UNHCR AND UNICEF SIGN AGREEMENT ON STRENGTHENING COORDINATION
Press Release
ICEF/1830
REF/1137
UNHCR AND UNICEF SIGN AGREEMENT ON STRENGTHENING COORDINATION
19960314 GENEVA, 14 March (UNHCR) -- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Sadako Ogata and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Carol Bellamy today signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at further strengthening coordination between the two agencies.The memorandum under discussion by UNICEF and the UNHCR since July 1995 is designed to promote coordinated responses in areas of joint concern. It defines the beneficiary populations (refugees, returnees, internally displaced persons and affected local populations) covered by the two agencies. It also covers advocacy, promotion and strategy-formulation roles, particularly with regard to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as operational and reintegration and rehabilitation activities.
Specific operational activities covered by the memorandum include contingency planning, assessment and monitoring, support for unaccompanied children, promotion of psycho-social well-being, support to families and children, basic education, health activities, and water and sanitation.
Other provisions deal with resource mobilization, public information and phase-out and handover.
Both agencies agreed that they want to ensure that the memorandum produces genuine results for beneficiaries and field offices as soon as possible. Discussions between UNICEF and the UNHCR have already begun on follow-up mechanisms that will result in actual implementation of the agreement. These activities would include dissemination of information about the memorandum within each organization, with sister agencies and with donors; scheduling meetings among appropriate headquarters sections (emergency units, education, fund-raising, public information) and/or field offices; assisting country representatives responsible for implementation; and selecting countries where results of the memorandum might be evaluated in the coming year.
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