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Zimbabwe
to officially launch Plan of Action in support of orphans: Implementation
requires efforts of every Zimbabwean
UNICEF
Zimbabwe
September
05, 2005
HARARE – Vice-President
Joyce Mujuru will officially launch Zimbabwe’s National Plan of
Action (NPA) for orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC) tommorrow
at the Sheraton in Harare.
The NPA for
OVC seeks to reach all of Zimbabwe’s 1.3million orphans and advance
their lives through improved health, education, child protection
and nutrition. It has the support of the highest levels of government,
as well as the United Nations and civil society in Zimbabwe.
"This is
one of the biggest events of the year, and a launch which will have
a profound impact on the future of Zimbabwe," said Mrs Dhlembeu,
Zimbabwe’s National OVC Secretariat Coordinator. "More than
one million Zimbabwean children have been orphaned due to AIDS-related
deaths. Current estimates indicate that a Zimbabwean child is orphaned
every 20 minutes. These numbers must be confronted."
Vice-President
Mujuru will be joined by hundreds of children and dozens of representatives
from government ministries, non-governmental organizations, donors,
the United Nations and the private sector, all of whom worked together
to create the NPA. It is they – and all Zimbabweans – who are now
charged with ensuring the NPA’s success.
The launch directly
follows an inaugural Children’s Summit, at which children from every
district discussed the NPA and how to share it with peers.
"It is
now up to all stakeholders – government, private companies, donors,
and everyday Zimbabweans – to demonstrate their commitment to the
plan," said UNICEF’s Representative in Zimbabwe, Dr Festo Kavishe,
"There is a tremendous amount to be done, but children are
a country’s ultimate investment, and if everyone contributes the
results will be with us for generations."
The NPA for
OVC now calls upon the private sector and international donors to
provide valuable resources; community-based organizations and traditional
leaders to support Child Protection Committees at the village, district
and provincial level; and parents, teachers, children and church
members to work to educate their peers, colleagues and congregations
about the NPA, and then push for its success.
The NPA specifically
seeks to:
- Increase
the number of children with birth certificates;
- Increase
child participation in the issues that concern them;
- Increase
new school enrolment of OVC;
- Increase
OVC’s access to food, health services, water and sanitation;
- Increase
OVC’s education on issues of nutrition, health and hygiene; and
- Reduce the
number of children living outside a family environment.
"There
is no more critical plan today in Zimbabwe," Mrs Dhlembeu said.
"This is the moment for all Zimbabweans to stand behind the
orphans and vulnerable children of this country, and to ensure this
plan becomes a reality. These children – our future – depend on
it."
This year, Zimbabwe’s
NPA for OVC requires approximately US$22 million in funding. As
it expands its reach in 2006, US$55 million will be needed.
"Although
these seem like enormous sums, the NPA for OVC is costed and includes
a clear monitoring and evaluation plan," Dr Kavishe said. "More
so, the cost per child is considerably less than many other countries
in the region – it really is the ultimate investment in Zimbabwe.
If additional funds are secured then the NPA for OVC has the power
to dramatically improve the lives of more than one million of the
most vulnerable children."
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