West and Central Africa

What’s at stake?, According to the latest published data, [1] 122 million people were practicing open defecation (OD) in WCAR in 2015. This number has increased by 34 million since 2000 as the rate of progress in ending OD was insufficient to account for population growth. WCAR accounts for 14% of global OD with eight countries having more than 5 million open…, Our goal, Change strategies, In West and Central Africa, UNICEF will carry out these integrated strategies to accelerate progress toward change. The focus in the next four years will be on supporting countries to align their sanitation policies, strategy, road map and subnational operational plans to the new SDG areas and to Pan-African commitments. [1] UNICEF will generate…

What’s at stake?, Birth registration is the official recording of the birth of a child by the State – a fundamental human right and an essential means of protecting a child's right to a name and identity. Birth registration is part of a civil registration and vital statistics system, which tracks major milestones in a person’s life, from birth to marriage and death…, Our goal, Change strategies, In West and Central Africa, UNICEF will carry out these integrated strategies to accelerate progress toward change. Strengthening and systematizing linkages between civil registration and the delivery platforms of other social services, including evidence generation, policy advocacy, inter-sectoral and inter-agency partnerships, and innovations.…

What’s at stake?, Child marriage is a human rights violation taking place on a vast scale in West and Central Africa which disproportionately affect girls. Girls who marry young often drop out of school and face physical risks, especially during pregnancy. Due to the social, health and economic impacts of child marriage, the practice is a major obstacle to…, Our goal, Change strategies, In West and Central Africa, UNICEF will carry out these integrated strategies to accelerate progress toward change. Supporting adolescent girls at risk of, or affected by, child marriage to stay in school through the lower secondary cycle and acquire life skills, enabling them to make choices and exercise their rights. Promoting community dialogue…

What’s at stake?, Violence against children is a major concern in West and Central Africa, where about 84 per cent of children aged 10 to 14 years’ experience violent discipline. Women and girls are disproportionally affected, with nearly one third of adolescent girls reporting incidents of physical violence and around 10 per cent reporting having experienced acts…, Our goal, Change strategies, In West and Central Africa, UNICEF will carry out these integrated strategies to accelerate progress toward change. Collaborating with other sectors is another vital ingredient for change. The education sector can pursue efforts to address violence in schools, especially gender-based violence and abuse. The health sector can contribute through…

What’s at stake?, To prepare today’s young people for life in the 21 st century, gains in access to education must be accompanied by improved quality of learning. This calls for a sharper focus on quality to ensure improvement in learning outcomes and school attendance, and to help children develop cognitively, creatively and emotionally while they acquire the…, Our goal, Change strategies, In West and Central Africa, UNICEF will carry out these integrated strategies to accelerate progress toward change. Promoting the child-friendly school model, based on core principles such as a child-centred approach, inclusion, democratic participation and protection. Efforts will be made to engage high-level political leaders in developing new…

What’s at stake?, More than 30 per cent of all children worldwide who are not enrolled in school live in West and Central Africa ‒ mainly in Nigeria, DR Congo and the Sahelian countries. The reasons are diverse, but often centre on poverty, rural residence, gender, disability and lack of school facilities. Many of these 29 million primary school-age children and 12…, Our goal, Change strategies, In West and Central Africa, UNICEF will carry out these integrated strategies to accelerate progress toward change. Strengthening national and local data management systems to ensure that countries can accurately measure school attendance and identify excluded children. Promoting a holistic vision of education that includes alternative education…

What’s at stake?, Malnutrition is one of the greatest challenges facing human development in West and Central Africa, and the single largest killer of children under five years of age. Infants who are not breastfed and children who eat a poor diet often suffer from malnutrition, stunting their growth. Poverty and poor sanitation also contribute to malnutrition.…, Our goal, Change strategies, In West and Central Africa, UNICEF will carry out these integrated strategies to accelerate progress toward change. Gathering the evidence and data that are central to planning, effective implementation, knowledge management and advocacy. Mobilizing political leaders and international donors to lead the effort, since stunting affects national…

What’s at stake?, West and Central Africa has the world’s lowest childhood vaccination coverage, and diseases that can be prevented by vaccination are responsible for many preventable child deaths. An estimated six million of the 18 million children born in West and Central Africa every year are deprived of life-saving vaccines during their first year of life.  Low…, Our goal, Change strategies, In West and Central Africa, UNICEF will carry out these integrated strategies to accelerate progress toward change. Mobilizing high-level government leaders to recommit to immunization as a public good and a basic right of every child – for example, by supporting high-level national forums on immunization in priority countries. These forums help…

