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UNICEF Provides PPE, IT Equipment to Lao Youth Union to Strengthen Child Protection Services amid COVID-19

UNICEF Lao PDR today handed over IT equipment and PPE to the Lao Youth Union (LYU) to support the Government of the Lao PDR’s ongoing COVID-19 response, specifically to help ensure the continuity of child protection services focusing on hotline counselling and support to quarantine centres during the pandemic.

The supplies consist of hand sanitizers, masks, gloves, infrared thermometers, computers, laptops, mobile phones, cameras and other equipment related to online media production, which have a total combined value of approximately USD85,000.

The handover ceremony for the equipment was organized at the LYU office and attended by Secretary-General of LYU Alounxai Sounnalath, and UNICEF Representative to the Lao PDR Pia Rebello Britto.

“The LYU would like to extend our sincerest thanks to UNICEF for this contribution, which will greatly help strengthen the delivery of child protection services, especially hotline counselling for youth and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond,” said Secretary-General of LYU Alounxai Sounnalath.

The PPE provided will be distributed to the LYU across the country, particularly to their staff who are supporting quarantine centres as essential workers to ensure their safety and ability to deliver life-saving services to children and their families during the pandemic.

To control the spread of COVID-19, UNICEF has also been supporting the Government of the Lao PDR to adopt innovative approaches to ensure continuation of critical services on child protection, including helplines that offer counselling and referral services provided by LYU staff and volunteers. The IT equipment provided by UNICEF will thus help increase the availability and accessibility of these helpline services to children in remote and ethnic language predominated areas in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Luang Namtha and Oudomxay.

“UNICEF remains a committed partner of the LYU during this challenging period of time. We will continue to support the Government of the Lao PDR’s commitment to leaving no one behind and ensure child protection is prioritized during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond,” stated UNICEF Representative of UNICEF Lao PDR Pia Rebello Britto.

Source: Lao News Agency

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