Italy and UNICEF sign the agreement for the second phase of the “vital events registration project”

The agreement will implement strategic activities aimed at improving institutional and technical capacity of the Regional Vital Events Registration Agencies in Oromia and SNNP Regions.

ADDIS ABABA (Italian Embassy)–Italy and UNICEF signed today a financing agreement for the project “Strengthening the Civil Registration System for Children’s Right to Identity: Identification for Development – ID – Second Phase” for an amount of one million Euros.

The first phase of the project is currently under implementation in 50% of the Woredas and Kebeles of Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ (SNNP) regions. The second phase, which is funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for a period of 12 months, will cover the remaining 50% of the Woredas and Kebeles of Oromia and SNNP Regional States.

The agreement signed by the Italian Ambassador Arturo Luzzi, the UNICEF Representative, Ms. Gillian Mellsop and the Director of the Addis Ababa Office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, Ms. Ginevra Letizia, will implement strategic activities aimed at improving institutional and technical capacity of the Regional Vital Events Registration Agencies (RVERAs) in Oromia and SNNPR; establishing a standardized database and data management system; providing RVERAs with modern IT devices and transportation, in order to better reach remote and disadvantaged areas. 820,000 newborn children will benefit from this initiative. As stated by the Italian Ambassador to the UNICEF representative during their meeting, through this initiative, Italy reiterates its strong commitment to work closely with the Ethiopian Authorities in order to ensure the basic rights and protection of newborns and children since the first crucial step of identification and registration.

Speaking at the ceremony Ms. Gillian Mellsop, UNICEF Representative to Ethiopia, said: “We enter into the second phase of this partnership having witnessed encouraging results over the past twelve months. The renewed support will allow UNICEF to scale up its programmatic support to the Regional Vital Events Registration Agencies of Oromia and SNNP regions in their efforts to further improve and standardize the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system.”

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Ms. Ginevra Letizia, Head of the Addis Ababa Office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation underlined that the project works at community level by raising the awareness on the importance and benefits of birth registration, which is a crucial element for each individual, also allowing citizens to benefit from social, economic, cultural, civil and political rights, reducing the phenomena of marginalization and exploitation.

The Deputy Director General of the Oromia Regional Vital Events Registration Agency, Mr. Merede Gudeta, who attended the ceremony, expressed deep appreciation for Italy’s support and UNICEF’s partnership for an important and crucial project which will support the Regional Authority’s registration system.

Source: Italian Embassy in Addis Ababa
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