Challenge, Clean water, basic toilets and good hygiene practices are essential for the survival and development of children. In West and Central Africa, however, these basics of life are still not at hand’s reach for many children and families. West and Central Africa is the only region with an increasing number of people who practice open defecation – one…, Resources, UNICEF supports countries to generate evidence on how and where to make the most effective investments for children. Check out our global publications catalogue . For information about cholera, see  Regional Cholera Platforms in Africa , bringing together multi-sectoral partners from different organizations involved in cholera prevention,…, Solution, Every child should live in a predictable, safe and clean environment. This is how we make it happen in West and Central Africa. Illustration Water Safe drinking water is the foundation of health and development. UNICEF supports countries to increase access to water and manage water sources in the poorest and most vulnerable communities.…

Challenge, Today, children in West and Central Africa have a greater chance of reaching their fifth birthday than ever before. Child deaths have declined by a half over the past 25 years, a significant victory for children and women. However, the vision of keeping every child alive is not in sight yet. The West and Central Africa region accounts for a third…, Resources, UNICEF supports countries to generate evidence on how and where to make the most effective investments for children. Check out our global publications catalogue . For information about cholera, see Regional Cholera Platforms in Africa , bringing together multi-sectoral partners from different organizations involved in cholera prevention,…, Solutions, Every woman, newborn, child, and adolescent should have an equal chance to survive and thrive. This is how we make it happen in West and Central Africa.  , Health, Illustration: Immunization Immunization Almost one third of deaths among children under 5 are preventable by vaccines. UNICEF works with partners to vaccinate children against the six major vaccine-preventable diseases – pertussis, childhood tuberculosis, tetanus, polio, measles and diphtheria. Illustration: Newborn Health Newborn Health UNICEF…, Nutrition, Illustration: Malnutrition Stunting and Malnutrition Stunting and other forms of childhood malnutrition can be defeated. UNICEF and its partners strive to achieve this by using evidence-based interventions, including support for breastfeeding, appropriate complementary foods for infants over six months, and micronutrient supplementation for women…, HIV & AIDS, Illustration: PMTCT Mother-to-Child Transmission UNICEF and its partners help to minimize the risk of HIV transmission from mother to child through a combination of prevention measures such antiretroviral therapy for the HIV-positive mother and her newborn baby, hygienic delivery conditions and safe infant feeding.   Illustration: HIV Treatment…

Challenge, In West and Central Africa, we seek to understand and address the root causes of social and economic inequality so that all children, particularly those who suffer the worst deprivations in society, have access to basic social services. The Early Years Early childhood development is an investment for life. In many countries in West and Central…, Resources, UNICEF supports countries to generate evidence on how and where to make the most effective investments for children. Check out our global publications catalogue ., Solution, Every child needs an equal chance in life. This is how we make it happen in West and Central Africa.,  , Early Childhood Development, Illustration Caring for Caregivers Parents and caregivers are vital to children’s healthy development. UNICEF collaborates with partners to develop and implement parenting education programmes that help children get the best start in life.   Illustration Best Start in Life What happens to a child during the first 1,000 days of life — from…, Gender Equality, Illustration Girls' Rights Adolescent girls are a large and vibrant generation, yet they continue to face discrimination and disadvantage on a daily basis. UNICEF helps to advance the rights of adolescent girls by influencing policies and developing girl-specific health, education, child protection and social protection programmes., Adolescents, Illustration Adolescents Adolescents are vulnerable but also powerful forces of change if provided with the right support. UNICEF supports countries to develop, coordinate and implement adolescent programmes that increase access to education, life skills, prevention of HIV, teen pregnancy and child marriage, and protection against violence and…, Social Policy, Illustration Investments in Children To improve child well-being, countries need to effectively channel their public resources to children and their families, especially the poorest ones. UNICEF supports countries to identify funding sources, create consensus around the need to invest more in children, and to use the central and local government…

Challenge, Violence, abuse and exploitation of children in West and Central Africa are tragic aspects of childhood. Surveys show that the vast majority of children experience violent discipline. Nearly one in three teenage girls have been beaten or hit since the age of 15, and one in 10 raped or sexually abused. Child marriage – a serious violation of…, Resources, UNICEF supports countries to generate evidence on how and where to make the most effective investments for children. Check out our global publications catalogue ., Solution, Every child should be protected from violence, exploitation and harmful social and cultural practices. This is how we make it happen in West and Central Africa. Illustration: Child Protection 570 T Violence and Exploitation Ending violence, abuse and exploitation of children means bringing together many different actors to work together. UNICEF…