Partners

Partners

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NGOs partnerships

Private sector partnerships

Private sector partnerships

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Newsline

 

Private sector partnerships

© UNICEF Mozambique

Promoting child-friendly corporate social investment

The corporate sector has an important role to play to ensure the health, education, equality and protection of all Mozambican children. Since mid 2007, UNICEF Mozambique has been looking into ways it can develop and foster private sector partnerships and assist corporate partners to further develop their corporate social investment (CSI) initiatives in support of children’s rights and well-being.

Why children

Mozambique is a youthful country, with half of its population under the age of 18.

Mozambique is one of Africa’s most successful examples of a nation that has managed to rebuild itself after protracted conflict. However, poverty reduction and other social advances have not benefited everyone equally:

• 14 per cent of children will die before the age of five from preventable diseases.
• Around 58 per cent of children live with less than 18.4 meticais/US$0.50 a day.
• Around 1.6 million boys and girls are missing from classrooms as a result of poverty, poor quality of education and long travelling distances to school.
• Only 43 per cent of the population has access to safe water and 19 per cent have access to adequate sanitation. Households have to walk for almost an hour (50 minutes) each time they need to collect water.
• It is estimated that 7.9 per cent of young people (age 15-24) live with HIV. Women (11.1 per cent) are more affected than men (3.7 per cent). 

You can make a difference

In Mozambique, where the need for sustainable development is great, the private sector can make a real difference to the lives of children, many of whom are living in poverty and deprivation – and all of whom comprise the human and social capital on which Mozambique’s future prosperity depends.

By supporting Child-Friendly Initiatives, you show your commitment to children. A company that cares about children is a worthy, socially-minded corporate citizen. A company that invests in children is part of a global movement creating a world fit for children.

The partnerships menu

UNICEF, in collaboration with the Government and the civil society, developed a Partnerships Menu to guide interested companies you on the key areas of potential support either through corporate social responsibility programmes or child-friendly internal workplace policies. These include:

• Supporting community-based prevention and treatment of the most common childhood illnesses.
• Procuring and promoting the use of Insecticide-Treated Nets (ITN) or the Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN) for malaria prevention.
• Expanding the reach of the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and the Paediatric Treatment services.
• Providing low cost safe drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities.
• Improving the quality of education through a minimum quality package of child-friendly interventions in schools.
• Prevention of violence and abuse of women and children.
• Engaging young people through community theatre, child-to-child radio and mobile multimedia.
• Promoting HIV and AIDS policies in the workplace.

© UNICEF Mozambique

Partnering with UNICEF

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is the leading global advocate for children’s rights. UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly and its work is carried out in 191 countries through country programmes and National Committees.

As the leading children’s organisation in Mozambique for over 30 years, UNICEF has the most comprehensive programme for children in the country and has been working closely with the Government and civil society organisations through four priority programmes:

• Child health and nutrition 
• Water, sanitation and hygiene
• Basic education
• Child protection

UNICEF believes that partnerships and collaborative relationships are critical to delivering results for children and to realizing their rights. Since its inception, the organisation has engaged in a broad range of partnerships and collaborative relationships to achieve such outcomes.

In Mozambique, the main elements of the UNICEF’s private sector partnerships strategy include:

• Promoting strategic and preferably long-term partnerships for child-focused corporate social investment.
• Organising and expanding the base of ad hoc, smaller scale, or initial investment interest through the Partnership Menu of child-friendly initiatives .
• Establishing a Corporate Social Investment database with a focus on child-friendly initiatives.
• Promoting improved workplace policies.
• Advocating for child-friendly products that improve the livelihoods of children in Mozambique.

Benefits for the corporate partners

For those companies considering partnering with UNICEF as part of their CSI programme, potential benefits include:

• The opportunity to partner with a well respected international development institution. 
• Enhanced corporate reputation and brand image.
• Improved relations with shareholders, local authorities and communities.
• Improved access to markets and customers.
• Enhanced media outreach associated with UNICEF’s strong brand and child rights mission, and access to local and global media.

We can assist you

If you are interested in supporting a child-friendly initiative, UNICEF can assist you with:

• Further information on child-friendly projects that require funding.
• Expert advice on where your support can have the maximum impact.
• Facilitating a partnership with the Government and other organisations involved in child-friendly programmes.
• Providing advice on how to implement initiatives in your own workplace.

For more information please contact:

Emidio Machiana, Partnerships Officer, Telephone: (+258) 21 481180, emachiana@unicef.org