinin’ above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

So the walls came tumblin’ down
And your love’s a blown out candle
All is gone and it seems too hard to handle

Chiquitita, tell me the truth
There is no way you can deny it
I see that you’re oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they’re leavin’
You’ll be dancin’ once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grievin’

Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shinin’ above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

Also by Michelle Sciarrotta: