Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Government Generates National Standard For Children Living

Phnom Penh, Cambodia (1 December 2010)

Children use every experience and opportunity in their lives to develop their bodies, minds and personalities, as they adapt and grow. Vulnerable children sometimes require support from service providers so that their basic needs are met.

The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation in cooperation with National Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Task Force have held a national conference on November 30th to discuss the new National Standards for Care, Support and Protection of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) under the support of Save the Children Australia.

Mr.Prak Chantheourn, General Director of Technical Department in the Ministry of Social Affair, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, said that the purpose of creating the National Standard for care, support and protection of OVC is to build harmonization for government institution, national and international organization and developing partners.

He continued the former Minimum package of Support that included food security, social support, economic support, educational support and health support, which is a part of national activities plan 2008-2010, will be replaced by the national standard for care, support, and protection of orphans and vulnerable children. The new national standards will cover all in former Minimum Package of the Support. These standards also include short term and long term supporting program for care, support and protection of OVC children and families.

The national standard is a sample for program implementation which has six parts such as food security and alimentation, health support, educational support, social support, economic support, and other.

The national standard have been develop as a result of consultation with the key government and NGO stakeholders, staff working with OVC, and parents and children who are currently receiving the support from a range of programs.

While many organizations provide support to OVC and their families, this is often done in different ways. The Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation will use the National Standards to ensure everyone is providing the same level of quality support to OVC.

Now the National Standard were presented to a range of stakeholders from government miniseries including Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation, Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Education Youth and Sport, the National AIDS Authority (NAA) and the National Centre for HIV/AIDS, Dermatology and STDs (NCHADS). Also present are representatives from international NGOs including UNICEF and UNAIDS and a number of Cambodian NGOs and CBOs who run programs that support OVC.

According to a distinguished speaker at the conference said that this national standard developed from more than 50 Cambodian documents and more than ten international documents with interviewing 27 people from government and civil society at a national level. Moreover, it took from eight provincial, districts, and commune government stakeholders and 17 civil society visits included NGO staff in direct in direct contact with OVC and beneficiaries.

He remarked that the national standards are designing in clear, simple and easy for everybody to understand. It followed the guide to international standards and the national standards.

The national standards are about identifying the needs of the individual child and offering support, he added.

Food and nutrition standards, social emotional and psychological standards, and economic strengthening are elements of the national standards for care, support and protection of orphans and vulnerable children.

By S.L (Vol. 4, Issue 49, SEAW)

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