Unicef starts ‘days of peace’ campaign in Mindanao

After a successful first run last April, the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is due to hold another “Days of Peace" campaign in Mindanao this month. In a statement, UNICEF said the campaigns, like the one in April, will mobilize teams to deliver health, nutrition and other basic services to children. “The Days of Peace campaign is not just a series of special missions ... We intend to help re-establish routine coverage of conflict areas," said Dr. Nicholas Alipui, UNICEF representative in the Philippines. He said local residents, especially in areas hit by conflict will be trained to provide many of the essential services on their own. Alipui said the goal is to restore the routine provision of essential services for children through capacity-building and provision of supplies within the next several months. Earlier this year, the UNICEF and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) reached a historic agreement to suspend fighting in conflict-hit areas to allow health workers to tend to residents for at least two weeks. During the first run last April, children and their families in 700 remote villages received immunizations, micronutrient supplementation, counseling and other basic care. “And in an unprecedented show of support, the MILF mobilized its own ranks to help relief workers bring these services to the most disadvantaged communities," it noted. Danda Juanday, Executive Director of the Bangsamoro Development Agency, said discussions are under way to sustain the Days of Peace services on a continuing basis. - GMANews.TV