By Precious D. Freeman
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen child advancement program in the country.
The MOU intends to put in place a framework for a coherent, efficient, and effective conducts of UNICEF’s contribution towards the decentralization policy, including the newly established outpost in Zwedru and to meeting other objectives.
Speaking at the signing ceremony yesterday, the Minister for Internal Affairs, Varney A. Sirleaf mentioned that piloting several areas towards the progressive realization of a child rights is among the objectives covered within the scope of the MOU.
According to him, UNICEF and the Ministry of Internal Affairs have agreed on a work plan which defines areas of cooperation and planned activities with the community- based approaches in program delivery in priority counties.
“This is not going to be a project that others may see as an NGO, but the country’s project that we should own in the counties and the superintendent will lead the project while we provide supervision,” Minister Sirleaf asserted.
He furthered that they are committed to implementing this project to the fullest and that the signing yesterday depends on everyone’s participation for the success, adding that if they can do it together, then there will be end to open defecation, early pregnancy, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) amongst other.
Minister Sirleaf noted that the key aspect of the MOU is that it draws up a map of intervention with the involvement of state actors, with the notion, believe or idea of adding capacity to a decentralize structure in the counties and that of the Civil Society.
“If you take care of the rights of children for them to actualize themselves into full potential; it helps to keep the country on a trajectory so that if it passes, they can be able to take over from us,” he explained.
He stated that the MOU will be very important because looking at the rights of women is the very thing in the society, and that if their rights are been protected and they are allowed to reach full potential, then it will help to keep the peace in the country.
The Minister of Internal Affairs reiterated that the overall objectives of this MOU is to establish a collaboration for creating and enabling environment for the advancement of child rights and support decentralization in Liberia.
For her part, the Country Representative of UNICEF Laila Omar Gad said they are ready to roll out the implementation and the MOU has a work plan of 18 months which run from July 2022 to December 2023.
She pointed out that the project is aligned with UNICEF plans to progressively establish field presence in different counties which have started in 2021 by establishing a field in Zwedru, with the goal of strengthening institutions at the county level and building on community-based systems to accelerate achievement of results for children.
She narrated that the areas of collaboration include working with the Council of Superintendents, National Council of Chiefs and ensuring youths and children’s participation and engagement while advocating together for inclusive policies in priority counties.
“The mobilization and commitment of the National Superintendent Council of Liberia and the National Council of Chiefs is an important determinant of the Social and Behavioral change component on multiple issues, including child labor, child marriage and prevention of FGM,” Madam Gad explained.
“UNICEF has been working in Liberia for close to 30 years, turning the vision for children into practical action, along with the child-focused mandate, country presence and operation capacity, we support the Government of Liberia and other partners to help every child reach their full potential,” she added.
