For Our Children: National Summary Report on Follow-Up to the World Summit for Children

The Government of Botswana

For Our Children: National Summary Report on Follow-Up to the World Summit for Children

Table of Contents......

Foreword

A. Introduction and Background:......

B. Process Established for the End-of-Decade Review......

C. Action at the National and International Levels......

D. Specific Actions for Child Survival, Protection and Development:

E. Lessons Learnt

F. Future Action......

Annex 1: World Summit for Children Indicators......

Foreword

The Government of Botswana is pleased to have this opportunity to present the results of its national End-of-Decade Review of the National Programme of Action for the Children of Botswana to the Secretary General of United Nations.

Undertaking this review process has been a worthwhile experience in itself. It has given provided an the opportunity, not only to see how far we have progressed, but also to re-examine, among other things, the effectiveness and adequacy of the existing institutional mechanisms and arrangements, necessary for this processimplementation, monitoring and co-ordination. It has enabled us to critically appreciate our achievements as a developing nation, with respect to the significant improvements we have made in a number of areas, in particular literacy, sanitation, provision of safe drinking water and protection of children. This is all with a view to intensifying efforts to at least sustain what has been gained.

Over the past decade infant and under five mortality rates had been in steady decline, resulting in significant progress in the health and survival of our children. We, however, note the recent increase in infant and under-five mortality rates. This is likely to be the result of the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which has reversed the significant gains we had made in these critical areas.

We have already put in place a number of multi-sectoral programmes and structures, as part of the response to this crisis. Our intention is to continue to intensify our efforts towards fighting the spread of HIV/AIDSand as well as mitigating the its impact of HIV/AIDS. Special measures to protect children from HIV/AIDS are a vital part of our strategy. To this end, plans are being instituted to protect the HIV negative cohort of young people to maintain this status. This is consistent with our national aspiration to have no new HIV infections by 2016., as expressed in our national vision.

This is an aspiration, which requires concerted and co-ordinated efforts by all stakeholders. In this regard, we recognise the partnership and collaboration between the Government of Botswana and UNICEF, and indeed the entire United Nations family. The Government of Botswana will continue to nurture this relationship.

We are looking forward to the outcome of the United Nations Special Session on Children in September 2001, which will to provide a global framework towards for strengthening future actions, even at both international and national levels.

A. Introduction and Background:

1.The Government of Botswana was among the many that participated at the World Summit for Children (WSC), in 1990. The Government’s delegation was led by the then President, His Excellency, Sir Ketumile Masire. His Excellency, on behalf of the Republic of Botswana, signed the World Summit for Children Declaration, in May 1992. This event signalled the beginning of renewed efforts towards safeguarding the welfare of all the children in Botswana.

As part of its outcomes, the Summit came up withformulated a global Programme of Action ; butfrom which countries were encouraged to develop their own country-specific Programmes of Action. Consequently, Botswana developed a National Programme of Action for Children (NPA) of Botswana.

The process was started through a national meeting in September 1992, convened and spearheaded by an inter-ministerial group to develop an outline for the National Programme of Action. Four working groups were formed on the basis of the following thematic areas:

children and women in difficult circumstances;

child and maternal health;
education for all; and
nutrition, food and economic security.

The working groups reviewed the Summit global goals and adapted them to Botswana’s current situation, needs and capacities. By mid-November 1992, a draft NPA was completed, with preliminary cost estimates. A summary of the report was then presented at the OAU/ICAAC in Dakar Senegal in November 1992. In February 1993, the working groups reconvened to finalise the report but the final report was only published in December 1995.

The “decade” for the National Programme of Action for Children of Botswana covers the period 1993-2003. A deliberate effort was made that the NPA’s period should coincides with the National Development Plan Eight (NDP 8) period. This was to ensure that the NPA goals were in synergy with the objectives of the NDP 8, such that children’s issues were at the centre of the country’s development agenda throughout the implementation period of the national development plan.

The Programme articulates various mechanisms and structures for its co-ordination and monitoring. At national level, the National Council on Population and Development (NCPD) is the main co-ordinating body for monitoring and implementation of the NPA through a National Task Force. Unfortunately, the development of these mechanisms and structures got lost in the process when the NCPD was formulating the National Population Policy and related instruments. While the plan was such that, the Population Policy would provide the policy and the institutional framework for the co-ordination of the implementation of the NPA, it the Policy was only approved in August 1997,with while its National Implementation Plan of Action and other related instruments were finalised end of 1999. The timing of these developments had not been properly synchronised. Due to this, the development of the planned District Programmes of Action after the approval of the national one, and the conduct of the Mid-Decade Review of the Programme in 1995 did not materialise. Despite these failures, co-ordination of this Programme still remains one of the key responsibilities of the NCPD in the remainder of the NPA period.

