UNICEF nexus support Northern Moz

During the most recent year of implementation UNICEF has continued the implementation of the project under a no cost extension which has been in effect since December 2023. The no cost extension was needed due to delays in implementation during previous years. Reasons for this were provided in the last year's conclusion of performance, but will to some extent be repeated further on in the report for easy overview. Below is a summary of results, as reported by UNICEF in the narrative report pertaining to the period December 2021 to April 2024. The report shows that the project is progressing, albeit with some continued difficulties. Outcome 1: Children survive and thrive in the first 1000 days through access to an integrated lifesaving package of quality series. Examples of reached results include: 66 123 vulnerable IDP children, pregnant and breastfeeding women have accessed health consultations in UNICEF-supported facilities; 124 226 children under the age of 5 have been screened for malnutrition and 1 061 severely malnourished children have been admitted for treatment. On the latter, UNICEF notes that due to increased violence and disruption to health services in the project's implementation areas, the goal of 2 000 children might not be met before the end of the activity period. During the reporting period, 205 Integrated Mobile Brigades visits took place through UNICEF's implementation partner Doctors for Africa (CUAMM). This initiative reportedly strengthened the connection between health facilities, outreach teams, and communities, and aimed to optimize available resources to improve sustainability. These partnerships sought to enhance the impact of social behaviour change messages by collaborating with other initiatives in the target communities. With the Swedish support, UNICEF partnered with local health authorities to enhance the delivery of critical maternal and neonatal child health (MNCH) services, and procured critical medical equipment for the care of sick newborns (incl. five incubators, and newborn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) kits enough to serve 700 infants). Under outcome 1, the component connected to the Child Grant programme is included. This component allows for social security payments through the state social protection system. The target is to have between 2 000 and 2 760 children aged 0-2 years old enrolled in the project by the end of the project period. In total UNICEF facilitated the registration of 5 187 beneficiaries, of which 2 760 were covered under this project. Payments are on-going and due to its late start up owing to challenges with security conditions and in agreeing with government authorities on priority districts, payments for the enrolled children were in some areas set up with a retroactive payment (start January 2023). In other cases, where retroactive payments did not take place, and where the 24 months payments will thus not have completed before the end of this project, additional funding has been secured from the German development bank KfW to ensure the the payments can roll for the full two year period for the registered beneficiaries. One thing to note for future programming, is that having the social protecting component split over the agreements (this project, ie the nexus project, and the UN Joint Programme on Social Protection) has posed some difficulties in reporting, as UNICEF does not themselves implement, but rather goes through the government system, and priorities and locations have changed throughout the period. Hence forth, the recommendation would be to keep this component to one project and agreement. Outcome 2: Children learn and are protected from exploitation, abuse and violence The goal under outcome two is to provide access for 10 000 children to educational services, and for 18 000 children to protection services including case management and MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial support). Examples of reached results are: 20 600 children received access to educational services (exceeding the target of 10 000 through the provision of educational supplies).This includes 2 300 children who have access to education services through Temporary Learning Spaces (TLSs). The number of TLSs that was meant to be constructed in host communities and resettlement sites was reduced in a previous programme revision to accommodate for increased cost for construction materials and reduced funds due to exchange rate fluctuations. 23 out of the now planned 32 have thus far been constructed. 13 942 parents and care givers participated in dialogues on Violence against Children. The target was 7 000, but this was heavily reduced in the last programme revision (and included in the last reporting period) to better align with UNICEF's targets in the Humanitarian Appeal for Children (HAC) in the two districts which was based on more accurate estimates. Additionally, 7 249 parents and caregivers (target 1 500) and 12 044 children accessed protection services including case management (for the children) and MHPSS (for the caregivers). 