Public-private partnership and engagement with the private sector
UNICEF intervenes to help the private sector promote the rights of the child and develop activities necessary for an investment environment conducive to the rights of the child
Challenges
In Madagascar, 14 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 are victims of sexual violence. In tourist sites, sexual exploitation remains a major issue. According to a study conducted by UNICEF in two mining and tourist sites in Madagascar, 16 percent of children had experienced first coerced sexual intercourse. In the city of Nosy Be, 40 percent of the first sexual relations of the young girls surveyed took place in places of prostitution.
The involvement of the private sector in supporting the rights of the child contributes to positively influencing society, will help combat this violence and the various forms of exploitation of which children are victims.
The lack of knowledge and non-respect for the children's rights in the private sector and its entire value chain, are linked to the lack of awareness and involvement of private sector, government and civil society stakeholders. There is a need to strengthen the establishment of partnerships with businesses, identify weaknesses in the private sector regarding children's rights, and carry out advocacy to influence practices, policies and laws which are conducive to the rights of the child.
UNICEF’s actions
Studies on the situation of children in priority sectors of tourism, mining and agribusinesses
UNICEF aims to conduct studies on the situation of children in the tourism, mining and agribusiness sectors.
Partnership for strengthening the capacity of the private sector, respecting and supporting the rights of the child
UNICEF prioritizes expertise and capacity building in the private sector in order to improve and strengthen business management policies, as well as the practices and behaviors of key business stakeholders, to develop – with government partners – the activities necessary for establishing an investment environment conducive to respecting and supporting the rights of the child. The tools proposed in the Children’s Rights and Business Principles (CRBP) invite all economic operators to implement a set of actions aimed at respecting, supporting and promoting the rights of the child.
97 stakeholders involved in the tourism, extractive, information and communication technologies and agribusiness sectors were provided with training on guidelines to respect the rights of the child.
Since the beginning of 2018, more than 50 key private sector stakeholders have adopted a policy that is aligned with the guidelines to respect the rights of the child.
Public-private partnerships can influence the behavior of companies and mobilize support for programs, specifically in the extractive and tourism sectors.
Partnership to mobilize basic resources and core expertise from the private sector with a view of supporting UNICEF programs
UNICEF mobilizes the private sector to get involved in the implementation of its programs. In the event of droughts, cyclones and floods, UNICEF's advocacy has made it possible to set up a cooperation agreement with the TELMA Foundation to support 10,930 families affected by natural disasters. A partnership with Airtel Madagascar has been established to implement the “Let us Learn” cash transfer program. A partnership with Galana has been a lever for mobilizing education and social protection resources.
In the plague response, UNICEF facilitated the engagement of Ambatovy, and Vitafoam (mattress manufacturing company) with the Ministry of Health.
In 2017, the engagement with the private sector created a leverage effect amounting to US $ 190,000 that would benefit 70,000 children and 23,000 families affected by crises.
Advocacy and education efforts with all influential stakeholders are strengthened in order to promote, support, respect and enforce children's rights
In 2017, UNICEF partnered with the Ministry in charge of the private sector to promote guidelines to respect the rights of the child. As part of these advocacy efforts, UNICEF has supported, since 2016, the organization of a high-level national forum on the Sustainable Development Goals and corporate social responsibility, with attendance by more than 600 representatives of the private sector, civil society, the Government, as well as technical and financial partners.
