THIRD REGULAR SESSION OF UNICEF EXECUTIVE BOARD TO BE HELD AT HEADQUARTERS, 9 - 12 SEPTEMBER

8 September 1997

Press Release
ICEF/1843

THIRD REGULAR SESSION OF UNICEF EXECUTIVE BOARD TO BE HELD AT HEADQUARTERS, 9 - 12 SEPTEMBER

19970908 Will Consider Country Programme Recommendations, Management Excellence Process, New Strategy Outline for 1998-1999 Budget

NEW YORK, 8 September (UNICEF) -- The incorporation within the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) of United Nations reform measures, the effects of revenue shortfalls, and examples of success in field operations will be among the key areas of discussion, as UNICEF's 36-member Executive Board holds its third regular session for 1997 at United Nations Headquarters, from 9 to 12 September.

Among the matters to be considered will be various country programme recommendations, the implementation of management excellence, and supply operations. The Board will also consider UNICEF's financial medium-term plan for the period 1997-2000, a strategy outline for its 1998-1999 budget, its 1998 work programme, and the terms of reference for a Joint Coordinating Committee on Health.

One of the most important items on the Board's agenda is the consideration of some 24 country programme recommendations. These recommendations reflect the wide variety of UNICEF programme interventions around the world and address countries' priorities for children, within the context of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Many of the programmes also draw on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. They address the rights and needs of children in countries affected by war or civil strife, as well as in countries in transition to new economic or political systems. Other programmes focus on helping governments to address economic or social disparities affecting children and women.

Consistent with UNICEF's strategic priorities, some 23 per cent of the total amount of general resources to be approved will be allocated to child health, with 16 per cent for education and early childhood development. Other programmes include nutrition, area-based and urban projects, and programmes focusing on women, as well as on children in need of special protection measures.

The country programme recommendations submitted at this session require $140,153,975 from general resources and a ceiling of $295,815,000 for new supplementary funding. The Board will be asked to approve full five-year country programmes for Bolivia, Cameroon, a multi-country programme for the

eastern Caribbean, Guinea-Bissau, Jordan, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mali, Papua New Guinea and Venezuela.

The Board will also consider 12 other country programme recommendations for interim and other types of programmes in Algeria, the Andean subregion, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, India, Iran, Iraq, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone, as well as for the Palestinian children and women in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank and Gaza. Also included are programmes for the Baltic States, the Commonwealth of Independent States and a multi-country programme for Central and Eastern Europe. A round-up paper (document E/ICEF/1997/Pl.18) summarizes the recommendations.

The UNICEF secretariat will submit a progress report on the management excellence process (document E/ICEF/1997/AB/L.12). The Board will also be asked to consider a document which details proposals made by the Board's group of volunteers on the delineation of responsibilities between the Executive Board and the secretariat (document E/ICEF/1997/AB/L.13).

Within the framework of the management excellence process, the Board will discuss a new approach to be taken by the Supply Division (document E/ICEF/1997/AB/L.14). The paper outlines a list of recommendations, including decentralization of supply operations and an internal reorganization. These changes should further improve the access to, and availability and affordability of, basic supplies -- such as vaccines, essential drugs, medical items, vitamin supplements, staple foods, school materials, clean water, sanitation facilities, prosthetics and malaria nets.

Under this approach, closer attention will be given to the most disadvantaged children. Recent surveys have shown that up to 19 per cent of household income can be spent on drug purchases because of inadequate public sector involvement. Another study found that families spend the equivalent of $78 per malaria season on preventive measures and treatment, representing a huge drain on meagre family incomes.

The report also states that, although UNICEF provided an effective supply response to the emergency in the Great Lakes region of Africa, modifications in emergency supply kits, packaging and transportation have been initiated based on the latest experience.

The Executive Director will recommend that the Board approve the medium- term plan as a framework of financial projections for the period 1997-2000 (document E/ICEF/1997/AB/L.10). The financial plan forecasts total income for 1997 at $915 million -- 3 per cent less than 1996. UNICEF's income derives from government and private sector contributions, as well as from other sources.

The Executive Board will be asked to approve the 1998-1999 budget at its first regular session in January 1998. For the present session, the secretariat

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has prepared a strategy outline for the budget (document E/ICEF/1997/CRP.28). It outlines the financial parameters, management excellence principles guiding the budget preparation and key realignments in the roles of country, regional and headquarters offices, as approved by the Executive Board. In addition, it provides information about the responsibilities and structure of regional offices.

The Board will also be asked to consider and approve terms of reference for the World Health Organization (WHO)/UNICEF/United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Coordinating Committee on Health (document E/ICEF/1997/21). The Committee had previously been called the UNICEF/WHO Joint Committee on Health Policy.

In addition, the Board will consider issues to be addressed at its 1998 sessions and its programme of work, including allocations of items and organization of work (document E/ICEF/1997/CRP.27).

Officers, Membership

The officers of the Executive Board are: Mercedes Pulido de Briceño (Venezuela), President; Dino Beti (Switzerland), Hazel de Wet (Namibia), Ngo Quang Xuan (Viet Nam), and Fikret Mamedali Pashayev (Azerbaijan), Vice- Presidents.

The 36 members of the Executive Board meeting for 1997, listed by regional grouping, are: Africa -- Angola, Burundi, Cape Verde, Kenya, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria and Uganda; Asia -- China, India, Indonesia, Oman, Pakistan, Republic of Korea and Viet Nam; Eastern Europe -- Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Russian Federation and Ukraine; Latin America and the Caribbean -- Cuba, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Suriname and Venezuela; Western Europe and Other States -- Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United States.

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