2024-07-05 03:50:46
This ceremony, placed under the slogan “the first thousand days: Foundation of the future of our children”, took place in the presence of the Wali-national coordinator of the INDH, Mohammed Dardouri, the governor of the province of Al Hoceima, representatives of national and international bodies and elected officials.
It was an opportunity to highlight the achievements of the INDH, as part of its third phase, and to address crucial issues related to human development in Morocco, particularly the issue of early childhood development.
Speaking on this occasion, Mr. Dardouri stressed that the INDH, in its third phase, has become a key partner in the implementation of social policies and a prestigious institutional brand recognized nationally and internationally, affirming that the achievements obtained are the fruit of its tripartite governance, based on results-based management and the inclusive territorial presence of all vital forces.
In this context, Dardouri highlighted the most important results achieved within the framework of the four programs of the third phase of the Initiative, noting that 1,700 km of tracks and roads were built, more than 88,000 households were connected to the drinking water network and 20,000 households to the electricity network, in addition to supporting more than 2,000 social centers to ensure good care for vulnerable groups, and the creation of more than 130 youth platforms in the different provinces and regions of the Kingdom, which welcomed more than 380,000 young people who benefited from listening and guidance services, as well as the creation of more than 11,500 companies and support for more than 4,700 cooperative projects, within the framework of the social and solidarity economy.
He also noted that the INDH worked, as part of its third phase, to promote human capital, by investing in early childhood development, inspired by the High Royal Guidelines, stressing that a community health system was set up to improve access to maternal and child health and nutrition services, within the framework of an agreement with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and UNICEF.
The experimentation of this device, he continued, was carried out in 49 circles located in three priority regions, noting that a strategy aimed at generalizing this device was developed, with a view to its integration into the national health system, in partnership with the supervisory department, with the support of the World Bank.
Dardouri noted that the celebration of the 19th anniversary of the launch of the Initiative is placed under the slogan “the first thousand days: Foundation of the future of our children”, given the importance of this stage in the development of the individual, since investment in early childhood development is, according to experts and specialists, 1.5 to 10 times more effective than investments made in other stages of life, noting that a communication campaign will be organized, from May 22 to June 22, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection in the various prefectures and provinces of the Kingdom, with a view to raising awareness of the importance of the first 1000 days of life in building a promising future for children.
For his part, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Abdelkrim Meziane Belfkih, indicated that the choice of the theme of the first 1000 days of life is of particular importance, due to the crucial role of early childhood development in promoting the country’s economic and social development, stressing that the health of mothers and children is a priority for both the INDH and the ministry.
In this context, Meziane Belfkih noted that the ministry and the INDH work in perfect coordination, stressing that the ministry’s strategies also benefit from the support of the INDH, which has enabled the ministry to reach more remote areas more effectively for the implementation of its health programs, such as the national vaccination program or the maternal and child health care program.
For her part, the representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Speciose Hakizimana, emphasized the importance of children’s health during their first 1000 days, their learning during preschool and their nutrition, as a first step that contributes to the development of human capital and economic and social growth, affirming that UNICEF is committed alongside the INDH to ensure a better future for children by giving them a “good start in life”.
For the Human Development Project Manager at the World Bank (WB) in the Middle East and North Africa, Jorge Coarasa, the World Bank’s support for the INDH since its launch is a “source of pride”, since it is the first human development project supported by a WB program, emphasizing that the Kingdom of Morocco, by highlighting the importance of human capital, is establishing itself as a leader and an example to be followed by countries in the MENA region.
As for the representative of the World Health Organization (WHO), Maryam Bigdeli, she highlighted the importance of the first 1000 days of a child’s life from birth to the age of two, which are essential for their development, stressing that the Kingdom has made significant progress in developing aspects of maternal and child health.
She called for maintaining these commitments and efforts to consolidate the achievements made.
The ceremony was marked by the presentation of a report on the awareness-raising actions that will be carried out for social and behavioral change, aimed at improving the health status of children during the first 1,000 days, in order to improve nutrition and health care provided to mothers before and after childbirth, encourage breastfeeding, and raise awareness about positive parenting and the importance of preschool education in the future development of the child.
2024-07-05 03:50:46