Luanda - The need to increase the progressive allocation of 15% of the General State Budget to the health and education sectors are included in the recommendations of the 2024 budget analysis presented on Thursday, in Luanda, by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
According to the 2024 State budget report, presented on Thursday, this percentage is recommended in the Incheon Declaration (education) and the Abuja target (health).
The report, prepared by UNICEF Angola, in cooperation with civil society partners, presents an analysis of the budget in the social sectors that have the most impact on the realization of children's rights, such as health, education, water and sanitation, social and child protection.
The document provides a breakdown of budget allocations for the social sector, with emphasis on education and health, in the current fiscal year, identifying trends over the years, as well as offering information on the efficiency, equity and adequacy of expenditure.
In nominal terms, the report recalls that the education allocation in the 2024 GSB registers an increase to AOA 1.574 billion (US$1 = AOA 925.84), when compared to the allocation of AOA 1.556 billion recorded in the 2023 GSB.
The report encourages continued investment in pre-school education, as it is crucial for children's cognitive, emotional and social development and advocates the creation of specific policies, human and material resources that guarantee an appropriate environment for this age group, with appropriate curricula and educators specialists.
For the health sector, it recommends, on the other hand, a notable increase in the Community Health Program, essential to the well-being of the Angolan people.
In the short term (for the 2025 GSB), an increase of 30.815 percent is recommended, i.e., for a total allocation of AOA 19.251billion, a value that would cover approximately 10% of the Angolan population.
It also advocates the establishment of a Multisectoral Operational Body to coordinate the National Food and Nutrition Security Strategy, ensure the predictability of the development budget to support long-term strategies and restructure nutrition indicators in accordance with international recommendations.
On the other hand, Unicef and partners also call for the strengthening, autonomy and responsibility of public water and sanitation companies in guaranteeing population access to services, promoting strategies for technical and financial sustainability, in addition to encouraging the capitalization of the sector , through private investments and alternative financing.
Regarding the document presented by UNICEF representative in Angola, Antero Pina, the main objectives of the report include synthesizing complex budget information, so that it is easily understood by different stakeholders and presenting important messages and recommendations to influence decision-making processes in public finance.
He said that the budget analysis is part of an engagement work approach, with public finances to support the Government of Angola and all interested parties to adopt all necessary measures to implement the rights recognized in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
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