Govt, UNICEF embark on US$18.3M 5-year plan for children

– priorities include nutrition services, climate-resilient WASH services

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday presented its Country Programme Document to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, signalling the commencement of a new programme of cooperation geared at improving the rights and well-being of children in the country.

With an indicative five-year budget of about US$18.3 million, the new country programme aims to achieve outcomes in six areas including, survival and thrive; education and skills; child protection; climate resilience and water, sanitation and hygiene; social protection and inclusion.
UNICEF Representative to Guyana and Suriname, Nicolas Pron formally presented the document, which was developed extensive consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Government.
It provides a new framework of cooperation between UNICEF and the Government of Guyana from March 2022 to December 2026. The CPD was endorsed by UNICEF’s Executive Board during its first regular session last month, which saw the attendance of the Permanent Mission of Guyana to the United Nations.
The CPD outlines UNICEF’s priorities over the next five years, which are also aligned with the Government’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for women and children, while helping to address key deprivations associated with health, nutrition, water and sanitation, education and social protection.
“This programme of cooperation with Guyana aims to support the Government in meeting its commitments to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of children, as stipulated by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF will support the Government of Guyana in developing and strengthening systems that will allow children and adolescents to grow up healthy and resilient; have equitable access to improved learning and skills for life and work; be protected from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and extreme poverty; and live in a safe and sustainable environment,” Pron related.
While the programme will operate at the national level, it will simultaneously improve service delivery in hinterland areas and among the urban poor.
The Executive Board is the governing body of UNICEF, providing inter-governmental support and oversight to the organisation, in accordance with the overall policy guidance of the United Nations General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. The Executive Board reviews UNICEF activities and approves its policies, country programmes and budgets. It comprises 36 members representing the five regional groups of Member States at the United Nations.