UNICEF launches new programme

The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Liberia launched on Thursday a new three-year programme which focuses on education, protection, water and sanitation and targets 350,000 vulnerable and internally displaced children in the country. Cyrille Niameogo, the UNICEF representative in Liberia, said the programme would support the government, non-governmental organisations and communities to establish systems to improve the situation of children and women in the country. It aims to reduce child mortality by five percent and maternal mortality by 10 percent. The programme also aims to increase gender-sensitive access to basic education by 10 percent for children aged 6-12 years, support access to community-based day-care for 20 percent of children aged 2-6 years, improve child-caring practices for 30 percent of parents and monitor child protection measures. To be implemented in the five counties of Montserrado, Margibi, Bong, Grand Bassa and Rivercess, the programme will adopt an integrated early childhood survival and development approach concentrating on service delivery, immunization, maternal care, child health and nutrition. Community development committees, district and county teams will be strengthened to carry out assessments, analysis and actions in support of children's rights, care and protection from exploitation and violence in times of emergency.