The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ and UNICEF’s work plan for 2008 will focus on a range of areas including ensuring universal access to birth registration services is.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release the Annual Work Plan outlining the activities to be undertaken for the year was on Monday approved and officially signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rudy Insanally and UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Nils Kastberg.
The Plan outlines the priority areas of focus for specific interventions. These include Public Policy and Child Rights, Child Protection, Child Survival and Development, which includes Quality Health Care and Education and Youth Development and Participation including HIV/AIDS prevention.
UNICEF representative to Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad, Johannes Wedenig, in a press release said, “Priorities for this year include the development policy and legislative framework in conformity with the convention on the rights of the child and the reduction of the vulnerability of children to violence and abuse, including children in conflict with the law.” He said too ensuring universal access to birth registration services and ensuring access to child friendly protection services and legal redress consistent with international norms for children in detention or in conflict with the law will also be addressed. Mothers in remote parts of the country have frequently had problems trying to register the births of their children.
Kastberg opined that at this point UNICEF needs to redouble its efforts to encourage governments to translate their political promises into a greater and more equitable social investment. He said this must be done by disseminating information on public policies which demonstrate positive results for children, not only at the national levels but regionally. He also made this point later in the day at the opening of a Caricom meeting on children.
According to GINA the government and UNICEF’s Country Programme of Cooperation 2006 – 2010 is in its third year towards realizing the objectives of its five-year cycle. Wedenig noted that much progress for children was realised last year with increased political focus on themes and public budgets related to children and adolescents. The release said too in this year’s national budget, under the section ‘Targeted social protection interventions’, a comprehensive child protection strategy will be established to implement a foster care programme to address the needs of orphans and vulnerable children.
The signing of the Plan signals the official commencement of projects and activities aimed at achieving specific programme results, via the ministries of labour, human services and social security, education, culture, youth and sport, health and legal affairs.
