Advocacy, Policies and Partnerships for Children's Rights
The programme for advocacy, policies and partnerships for children’s rights consists of three projects:
1.“Policy and Institutional Support Project”
- Past Activities (2004-2006):
As a response to the concluding observations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF supported drafting framework of the national strategy and plan of action for children to be implemented in Kuwait.
- Planned Activities (2007-2009):
UNICEF will provide technical assistance, training, workshops and knowledge networking in order for the Supreme Committee for Child and Family to:
- monitor trends in child indicators
- advocate for children
- complete and implement a National Plan of Action for Children, building on the process started in 2005.
- continue the process of adapting local legislation and policies with the CRC provisions as well as ensuring its implementation
- prepare reports to the Committee on the Rights of the Child
- plan follow-up of the Committee’s recommendations
UNICEF will also provide technical assistance for Kuwait to:
a. set up a separate, permanent and independent mechanism, such as a national human rights institution or an ombudsman, with the mandate to monitor and evaluate the progress of the implementation of the CRC;
b. strengthen the Mother and Child Association under the Ministry of Education.
2. “CRC Advocacy, Monitoring and Knowledge Base Project”
UNICEF will provide technical assistance, training, workshops, knowledge networking and policy advocacy in order to:
- install DevInfo and train operators
- agree upon a core set of country specific indicators for child rights including those needed for reporting to the Committee on the CRC and used in the reporting of MDGs
- develop mechanisms for monitoring progress on these indicators
- carry out specific studies and surveys will be promoted in order to continuously update the Situation Analysis of Children
- review of the state budget from a child perspective
- raise awareness among policy makers, the private sector and the civil society about child rights and its relevance to Kuwait
- disseminating the principles and provisions of the CRC, the reports to the Committee on the CRC, and the concluding observations of the Committee
- build a partnership with media around child rights.
3. “Participation and Partnerships Project”
- a review of adolescent’s current participation
- advocacy for increased opportunities for both adolescent boys and girls to participate in school and community development participation of adolescents in national planning events and regional and sub-regional forums as well as in media will be encouraged
- capture lessons learned from e.g. student councils while building on regional experiences
- media campaigns targeting parents, teachers, decision makers, etc, in order to improve their knowledge, attitudes and practices vis-à-vis adolescents
- advocacy for adolescent friendly legislation, policies and guidelines
- partnership building with existing and new partners for leveraging knowledge and resources for children within and outside Kuwait
- awareness-raising about child rights issues nationally and internationally.
