News

OVC national plan of action rolls-out

Guidelines for implementing the OVC National Plan of Action, a pioneering multi-sectoral effort for addressing issues of Nigeria’s orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) was approved by the National Executive Council, February 7, 2007 in Abuja. On March 19, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, which serves as the National Coordinating Ministry for the plan and will supervise its implementation, will launch the National Plan of Action.

Some of the highlights of the National Plan of Action (NPA) are that:

• It helps to clarify who is an orphan or a vulnerable child;
• It helps to coordinate OVC activities in Nigeria along the lines of the “Three-Ones,” namely: One National Action Plan; One National Coordinating Mechanism; One Monitoring and Evaluation tool;
• It is a budgeted plan of action, thus facilitating the programming of cost-effective interventions by implementing partners and, to that extent;
• It serves as an indispensable guide for all organizations working in OVC.

A task team of 16 governmental and non-governmental organizations worked from July 2005 to develop the NPA up to its approval and adoption by government. The team members are: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF,) Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, USAID, Enabling HIV&AIDS/TB and Social Sector Environment (ENHANSE) Project, Global HIV/AIDS Initiative in Nigeria (GHAIN), Save the Children UK, National Planning Commission, National Action Committee on AIDS, National Assembly, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Information & National Orientation, National Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, USAID, World Bank, Department for International Development (DFID) and Gede Foundation.