The Child Friendly National Budget Initiative (CFNBI) is a child-focused project implemented by NANGO. The project promoted the prioritisation of child-related issues in local and national budgets. Its main objective was to contribute to the general understanding of and support for children’s rights by advocating for generous funding to children’s welfare through lobbying policymakers to formulate child friendly budgets. A Child Friendly Budget embraces the concept of child centred development as outlined in section 19 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe that directs the state to adopt policies and measures to ensure that in matters relating to children, the best interest of the children concerned are paramount. Regional and International Human Rights instruments further support our constitutional provision, namely the United National Convention on the Right of the Child and the African Charter on the Right and Welfare of Children.
NANGO, since 1997, has been providing technical assistance to child interest groups on the lobby and advocacy for pro-poor budgets, both at national and local spheres of government. The key stakeholder groups that NANGO works with include government ministries, Parliament of Zimbabwe, local authorities and Junior Councils, Media, UN agencies, development partners, the Zimbabwe Youth Council and the Junior Parliament.
NANGO, with financial assistance from such key stakeholders like UNICEF and Save the Children, has facilitated the establishment and strengthening of the Junior Councils, namely; Victoria Falls Junior Council, Gwanda Junior Council, Bulawayo Junior Council, Chipinge Junior Council, Kadoma Junior Council, Tongogara Junior Council amongst others. In addition, working with the Ministry of Education, NANGO has facilitated the establishment of Junior School Development Committees at selected schools in Masvingo province. In the same vein, NANGO has partnered with the Zimbabwe Youth Council to strengthen the Junior Parliament in the area of Child Friendly Budgeting. These structures are complementary in nature and work hand in hand to ensure that the best interest of the child is promoted in all aspects of district, provincial and national developmental policy formulation processes.
