Eng - UNDP in Tajikistan

DEVELOPMENT PARTNER PROFILE
nutritional status of children and women, specifically inappropriate family health-care knowledge and practices and the deteriorating
management and service delivery capacities of the primary health care (PHC) system. A second component of the programme is the
Expanded Programme on Immunization plus which focuses on safe and sustainable immunization, and is implemented nationwide. Universal
immunization of children will continue to be an integral part of the Maternal and Child Care programme, with a shift in focus to enhancing
coverage through routine immunization. The provision of health care, including health care facilities, supplies and accessibility has undergone
changes due to the health care reform process which began in 2001 through UNICEF’s support to the Ministry of Health and has been
progressing with major efforts taking place in 2005 and 2006.
2. Quality Basic Education for All
The purpose of the programme component is to provide quality education through improved school environments, processes, content and
learning outcomes in order to address impediments and constraints that result in low enrolment and drop-outs, especially after fourth grade
and improve the capacity of the educational system. The Programme component has two projects. Project 1, Education for All, which is more
related to policy level work with the education partners. Project 2, Child Friendly Environment, focuses on creation of a gender sensitive and
friendly school environment, through interventions in health, hygiene, sanitation and safe water practices in priority districts. It also targets
Life Skills Education for adolescent girls. Tajikistan still faces the problem of low completion rates of 9 years compulsory education among
girls, as drop-outs and non-attendance become more evident among girls at higher grades. UNICEF directly contributes to the acceleration of
the education reform process at both the national and sub-national level in order to provide an enabling environment for interventions at the
school and community level. Based on the successful experiences of the child participation component in the previous country programme,
the interventions will seek to introduce more child centered educational processes through greater child participation. The programme
component will directly contribute to increased access to and completion of basic education, especially for girls, to 90% in three oblasts. An
important aspect of the programme is the role of Water, Environment and Sanitation activities which enabling the creation of gender-friendly
education and school environment, improved sanitary conditions in schools encourages girls to return back to the schools as it provides girl
friendly facilities that have security and privacy.
3. Young People’s Health and Participation
Young people of Tajikistan face new challenges, including an alarmingly increasing transmission of HIV and AIDs, limited opportunities for
participation in civil society, and lack of access to life skills education. The Young Peoples’ Health and Participation programme takes place
in an environment where families, service providers and decision makers have stereotypes about young people, do not sufficiently understand
problems affecting them, or do not appreciate the potential contribution they could make to society. To empower them to deal with these
challenges and risks in a transitional society, the country programme will focus attention on the rights of young people to participation and
well being, through a separate programme component. The programme component will have a strong focus on youth participation, and at the
same time respond to the global and national priority of prevention of HIV and AIDS. It will provide young people with opportunities to
participate actively in civil society and enable them to make appropriate decisions affecting their lives. Young People’s Participation focuses
on building up youth and child participation forums and networks at the national and sub-national level in the 15 priority districts. It also
focuses on child rights, for creation of an enabling environment for the realization of the rights of the child in Tajikistan, through formation of
networks of civil society institutions, media and policy advocacy for the right of children to participate in different programmes.
4. Social Policy Reform and Child Protection
The highly centralized social welfare system and the absence of community-based alternatives that respond to families facing social risks are
key concerns in child protection. Many children are deprived of a family environment, while a large number of children with disabilities
reside in communities without having access to health care and education. Policy makers, service providers and community leaders lack the
capacities needed to address these issues. The programme component will focus on reaching children at risk, such as children coming out of
institutions, children from broken homes, disabled children and suffering from violence and substance abuse through creating alternative
family based care and integrating them with families. Changes for children at risk will be the result of a progressive social protection policy
reform to render more effective support to vulnerable families and children in need of special protection which has been initiated by the
Ministry of Social Protection and Labour with the support of UNICEF. Advocacy for moving away from the institutionalized basis of
childcare promoted by the erstwhile state run child welfare system will be carried out, both at the policy and community level.
Future Programming Direction
UNICEF will continue to support Government efforts in implementing CRC and CEDAW in child and mother survival, protection and
development issues. UNICEF is not involved in giving loans or grants for Programme/project implementation. Its main strategies are capacity
building, advocacy and support to service delivery.
UNICEF Tajikistan began the implementation of its third country programme in Tajikistan in 2005, within the framework of the United
Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), and with strong support from the Government and other partners. In all sectors, it
continues to focus and contribute to policy level work with the Government, partnership and alliance building on children and women’s
rights, capacity building of partners as duty bearers in various areas of focus, provision of data and data analysis for improved planning and
advocacy, as well as overall support to service delivery. Those achievements are highlighted in UNICEF technical assistance and donor
coordination role in implementing the government’s Health and Education Sector Strategy Development for National Strategy Development
and the Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). UNICEF plays a role or coordinator among donors in Education Sector and continues to provide
technical expertise in Health Sector. As 2007 is a half way thorugh the Country Programme Cycle 2005-2009, The Mid Term Review is
planned, and there might be some changes in programme structure. The Country Programme needs to enhance further cross-sectoral synergy
and focus to accelerate the local governance policy support and community based actions.
Source: Aid Coordination and Project Monitoring System Database
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