UNICEF launches new Country Programme with the Government of China

Beijing, 1 June 2021 – On 1 June UNICEF China hosted youth, partners and guests to celebrate past achievements and launch the new UNICEF and Government of China five-year country programme for children in China for 2021-2025. The event coincided with International Children’s Day.

UNICEF’s results for children in China between 2016-2020 include the adaption and expansion across China of the ‘Barefoot Social Workers’ model, developed with China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs to strengthen the social service workforce for child welfare and protection. A second example is the UNICEF-supported Conditional Cash Transfer programme, which improved the uptake of nine essential health services by women and young children. Vulnerable groups benefited most from this programme.

“Over the last five years, UNICEF China has kept its commitment to children’s rights at the centre of its work. We are proud of our impact. With the Government of China, we have improved the health, development and protection of children, with a focus on reaching the most vulnerable” said Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF Representative to China.

Details of these results, and many more, can be found in the new publication launched at the event: ‘UNICEF China 2016-2020: Five Years of Results for Children in China’.

As part of UNICEF’s work to engage children and young people, UNICEF hosted a debate during the launch event between youth representatives from Tsinghua University High School International – Chao Yang and the Affiliated High School of Peking University. The subject of the debate was who plays the most important role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

In launching the new UNICEF and Government of China five-year country programme for children in China for 2021-2025, UNICEF unveiled three of its priority advocacy areas for children in China:

Healthy weight: Creating a food environment that enables and empowers children, parents and caregivers to make healthy dietary and lifestyle choices.

Early childhood development: Helping parents support their children in the crucial years from pregnancy to 3 years of age, to give girls and boys the best start in life.

Mental health: Encouraging conversations about mental health with and among children – particularly adolescents – to reduce stigma, foster peer support, and get children and young people the mental health support they need. A recent article by Ms. McCaffrey on children’s mental health can be found here.

For more information on these priority issues, and UNICEF’s key messages: Healthy weight, early childhood development, and mental health.

Photographs of the event can be found here.