September 2, 2026 (ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia): The IGAD Secretariat, in collaboration with Save the Children’s Regional and Multi-Country Programmes and with funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), has concluded a three-day national workshop to advance the development of Ethiopia’s National Action Plan (NAP) for implementing the IGAD Child Policy Framework.
Held from 31 August to 2 September 2026, the workshop brought together experts from relevant Ethiopian ministries, departments and agencies to translate the regional policy commitments into a practical national implementation framework.
Adopted by IGAD Member States in December 2024, the IGAD Child Policy Framework provides a shared regional commitment to advancing the rights, protection and well-being of children. The NAP is intended to translate this commitment into concrete actions, define institutional responsibilities, mobilise resources, and establish measurable targets and timelines for tracking progress and strengthening accountability.
Opening the workshop, Amb. Moussa Meigague, Director of Health and Social Development at the IGAD Secretariat, commended Ethiopia for its efforts to advance children’s rights in line with national priorities and international commitments. He stressed that the NAP would be essential for translating these commitments into coordinated, accountable and measurable action.
Dr. Anthony Njoroge, Head of Regional and Multi-Country Programmes at Save the Children, highlighted the importance of an integrated approach that connects sectors and levels of government. He emphasised that a credible NAP should break down institutional and sectoral silos, strengthen coordination, and establish clear links between national implementation and the regional Results Monitoring Framework.
The workshop focused on translating the policy into actionable strategies, activities and timelines; defining the roles of government institutions, civil society, private sector actors and development partners; identifying the financial, technical and human resources required for implementation; and establishing indicators and targets aligned with the regional Results Monitoring Framework.
The workshop resulted in progress towards a strategic and operational national implementation plan, with clearer delineation of stakeholder roles and responsibilities and strengthened alignment among sectors and stakeholders at national and sub-national levels. It also advanced alignment of implementation indicators, targets and timelines with the regional Results Monitoring Framework, helping to reduce duplication and strengthen a coordinated approach to child protection.
Representing the Government of Ethiopia, Ato Belete Dagne, Head of the Child Rights System Desk at the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, underscored that protecting and promoting children’s rights is a national priority reflected in Ethiopia’s laws, institutions, services and investments.
He emphasised that investing in children is investing in Ethiopia’s future, and called for the country’s legal commitments and national progress to be translated into effective systems and services that protect every child and enable them to thrive.
Participants were drawn from Ministries of Education, Women and Social Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Peace, Water and Energy, Health, Planning and Development, Labour and Skills, Justice and Defense, as well as the Ethiopia Disaster Risk Management Commission, Environmental Protection Authority, Refugees and Returnees Service, Federal Supreme Court of Ethiopia, Immigration and Citizenship Service, and Ethiopian Statistical Service.
The National Programme Officer at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Ms. Gelila Dereje, underscored that the true measure of the IGAD Child Policy would be its implementation, emphasising that collective commitment, sustained resourcing, and effective systems are essential to translating policy into meaningful protection and improved outcomes for vulnerable children and youth.
The outcomes of the workshop are expected to provide a foundation for Ethiopia to operationalise the IGAD Child Policy Framework at national level while strengthening coordination, resource mobilisation, monitoring and accountability for delivering better outcomes for children across the country.
