Improving UNICEF staff capacity

As in previous years, the Centre took an active role in transferring the knowledge gained from its child rights research to UNICEF staff and partners. In 1999 it organized activities to enhance staff knowledge and capacity, as well as carrying out targeted advocacy to promote the Convention. The Centre also drew on ‘lessons learned’ from the field experience of UNICEF staff, with a particular focus on the impact of war on children. Emergency management Following a UNICEF-wide consultation meeting on emergencies in September 1998, the Centre is creating a debriefing programme for senior UNICEF staff serving in emergency countries. The first debriefing session will be held at the Centre in May 2000, and will examine in detail how UNICEF develops child protection programmes and resolves management dilemmas during emergencies. Sensitive Issues The Centre is working in close collaboration with the Child Protection section of UNICEF’s New York Headquarters to enhance the capacity of UNICEF personnel to respond to complex child rights issues. As one part of this process, several child rights situations that have proved to be particularly problematic over the last decade will be documented in 2000, together with UNICEF’s responses to them. The findings will be discussed at an in-house workshop to examine appropriate responses and determine how to equip UNICEF staff with the skills and resources needed to support the implementation of human rights standards in all countries.