UNICEF Gujarat celebrates 70 years of its existence, with its partners

Gandhinagar: UNICEF Gujarat commemorated 70 years of its existence (1946-2016) with its partners—Government, Civil Society Organizations, academia and corporate—at a state level function organized here today.

The anniversary celebration demonstrated the impact of UNICEF’s work over seven decades to protect the rights of the world’s most vulnerable children irrespective of caste, color, creed, religion and country.

Speaking on the occasion Dr. Laxmi Bhawani, Chief, UNICEF Gujarat, said, “UNICEF partnerships in Gujarat have a history of over 60 years, right from 1954 which have evolved over the time contributing to the outcomes for children. One of them was with Amul, which helped in making India self-sufficient in milk production. We are proud to be part of multi-stakeholder partnership that helped in creating Open Defecation Free districts in Gujarat. It has been possible by coming together of international agency, academia, CSR and community level SHG networks under the leadership of state government.”

Earlier, in 1954, UNICEF had signed an agreement with the Government of India to fund the Aarey and Anand milk processing plants. In return free and subsidized milk were to be provided to needy children in the area. Within a decade, India had thirteen UNICEF assisted milk processing plants.

Reminiscing the long term partnership with UNICEF, Dr. K Rathnam, Managing Director, Amul Dairy said, “Amul too shares today, along with UNICEF, its 70 years of establishment. UNICEF in partnership with Amul has been instrumental in various policies like the prestigious white revolution, and which has helped Amul in winning the title of number one milk producing country in the world.”

Speaking on partnership for sustainable development, Foroogh Foyouzat, Chief of Field Services, UNICEF India said, “Partnerships are the key to sustainable development. The success story of Amul, of how from being a humble dairy cooperative, it expanded into the largest milk producer of the world, would not have been written, if not for its partnership with UNICEF and various other organizations,”

Sharing the role of partners in ensuring Swachh Gujarat in rural areas, Dr. Jayanti. S. Ravi (IAS), Commissioner & Principal Secretary,Rural Development, said, “While we have achieved a lot in these 70 years, our work is not complete. The process of change is not just supply driven. We have to engage with the community, understand their problems and concerns. We at the government do not have the means and time to invest on each individual concern. This is where our partnerships comes to play an important role towards addressing social development issues.”

She added, “The whole campaign of Swachh Bharat is not just about brick, mortar, gravel but of behavioural change,”

The other speakers were Jagruti Pandya, Chairperson, Gujarat State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (GSCPCR), Prof. Ankur Sarin from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), Rajesh Bhat, Secretary CRC-G Network, Neeraj Lal, Chairman CII Panel on CSR, Prof. Tara Nair, Gujarat Institute of Development Research (GIDR), Ahmedabad,Rajit Kumar, Director In-Charge, ICDS and Veena Bandyopadhyay, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, UNICEF Gujarat.

DeshGujarat