5 child friendly multi-purpose community-based protection centres (MPCs) (centres set up with a purpose to provide a safe space to serve a variety of functions for community-based healing and resilience building) were constructed. However, the quality of the construction was sub-standard, and UNICEF has therefore been in the process of selecting a new partner to complete the construction of the remaining centres. Due to challenges in transferring activities to new partners mid-programme, reaching the full target of 15 MPCs will not be possible, and UNICEF will instead be working to complete construction of 13 MPCs. However, in the relevant locations UNICEF and partners are still reaching over 60 000 children, adolescents and caregivers with psychosocial support, case management, recreational activities, life skills sessions and group activities. Where the MPCs are not yet constructed, these activities take place in community spaces, including open spaces. As per the report, such a situation is not ideal, but UNICEF continues to work without these structures at the moment in order to address existing needs in these target communities. 18 toilet blocks have been built to accommodate two TLSs and 10 MPCs, and 25 500 children in 51 schools benefited from the distribution of 153 school hygiene kits. By 30 April 2024 11 602 children (target 800) had been identified as in need of case management. Despite having exceeded the target due to considerable population movements in the reporting period (notably attacks in Chiure in February 2024), services will continue as needed through UNICEFs active partnership with its implementing partners. UNICEF identified 268 unaccompanied or separated children (130 girls and 138 boys), 63 percent of whom are in alternative care settings receiving tracing services. Furthermore, 12 044 vulnerable children received support with services that included family tracing, reunification, and reintegration of children associated with armed groups. This resulted in 101 identified children being reunited with their families. Under outcome 2 UNICEF places their collaboration with the Dallaire institute and Ministry of Defence (MoD) on the prevention of recruitment and use of children in armed conflict. Within the collaborative framework between Dallaire-MoD-UNICEF on the prevention of recruitment and use of children, a technical working group was established, and coordination meetings held to facilitate the capacity building programme of the Mozambican forces and military training institutions, including validation of the training guide (course outline and facilitators modules). UNICEF high level advocacy and engagement with the MoD led to the sensitization on key global principles, a draft handover protocol and the establishment of child protection units within the military. Outcome 3: Vulnerable adolescents access adequate support services The activities undertaken under goal 3 relate to providing out of school adolescents and youth aged 12 to 18 with literacy, numeracy and skills training, adolescents and youth with entrepreneurial bookkeeping and skills training, and children, adolescent and youth with MHPSS services in safe spaces. Examples of reached results are: 1 040 out of school adolescents and youth aged 12 to 18 have benefited from literacy, numeracy and skills training. Many of these individuals had never attended school before, or had dropped out in early ages, thus lacking foundational literacy and numeracy skills. The classes are delivered by community schoolteachers. After six months of learning basic reading and math skills, the participants started training in their preferred vocations in early 2024. The vocational training, which includes carpentry, tailoring, mechanics, weaving, and artisanry, is led by local craftspeople. The training also encompasses practical instruction in financial literacy and small business management techniques. 23 606 children, adolescents and youth , including children with disabilities, benefited from MHPSS services in safe spaces. This is more than double the target of 12 000 individuals, and has managed to surpass targets by such an amount due to the introduction of mobile child protection teams in Chiure district. During 2023, UNICEF and partners also adopted a more nuanced approach to MHPSS in Cabo Delgado, shifting from primarily recreational activities to a diversified approach ensuring that activities are tailored to groups based on age and gender where appropriate. The activities were also provided in smaller groups on a three month cycle, which allowed the participants to engage in skills and resilience-building sessions regularly, which according to the report, has had a greater impact on program quality. Connected to outcome 3, UNICEF has conducted a market analysis on job opportunities for adolescents and youth to inform future learning opportunities in various districts of Cabo Delgado. The findings of this market analysis will be used in the planning of project Planit 16627 "WFP/UNICEF Conflict prevention & child protection in Cabo Delgado".

The general objective of the intervention is the fulfillment of child rights for vulnerable children, either living as IDP:s or in affected host communities, and is based on work within three main pillars; 1) children survive and thrive: the first 1000 days; 2) children learn and are protected from exploitation, abuse and violence; and 3) vulnerable adolescents access adequate support services. The specific goal as set out in the results framework is "to support conflict-affected children from birth through 18 and their caregivers with a comprehensive community-based package of services.