Unicef, Govt learn from the past

SOME 40 people gathered at the Windhoek Country Club this week to discuss what could be done to improve their performance in the Country Programme between the Government and the UN Children’s Fund, Unicef.

The period under review was 2002-2005. The workshop discussed reviews that were undertaken by sending three teams comprising government, Unicef and civil society to the regions to see for themselves what progress has been made and what challenges remain.The reviews were carried out by people that were not responsible for the programmes in question, in an effort to achieve objectivity.The innovative way of assessment found various ways to enhance work practices.There is ground for improvement, for example, in the standardisation of monitoring, co-operation between different organisations and involving traditional leaders.Making efficient use of limited money was also discussed.Mocks Shivute, Permanent Secretary of the National Planning Commission, which is the institution charged with setting priorities and directing the course of national development, called for continued international aid.”We are classified as a low-to-middle income country in spite of the inequities that we face which, in all honesty, is inherited from the past dispensation.This perception that we should not continue to benefit from grant aid is very unfortunate”, he said.The workshop discussed reviews that were undertaken by sending three teams comprising government, Unicef and civil society to the regions to see for themselves what progress has been made and what challenges remain.The reviews were carried out by people that were not responsible for the programmes in question, in an effort to achieve objectivity.The innovative way of assessment found various ways to enhance work practices.There is ground for improvement, for example, in the standardisation of monitoring, co-operation between different organisations and involving traditional leaders.Making efficient use of limited money was also discussed.Mocks Shivute, Permanent Secretary of the National Planning Commission, which is the institution charged with setting priorities and directing the course of national development, called for continued international aid.”We are classified as a low-to-middle income country in spite of the inequities that we face which, in all honesty, is inherited from the past dispensation.This perception that we should not continue to benefit from grant aid is very unfortunate”, he said.