UNICEF donates P18M to Iloilo for child protection

This is a press release from the Iloilo Provincial Public Information Office

ILOILO, Philippines – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has donated P18.69 million ($417,513) here as part of their strategic response plan to build better communities for children and their families in areas ravaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

The donation was made following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. and the UNICEF Representative to the Philippines Lotta Sylwander. 

Under the agreement, both parties declared to fully implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in the local governments.  

To do so, UNICEF committed to work with the municipalities concerned in developing a work plan that would outline the key results to be achieved, the programs and interventions to be implemented and the technical and financial aid required.

Given its Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action, a global framework for humanitarian action for children, UNICEF agreed to provide technical assistance and resources in the following key areas: child protection for P2.40 million ($53,613) , health for P7.50 million ($167. 541), nutrition for P1.55 million ($34,625), water, sanitation and hygiene for P4.02 million ($89,802), and education P3.19 million ($71,261).

The UN agency would also render assistance to areas like social protection, child-focused disaster risk reduction, assessment, monitoring and evaluation and supply and logistics until the MoU ends on December 31, 2014.

The assistance coming from UNICEF would be provided via or in terms of direct cash transfer, supplies, individual service contracts and project cooperation agreements with concerned civil society organizations. 

So far, Provincial Administrator Raul Banias said the donation from UNICEF would finance the trainings, seminars and other capability-building programs of the province to improve the delivery of maternal and child healthcare services.

Examples of such were the province’s expanded program on immunization, pregnancy tracking, adolescent health development program and adolescent job aid for public health worker, training on youth counseling skills, among others.

The monitoring and evaluation of all these programs would be jointly made by the parties (province, municipalities and UNICEF) during their periodic meetings. – Rappler.com 

*($1 = P44.81)