CAF and UNICEF Team Up for Early Childhood and Youth Development in Latin America

The Memorandum of Understanding provides for joint initiatives on scaling up solutions, creating evidence and knowledge products, as well as institutional strengthening of governments and relevant partners on strategic issues for Latin America. These topics include reducing chronic malnutrition and developing cognitive skills, reducing school drop-out, and promoting completion of secondary education; as well as social protection policies for children and adolescents.

During the signing of the Memorandum with UNICEF’s Deputy Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Youssouf Abdel-Jelil, CAF executive president Luis Carranza said: “This agreement will consolidate the progress we have been making in education and in supporting the countries of the region in the implementation of comprehensive development solutions that help reduce inequalities and improve competitiveness through early childhood care and effective insertion of young people into the labor market.”

Youssouf Abdel-Jelil, UNICEF Deputy Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, added: “In order for Latin America to grow sustainably, it is vital to invest more in early childhood development and in working with and for young people. We must all join in this effort. This agreement is proof of CAF’s ongoing commitment to underpinning these regional initiatives in partnership with governments in the region.”

Agencies will reaffirm their collaboration in joint projects or studies for the design, development and evaluation of policies and programs that improve the well-being of children and young people. They will also exchange information and documents on matters of common interest and organize technical training courses or e-learning activities to build capacities of government institutions, among others.