President Mohamed Nasheed has met with UNICEF Resident Representative to the Maldives Ms Zeba Tanvir Bukhari today.
President Nasheed and Ms Bukhari discussed the UNICEF programmes in the Maldives focusing on enhancing collaboration between the government and UNICEF.
The President underlined the importance of aligning UNICEF programmes with the government’s Strategic Action Plan, the blueprint of the government’s policies for the Maldives.
He updated the head of UNICEF in the Maldives on the government’s decision to decentralise public health services, and mandate public health services to Island Councils.
The President said the move was aimed at increasing people’s participation addressing their islands’ public health related issues.
He highlighted the need to increase the capacity of existing public health workers in the islands to act as social workers in addition to their roles as the public health practitioners.
UNICEF Resident Representative Ms Bukhari informed the President on UNICEF programmes in the Maldives, and change in its direction to be more engaged at legislative and policy level in matters such as child education, nutrition and juvenile justice.
She renewed the UNICEF’s commitment to working with the government for the development of the Maldives.
The meeting held at the President’s Office was also attended by Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed, Foreign Policy Advisor Dr Ahmed Shaheed and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ahmed Naseem.