This End-of-Decade Review has, however, revealed that even without the envisaged co-ordination, sectors have undertaken a number of activities in the NPA within the framework of their NDP 8 sector development programmes. This is mainly because the NPA goals were integrated in NDP 8 and thus implemented as part of the Ministries’ sectoral programmes. But the fact that the implementation was uncoordinated between sectors has resulted in the NPA being less effective than it would otherwise have been.

B. Process Established for the End-of-Decade Review

The Review process was co-ordinated by the Government of Botswana/UNICEF Joint Planning and Co-ordinating Committee. UNICEF in collaboration with Government engaged the services of a consultant to consolidate all the information collected and compiled into this Review report. To facilitate the process, a Reference Group chaired by the Population Secretariat in the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning was formed to oversee the review. The Reference Group comprised implementers and other stakeholders from Government Ministries and the Non-governmental Organisations. Its major responsibility was to review draft reports, to ensure that appropriate material information is was made availedable for analysis, and to provide technical guidance on the content of the report, to review and approve the reports. The Government of Botswana/UNICEF Joint Planning and Co-ordinating Committee provided the policy guidance on the contents of the report.

The main sources of information for the review were sector reports from Ministries, interviews with key Government officials and findings of the Botswana Multiple Indicator Survey of October 2000 (MIS2000) conducted by the Central Statistics Office. It The MIS survey collected data that was specifically to measure progress made towards achieving the NPA quantitative goals. Its preliminary results were disseminated at a dissemination national workshop in December 2000. The Chairperson of the NCPD chaired this workshop. The survey was co-funded by Government and UNICEF.

Efforts were made to ensure the participation of children in the review process. But due to time constraintss, planned participatory activities, such as essay-writing competitions and radio call-in programs for children could not be undertaken.

C. Action at the National and International Levels

i)The Degree of Priority accorded to Children’s Programmes

The Government of Botswana accords priority to children’s programmes, as shown by the established co-ordination/implementation mechanisms and structures, the annual budgetary allocations, etc. An example of thisThis may be evidenced by , is the fact that the NPA is being co-ordinated by the National Council on Population and Development (NCPD). This The NCPD is a high level policy-advisory body to Government, on population and development matters, including children’s issues. It reports to Cabinet through the Minister of Finance and Development Planning. The NCPD is served by a Secretariat headed by a Director.

The NPA has been integrated into NDP programmes and is being implemented as an integral part of the sectoral programmes of Ministries. The NPA goals have, therefore, not only influenced the national development agenda, but also are also at the centre of the national development priorities. Apart from the scheduled reviews, the monitoring of the NPA programmes has largely been done as part of the existing mechanisms, such as the annual project reviews and National Development Plan Eight Mid-term Review.

The Government of Botswana acceded to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in March 1995, with a reservation on the definition of a child. The country’s Initial Report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which was due in April 1997, is yet to be submitted. To date, however, a draft final report has been produced and comments from stakeholders are being incorporated. The delay in submitting the report is attributed to the lengthy but necessary consultative process within Government and with other stakeholders in the Non-Governmental sector. The report is expected to be ready for submission to the UNCRC in the first quarter of 2001. Although, little was done to ensure wider understanding of the CRC, various pieces of legislation are being reviewed to, inter alia, harmonise them with the CRC. Such pieces of legislation include the Affiliation Proceedings Act and the Children’s Act.

The social services sector has on average received a significant share of the Government budget since 1994/5 to 2000/2001. The sector has over the period received about 40 percent of total (recurrent plus development) government expenditurebudget. There has also been a slight increase in this share to 42 percent in the 2001/2002 budget. During the 1994/5 - 2000/01 period, health and education were allocated approximately 70 percent of the sector’s budget and about 74 percent in the 2001/2002 budget.

Furthermore, Government, in collaboration with UNICEF has reviewed various pieces of Children’s legislation such as the Affiliation Proceedings Act, the Adoption Act and the Children’s Act. The Children’s Act was reviewed to, inter alia, make specific provisions for orphans and children affected by HIV/AIDS. To-date, Government has developed a Short Term Plan of Action (STPA) for orphans to cater for the immediate needs of orphans, while developing a long-term plan of actionone. Among the major outcomes of the STPA was the development of a minimum package of assistance comprising material and non-material needs of orphans.

