Guyana, UNICEF sign US$2.8M work plan

Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and UNICEF Deputy Representative Rudiger Luchmann pose with the signed Annual Work plan 2011

Last Monday, Guyana and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) signed a US$2.8 million Annual Work Plan for 2011, at the Grand Coastal Inn, Le Ressouvenir, East Coast Demerara.

The plan, signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and UNICEF Deputy Representative Rudiger Luchmann, outlines activities that warrant focus for specific interventions to be undertaken this year. Some of the focus areas are public policy and child rights, child protection, and child survival and development.

Ministers of Education, Health, Amerindian Affairs, and Human Services and Social Security: Shaik Baksh, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, Pauline Sukhai and Priya Manickchand, along with permanent secretaries and other government officials, attended the signing.

In an invited comment, Minister Rodrigues-Birkett told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that the plan includes programmes for the human services, health, youth, sport, and education sectors, and these respective ministries work with UNICEF in various areas, such as child protection and gender equality.

She said a significant part of the meeting centred on Guyana’s achievements in 2010, since the plan is a continuation of the work done in that year.

Commenting on the impact of the work plan on Guyana’s ability to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGS), Minister Rodrigues-Birkett said that UNICEF’s partnership is very important, especially in relation to issues involving women and children; and that UNICEF’s skills and experience can mesh with Guyana’s work towards achieving both the MDGs and the country’s national goals.

The UNICEF Deputy Representative declared that special focus will now be placed on working towards the holistic implementation of policies for all children in Guyana, regardless of their geographical location. He said the partners are also thinking ahead to the next country programme document for 2012-2016, which has already received government’s approval.

“So what we saw today, now, is really yet another milestone,” Luchmann said. Also among the priorities this year would be health policies and guidelines for adolescents, in which focus will be placed on factors influencing vulnerabilities of youth in hinterland areas, including domestic violence and gender issues.

The signing of the 2011 Annual Work Plan signals the official commencement of programmes and activities aimed at achieving specific results for children and women through the Ministry of Labour and those of Human Services and Social Security; Education; Culture, Youth and Sport; Health; Legal Affairs; Amerindian Affairs and Home Affairs. Non-governmental organisations and civil society partners will also be involved.

Luchmann lauded Guyana for its achievements in ensuring a better quality of life for children whilst striving to provide a safer and more conducive environment for them. He noted that Guyana’s legislative landscape progressed favourably for women and children with the expansion of the protective legal environment.