Unicef contribution to India's social sector development and its links to poverty alleviation

UNICEF, present in India since it was established in 1949, now has ten field offices in state capitals from where the bulk of its work - to promote universal education and immunization, health and child development, communication and advocacy - is carried on. This paper, written at the invitation of the India Country Office of UNICEF in 1995, is part of an ongoing situation analysis. Section I looks at UNICEF and its mission in India. A discussion of UNICEF's cooperation with the Government of India follows, with special reference to the anti-poverty programmes of the government, and the changing external environment in which UNICEF is now working. Section II is a reflection of the author's experiences in the field in visiting UNICEF projects in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Bihar. The sectors covered include primary education, child development, health, water and sanitation, credit and communications. Drawing upon impressions from these field visits, Section III discusses UNICEF's four main terms of reference: strengthening service delivery mechanisms at different levels, capacity building, disparity reduction, and contributions to institutional arrangements for poverty alleviation/empowerment of beneficiary groups. The paper concludes that UNICEF has played a critical role in assisting India's social sector programmes, in defining priorities and setting up management systems for implementing chosen goals, in diffusing technology, and in encouraging community participation and the empowerment of women.