16.16.There is evidence of emerging political commitment to the prioritisation of HIV/AIDS and the mitigation of its impact on children.

Currently, Tthe Government of Botswana contributes over 80 percent of the budget for the HIV/AIDS programmes. The amount of resources allocated to HIV/AIDS programmes by Ggovernment increased significantly in 1999 as new programmes were put in place. Since then, the Government has made an annual allocation of P16.5 million (US$3.6 million) to the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT); P27 million (US $5.9 million) for Community Home Based Care Programme (HBC); P24 million (US$5.2 million) to the Orphans Care Programme. Are these the current figu

17.Following high level discussions with resident UN Agencies under the Theme Group on HIV/AIDS, on the systemic co-ordination weaknesses of the national response to the epidemic, the Government has reviewed its mechanisms. As part a result of this process, the National AIDS Council (NAC) has been reconstituted with a view to strengthening it and is now chaired by His Excellency, the PresidentHis Excellency, the President of Botswana, now chairs it. A National AIDS Co-ordinating Agency (NACA) has been established to co-ordinate all HIV/AIDS programmes and activities in the country, in view of the multi-sectorality of the epidemic. It also serves as the Secretariat to NAC through the Minister of Health. A special Parliamentary Select Committee has also been established to lead advocacy on HIV/AIDS.

ii) The Role by Families and Civil Society in Support of the NPA

18.The Government of Botswana has established fora where Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and the society at large contribute to national policy development. However, their collaboration with Government is still uncoordinated and fragmented. Due to the NGO/CBO narrow and weak base and low levels of funding for NGOs and CBOs and Government’s inevitable commitment to social responsibility since Independence, Government has been the main provider of social services in Botswana thus rendering the potential role of NGO and CBO weak. The sector’s potential has therefore not been fully exploited. .(I think the NGO sector is weak because Govt. has been the main provider and not the other way round I would therefore retain this para as it was in the draft) The NGO/CBO base is, however, still narrow and weak to provide complementary service delivery. Furthermore, there is still no agreed upon common framework for NGO/Government collaboration.

19.However, the potential the Government-/cCivil Ssociety partnership has for programme planning and implementation, is fast gaining credibility among all stakeholders. The major challenge facing Government is to facilitate the development and strengtheningthe capacity of NGOs/CBOs capacity to have the capacity of delivering some of the social services.

20.The potential role the media can play in this area of children welfare has not been fully exploited. There has generally been a major weaknesses in the media activities targeted at children. Despite this, mobilisation of the media has increased over the years. The coverage of HIV/AIDS issues, especially by the print media and the radio, has intensified over the past 3 to 5 years to-date. Issues of Cases of rape, child-abuse, etc are frequently reported as they occurabouton. There has, however been no co-ordinated or programmatic approach to the media participation. This is an area that needs to be further developed. New private radio stations are being established, a new national television station is now in operation; these provide opportunities that should strengthen and widen the use of the media for IEC, advocacy, etc..

iii) Mechanisms for Monitoring Social Indicators relating to the well being of Children.

21.The Central Statistics Office, a Department in of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning has a well-established programme of regular statistical surveys, which includes inter-censal demographic surveys, family health surveys, literacy surveys, annual statistical reports based on administrative enquiries, etc. These surveys, in particular the family health surveys provide a wide range of information on children, such as infant and under 5 mortality, fertility rates, immunisation coverage, morbidity rates of childhood diseases. Process indicators, such as health service use and quality of care for pregnant women have been regularly monitored through the established routine statistical systems. Routine information systems such as sentinel surveillance reports have been established to monitor indicators, such as, HIV prevalence among pregnant women, and STD prevalence among men.

22.Relevant information for purposes of monitoring Most of the available statistics form all these systems arehas been disaggregated by age,gender sex and location. There are however some problems with regard toA major weakness has been the the timeliness and depth of analysis of some of the statistical series, thus limiting their usefulness as a guide for information to guide policy development and review.

23.An appreciable major achievement of the existing mechanisms in monitoring the well being of children has been their responsiveness of these mechanisms to information needs as defined by emerging critical issues affecting children. For instance, the upcoming 2001 Population and Housing Census will include some questions on orphanhood. This is expected to become a permanent feature of our population censuses. This will also provide a reliable frame for subsequent in-depth research studies on this subject.