The Speaker of the National Assembly, Honourable Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila held a meeting with UNICEF Country Representative, Mr. Samuel Ocran, to explore structured and strategic collaboration between the National Assembly and UNICEF.
The discussions centred on strengthening parliamentary support in budget implementation and oversight, particularly in advancing budgeting and accountability mechanisms. The engagement underscored the importance of aligning legislative oversight with national development priorities specifically in advancing rights of children and amplifying the voices vulnerable (marginalized) communities.
The parties further deliberated on expanding internship opportunities and institutional capacity-building initiatives aimed at equipping parliamentary staff and young professionals with relevant skills, the emphasis was placed on fostering improved public service delivery, especially in rural areas and marginalized communities, to ensure equitable access to essential services.
Additionally, the meeting reaffirmed a shared commitment to amplifying the protection of children and safeguarding their rights through enhanced legislative frameworks, oversight functions, and collaborative programming. They affirmatively expressed the need to revisit and update the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to clearly articulate key deliverables in order to strengthen impact and sustainability of the partnership.
