UNICEF Philippines Enters its 9th Country Programme Cycle

UNICEF Philippines, with its recently approved Country Programme Document (CPD) 2024-2028­­, builds upon a stronger foundation and deeper commitment to advancing children’s rights in the country. Incorporating lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, the new CPD was informed by multi-sectoral consultations with national and local government partners, human rights institutions, and civil society organizations. 

The new country programme has five main outcomes (health and nutrition, education, child protection, child-sensitive social policy, and climate, environment, and resilience), which are based on a prioritization of child deprivations and founded in a theory of change. The new country programme particularly focuses on five strategic shifts:

1. Recognizing the transition of the Philippines to an upper-middle income classification and increased fiscal space, UNICEF will give greater focus on public finance for children and evidence-based advocacy to influence the equity, efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency of social service allocations.
2. With the increasing impact of climate change on children and vulnerable groups, UNICEF will have a more deliberate focus on climate action for children and resilience building. This will include fostering child-sensitive climate policies, fostering climate-smart social services, and empowering children as agent of change.
3. Harmful social norms and behaviors continue to be at the root of many child rights deprivations. UNICEF will increase its capacity and support to strengthening social and behavior change as part of a cross-sectoral strategy.
4. Key bottlenecks across social sector systems have been at the root of the effective implementation of key national policies, which includes varied levels of accountability, governance, and leadership particularly at subnational level; inadequate social service workforce with capacity gaps; variable support, supervision, and in-service training; weak vertical supply chain management; weak monitoring, data collection, and systems for information management; and weak enforcement of minimum standards. UNICEF will strengthen its approach to system strengthening at both national and subnational level. An improved approach to modeling will involve co-creating solutions with national government to ensure scaling up through public systems and institutions.
5. BARMM has persistent lagging indicators and high child vulnerability, with special concerns for institutional capacity strengthening, equity, inclusion, and child rights violations. UNICEF will increase its overall focus on BARMM where it will strengthen its capacity to accelerate progress and leave no child behind.

By prioritizing child rights through systems-strengthening, equitable access, and climate resilience, UNICEF seeks greater impact in the improvement of children’s lives, paving them an opportunity to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Through continued collaboration with the government and local communities, UNICEF is helping to secure a better future #ForEveryChild.