A/HRC/21/36
1.
United Nations Children’s Fund
71.
In its contribution to the present report, UNICEF reported on three projects relating
to the right to health, namely strengthening childcare services, safe motherhood, and child
immunization. In supporting the country’s health system, UNICEF has worked closely with
health sector partners, local authorities, the private sector and community-based
organizations. It has delivered drugs and medical supplies for the primary health-care sector
throughout Somalia. Some 400 health facilities, including hospitals, maternal and child
health centres and health posts, have received essential drugs and basic medical equipment
through UNICEF and its partners.
72.
In addition to providing basic health-care services, UNICEF has supported the
development of institutional capacities by training health-care personnel, supporting policy
development and encouraging health sector reform. The UNICEF Expanded Programme on
Immunization seeks, through routine immunization and polio national immunization days,
to protect a progressively larger group of children against vaccine preventable diseases.
73.
UNICEF, WHO, non-governmental organizations and local authorities have
collaborated in regional cholera task forces, which responded to several outbreaks between
January and June 2012, primarily in Mogadishu, Kismayo and Bossasso. Cholera supplies
and chlorine tablets to purify water were made available by UNICEF to all health centres
treating cholera patients.
74.
UNICEF has also provided supplies, such as basic drugs, insecticide-treated nets to
prevent malaria, vaccines and medical equipment.
75.
Special emphasis has been placed on safe motherhood practices, support for prenatal
care, home delivery assistance and emergency obstetric care. Health education is provided
through community health workers, traditional birth attendants and the media. Clean
delivery kits to ensure sanitary and safe conditions for women in labour and those assisting
with the birth have been distributed to 99 maternal and child health facilities offering
prenatal care throughout Somalia. The kits have been sold at subsidized prices and the
revenue generated has helped health centres to support staff and rehabilitate facilities.
76.
The UNICEF education programme in Somalia has addressed primary formal
education and primary alternative education. The former has focused on increasing
enrolment and helping students who are returning to the classroom to advance through
learning levels. The latter has focused on building alternative, non-formal learning
opportunities for young people without access to formal education. UNICEF has provided
education materials to both formal and informal classroom settings, teacher training and
support for community education committees. Local authorities have been helped to
establish and set standards for the education system, and to develop standardized curricula
and text books. In these endeavours, UNICEF has worked closely with UNESCO and
members of the Education Sectorial Committee of the Somalia Aid Coordination Body.
Important national partners include the local authorities, communities and nongovernmental organizations, where they exist.
77.
The focus of UNICEF on education in Somalia has been on system-wide education
reforms, developing a curriculum in the Somali language, text books, improving standards
of learning and developing education management information systems.
2.
United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime
78.
UNODC reported that, in general, its work to promote United Nations standards and
norms in crime prevention and criminal justice throughout the criminal justice system
sought to improve the human rights of suspects, the accused, detained and imprisoned
14
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