UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office 2022–2025 Summary Narrative Report
A Review of Children's Situation, Key Contributions by UNICEF ESARO, Challenges, and Lessons for the Future
Highlights
Between 2022 and 2025, UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO) supported 21 countries in advancing child rights and well-being amid overlapping crises, including conflict, displacement, disease outbreaks, climate shocks, and growing fiscal constraints. The region is home to 284 million children, many of whom continue to face significant challenges in health, nutrition, education, protection, and social inclusion.
Despite these challenges, UNICEF and its partners contributed to important results. Regional efforts focused on strengthening primary health care and immunization systems, improving nutrition services and fostering healthier, more sustainable food systems, advanced foundational learning, promoted climate resilience, and supported more inclusive social protection systems.
ESARO further strengthened evidence generation, emergency preparedness, child rights advocacy, disability inclusion, and strategic partnerships. Looking ahead, the report underscores the importance of investing in resilient systems, local partnerships, evidence-informed programming, and sustainable financing to accelerate results for the most vulnerable children. Guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and UNICEF's commitment to equity, the lessons and achievements documented in this report provide a foundation for advancing children's rights and ensuring that every child can survive, thrive, learn, and be protected.
