National Response to OVC Programme

The Federal Government has demonstrated its commitment through the inauguration of the OVC National Steering Committee, National Stakeholders’ Forum and National Technical Coordination Group. OVC Coordination Units was also established at Federal and State Ministries of Women Affairs. The OVC National Plan of Action, 2006 – 2010, received the personal approval of the former President’s (His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo), the approval of the Federal Executive Council and the National Council of State before it was launched. With financial support from the Round 5 of the Global Fund, advocacy tool kits have been developed and used in advocacy visits to states, capacity of CSOs have been built to respond to the psychosocial needs of OVC. Funds are being disbursed for educational and health needs of OVC through the state ministries of women affairs.

Currently, the response to the OVC crisis is mainly by CSOs, which is largely donor driven, and lacks effective coordination. The scale of the response is not commensurate with the magnitude of the situation. There is high political commitment at the national level, but this is yet to translate to other levels of governance with implementation lacking across board. There are challenges that must be addressed in order to accelerate the national response to the problem. These include the need for effective coordination at all levels, mobilization of resources, capacity building for public sector, CSOs, communities and families to deliver essential services.



1.3 Summary of the OVC National Plan of Action 2006 - 2010

The five-year costed National Plan of Action 2006-2010 addresses, in clear terms, the survival, protection, participatory, developmental ,care and support needs of the most vulnerable children in Nigeria. It was developed through consultative and participatory approaches among all stakeholders, involving adults and children. The Plan adopts gender and rights-based approaches in the development of the framework that will accelerate and provide guidance for the national response on orphans and vulnerable children.

The Plan addresses the following key elements; protection, psychosocial care and support, education, health, household care and economic strengthening, advocacy and social mobilisation, legal and policy environment, children’s perspective, coordination structure monitoring, and evaluation. These are integral to the advancement of child’s rights and the achievement of the UNGASS, Millennium Development Goals and NEEDS. The NPA also sets out roles, responsibilities as well as legal and institutional framework for implementation which includes the strengthening of coordination, partnership and implementation structures. It defines program strategies which includes advocacy and social mobilization, scaling up the campaign on Children and AIDS, resource mobilization, engagement of civil society organizations, participatory rights of children and gender inequality and inequity.