PROGRAMME STRUCTUREThe overall goal of the 2012-16 Multi-Country Programme is to contribute to realization of the rights of all girls and boys in the Eastern Caribbean area by ensuring accurate and current data on their situation, fostering an enabling, child-friendly and protective environment, reducing the vulnerabilities of girls and boys and their families to social, environmental and economic risks and enhancing their participation.
The programme details three main results to be achieved by 2016:
(a) Equity-sensitive national policies, programmes and budget allocations are made based on reliable, disaggregated data reflecting the actual situation of girls and boys and their families in line with the CRC, CEDAW and the Millennium Development Goals. By 2014, all countries will have fulfilled their Convention reporting obligations and by 2016 will have taken actions to comply with all Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child;
(b) Governments have enhanced capacities to develop comprehensive systems of national policies, laws and institutions to ensure positive development and protection of all boys and girls, especially those who are income poor and vulnerable to neglect, violence, exploitation and all forms of discrimination.
(c) All boys and girls from the poorest communities are accessing pre-school and early stimulation opportunities, are benefiting from positive child-centered approaches at school and are benefitting from law and polices that protect them from neglect, violence, exploitation and discrimination
The programme is guided by the human rights-based approach and the strategic monitoring and normative programming role of UNICEF in Middle Income Countries. Building on the previous programme of cooperation, it emphasizes the capacity building in the collection and use of data to: (a) support implementation of the recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the CEDAW Committee; and (b) advocate for public policy changes consistent with international standards, as well as budget allocation and programmes focused on girls and boys, especially the income-poor and disadvantage.
It has a gender-sensitive and equity focus to increase its impact for all children in the area. The equity dimension of the problems being faced by children will be explored through collection of disaggregated data to support planning, monitoring and evaluation of programme interventions.