H.E. Zehra Zümrüt SELÇUK paid a courtesy visit to Mr. Paolo MARCHI, UNICEF Türkiye Representative, to explore avenues for enhanced cooperation and capacity-building programmes in the domain of children and their well-being.

The meeting, held on 19 February 2024 at the Ankara Office of UNICEF, delved into issues pertaining to children, especially given that one-third of the total OIC population is below the age of 15.

During the discussions, H.E. SELÇUK underlined the SESRIC implement capacity-building and training activities under 21 different sector-specific programs through training courses, webinars, study visits, and workshops. Themes specific to children are covered within the framework of three specific programs of SESRIC:

• IbnSina Health Capacity Building Programme (IbnSina-CaB)
• Social Development Capacity Building Programme (SD-CaB)
• Statistical Capacity Building Programme (StatCaB)

Since 2007, SESRIC has organized 92 activities under these programs, benefiting approximately 3,500 participants from OIC countries.

Thanking H.E. SELÇUK for her kind visit, Mr. MARCHI emphasized that through aligned efforts, SESRIC and UNICEF Türkiye can both share in common various potential areas of work, including capacity-building programs or workshops.

The meeting ended with both delegates emphasising a shared focus on knowledge exchange, capacity building and promoting collaboration between SESRIC and UNICEF.

UNICEF is the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, established to provide emergency food and healthcare to children and mothers in countries that had been devastated by World War II. UNICEF’s Türkiye program focuses on education, child protection, health, social policy, adolescence and youth, early childhood development in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.