Page

What we do

UNICEF has been promoting children’s rights in Niger since 1972.

Available in:
English
Français

For close to 50 years, UNICEF has been a key advocate for, and contributor to the realization of children’s rights in Niger. We strive to leave no child behind. We focus on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children to make sure that they are given the best chance for a healthy life, a childhood of fulfillment and protection from harm.

UNICEF’s work in Niger

UNICEF’s vision is to support the Government towards ensuring that all children, especially the most vulnerable, enjoy their rights; adolescents and youth are empowered; communities and systems are strengthened and resilient; and humanitarian assistance and development address the structural causes of fragility and vulnerability.

Our programmatic focus is on the whole child, particularly the most marginalized children and those affected by humanitarian emergencies. Special attention is also given to adolescents and youth.

We aim to accelerate progress in four high-impact areas of results for children where it is uniquely placed to support the Government:

Quality education, ensuring that girls and boys are reached with interventions to improve learning outcomes;
Immunization, improving coverage to reach children still not covered by routine immunization, using immunization as an entry point for health systems strengthening in all areas;
Child marriage, by promoting positive social norms and prevention and care policies and services;
And stunting prevention, by improving feeding practices, hygiene and sanitation and treating Severe Acute Malnutrition in under-five children.

At the national level, we are engaged in policy dialogue with the Government to support sector-wide approaches, effective multisectoral coordination and the convergence of programmatic approaches, while mainstreaming equity, risk and gender dimensions in planning and implementation.

We seek to deepen understanding of the cultural and socio-economic determinants of gender inequality through research and community dialogue. We advocate for and seek to build national capacities to respond to emerging issues affecting children’s rights, such as migration and forced displacement, in a way that promotes a protective environment for all children and fosters social cohesion.

Our programme aims to promote social and inter-generational dialogue that is prospective, child- and youth-centred, by involving multiple stakeholders, promoting innovation and fostering partnerships with United Nations agencies and development partners, the media, researchers and academics, the private sector, traditional and religious leaders, civil society, women- and youth-led organisations, youth role models and social change leaders.

We operate at the subnational level, particularly in the regions of Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Tahoua, Tillabery, and Zinder, which have the greatest number of children who are multidimensionally deprived, affected by emergencies or otherwise marginalized.

In cross-border regions, our focus is on interventions that bridge humanitarian assistance and development while supporting emergency preparedness and response and outreach strategies to extend health, nutrition education, WASH and protection services, while promoting social cohesion, local capacities, and sustainable solutions.