About Unicef in Namibia

UNICEF in Namibia

The global mission of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) promotes the rights and well-being of every child. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

In Namibia, UNICEF is guided by a Programme of Cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Namibia (2014-18). The overall goal is to accelerate realization of the rights of children and women through national systems, to ensure that the most vulnerable people in Namibia have equitable access to high-quality services, including in health, education, child protection, social protection and water, sanitation and hygiene.

The country programme ties together three mutually reinforcing strategies to ensure effective advocacy and a clear focus on addressing inequity and social exclusion:

1. to strengthen legislative frameworks and policies and leverage resources from government and other development partners;
2. to provide technical support to develop capacity to deliver quality services and to influence demand for services; and
3. to support monitoring, evaluation and reporting to ensure that knowledge is used to improve policies, programmes and accountability.

These national programmes will strengthen the capacity of government and other partners while paying particular attention to the most vulnerable groups, particularly those in remote rural areas and peri-urban settlements and specific excluded groups such as children with disabilities and language minority groups.

The country programme is aligned with the Government’s National Development Plan, derived from Namibia’s “Vision 2030”. It is implemented through partnerships with key Government Ministries and through interagency partnerships and collaboration with a range of NGOs, civil society, UN agencies, and with support from the private sector

Thematic Areas

Child Health & Nutrition

This programme contributes to child survival and optimal growth by focusing on an improving newborn care; improving the nutritional status of children, pregnant and lactating mothers; elimination of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV and other critical child survival interventions; improving access of adolescents living with HIV to comprehensive services including psychosocial care; and focusing on early infant diagnosis and treatment of HIV. The programme also supports improved hygiene practices and the elimination of open defecation. It will scale up the health extension programme and influence policy, legislation and budget for child survival and development.

Education

This programme supports legislation, policies, strategic plans and budgets for equitable access and improved teaching and learning outcomes for boys and girls at pre-primary, primary and secondary levels. The programme also aims to ensure at least 66 per cent of school-aged boys and girls benefit from continued access to improved learning from primary through secondary education within a safe schooling environment, including HIV prevention, reducing violence in schools and promoting standards for access to water and sanitation in schools.

Child Protection & Social Protection

This programme supports legislation, policies, strategic plans and budgets for child protection and social protection. The programme will also address harmful social and cultural practices such as social exclusion, violence, abuse and exploitation of children and women. The programme will support increased birth registration rates and child welfare grants to all vulnerable children and increase household resilience in the face of economic shocks or natural disasters.

Social Policy, Research & Communication

This programme strengthens capacities in knowledge generation and statistics, accountability and international reporting, promotion of positive social norms and safe behaviours, technology for development to promote children’s participation and advocacy to raise the profile of children’s rights in national dialogue. This programme component will also support the mainstreaming of HIV, gender, adolescent development and participation and emergency preparedness into all programme areas.