Thursday, August 25, 2011

UNICEF CPC 7 program anchors review on pathways to change strategy and towards equity for children


By: Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY : AUGUST 25  (PIA).....Using the methodology of backwards mapping or the Theory of Change, a total of almost 200 participants implementing the Countrywide Program for Children (CPC) 4, 5 and 6  through the funding of the United Nations International Childrens Fund (UNICEF) from Regions 5 and 8, culminated the 3-day thematic consultation held at St. Ellis Hotel, Legaspi City, Friday of last week.

Participants from regions 5 and 8 reviewed  the inputs of the 3- day national workshop conducted in Manila early last month and compared it to the strategy used by local implementers particularly in regions 5 and 8  to draw the localized pathway of change strategy for implementation towards equity for children.

The newly drafted CPC 7 national program was presented and  participants where consulted on which pathway should be strengthened and improved viewing it on a local implementation outlook  and perspective given also their local pre-conditioned situations with regional cultural implications and differences.

The results of the inputs of these two regions were laterally  compared with the inputs drafted by 100 participants from Manila earlier prepared and considered as preconditioned situations.

In cooperation with the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and  the Department of Social Welfare and Development  (DSWD) office Region V , UNICEF provided the legal, structural and process framework  focusing on the basic early childhood and development. nine key programs.

Significant issues on inequity, marginalization and opportunities for a balanced implementation of the rights of children, the program review also provided sharing of experiences from program implementers from the two regions.

Basic Education; Maternal ; Neonatal and Child Health; Nutrition (2) ; Child Protection (2) ;Conflict Risk Mitigation and Peace Building;Water Sanitation and Hygiene; HIV and Aids; Social Protection Policy and Disaster Risk Reduction were the nine program areas given emphasis of the review..

Regions 5 and 8 key implementers' of CPC 4, 5 and 6 drew their inputs through  knowledge sharing from their community based experiences,  views and the working arrangement and  current resources both financial and human.

One of the conditions that surfaced was on strengthening the assistance and support group interventions and its logistics componenet.for workers in the program..

According to the inputs presented,  Barangay Health Workers (BHWs). provide  voluntarily  services. While these services  were given , there is a need to look at their financial capability and status as it revealed that they are given very low renumeration.

Barangay Health Workers aside from medical workers who implement the CPC are usually not provided the enough logistics as they are considered volunteers .

They have to walk to far flung areas and are exposed to bad weather conditions and other elements.in the implementation of the program.

"This  pre-conditioned situations are  the real scenario in rural communities and such issue has  to be resolved. It should be acted upon to at least successfully strengthen and assure the success of the CPC implementation " , this is one of the indicators in the review that surfaced.

The assumptions also surfaced that while volunteerism is a strategy for program implementation, these volunteers (BHWs) are themselves part of the issue to be provided interventions as most of them are mothers / women who should be receiving interventions from the program.

Providing children a voice on the program to be implemented with proper consultation on what they need should also  be seen as a major linkage to successfully implement the program.

This was significantly highlighted especially during the synthesis on the last day with emphasis on the proper monitoring and evaluation of the program, its impact on the target clients and the indicators of success.

The three day activity also surfaced certain social policies on education issues that has to be reviewed thoroughly and be brought to government's attention like proviions for safe and mitigating risk threat  school buildings that can withstand certain calamities if these will be used as evacuation centers.

The program review of the nationally drafted CPC 7  drew  new inputs of suggestions of indicators,assumptions and interventions in the pathway to change strategy as local thematic consultation was implemented taking into consideration  regional issues and differences yet still focused towards equity for children. (PIA- SORSOGON)

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