Government, UNICEF strengthen commitment to child development in Laos

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) and UNICEF Laos  reaffirmed their commitment to improving child well-being and set key priorities for 2025–2026 at their annual Joint Programme Review in Vientiane last Friday.

Participants gather for a group photo at the meeting.

The meeting was co-chaired by the Vice Minister of Planning and Investment, Ms Phonevanh Outhavong, and Mr Bilal Aurang Zeb Durrani, the UNICEF Country Representative to Laos. It was attended by more than 60 representatives from government ministries and UN agencies.
Ms Phonevanh emphasised the importance of collaboration in addressing critical child development challenges. “Focusing on a child’s earliest years lays a strong foundation for improved health, nutrition and cognitive development – essential for a prosperous future,” she said.
Discussions focused on four key priorities – strengthening child development and nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life to ensure a strong foundation for early growth, supporting adolescent development and participation through a life-course approach, enhancing education and skills development to tackle the learning crisis, and addressing the impacts of climate change on children.
Mr Durrani underscored the need for collective action, and said, “Tackling challenges such as stunting, education quality, child marriage and climate resilience requires joint efforts from the government, development partners, civil society and communities. UNICEF remains committed to ensuring that every child in Laos, especially the most vulnerable, has the opportunity to thrive.”
Over the past year, Laos and UNICEF have made significant strides in child welfare. The endorsement of the Primary Healthcare Law and improvements in postnatal care contributed to a drop in neonatal mortality rates from 22 to 12 per 1,000 live births. National immunisation campaigns maintained strong coverage, with 92 percent of children receiving their first dose of Penta 1 and 83 percent completing the full course Penta 3, protecting them against vaccine-preventable diseases.
In education, the rollout of a new pre-primary curriculum benefited more than 229,000 children, incorporating a play-based and inclusive approach to early learning.
The Digital Education Strategy for the period 2026–2034 was introduced to expand access to digital learning, particularly in remote areas.
Efforts to protect children from violence and exploitation saw progress. More than 13,000 children received legal aid, counselling or social services, while unconditional cash transfers and assistive devices were provided to nearly 500 vulnerable children, including those with disabilities, to help alleviate financial hardship and promote independence.
The stakeholders outlined key focus areas for 2025–2026, including strengthening maternal and child healthcare, reducing malnutrition and improving child nutrition, enhancing education quality and reducing school dropout rates, promoting adolescent well-being and protection, expanding child protection initiatives, and integrating climate resilience into child-focused programmes.
The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment from all partners to drive sustainable progress for children in Laos, thus ensuring that no child is left behind.

 (Latest Update March 3, 2025)