text: 46.Itwasrequested thatUNICEFfostertheexchange between countries of information anddataonexperience gained, particularly between countries inthe sameregionhavingsimilar problems. Furthermore, thePlanning Unitestablished at headquarters should workincloseco-operation withtheregional offices inorder toensurethatsuchexperience wasutilized inamannerrelevant totheparticular needsoftheregions served byeachoffice. 47.Delegations statedthattheywereprepared tosharewithothercountries in theirregionexperience acquired inthefieldofmaternal andchildcare. UNICEF shouldassistinthisexchange oftechnical co-operation andhumanresources development, perhaps morethanitdoesingranting fundsorproviding material assistance. Vaccine production wassuggested forthistypeofactivity. Documentation 48.Although somedelegations feltthattherewasstillroomforimprovement with regardtotimeliness, data,andtheobjectives anddescription ofactivities being -8- carried out,manydelegations expressed satisfaction withthedocumentation presented totheBoard. Inparticular, itwasrecognized thatthemedium-term plan reflected greater clarity indescribing programme priorities. Theystatedthat therehadbeenamarked improvement inthedistribution ofdocuments, whichmeant thattherewastime"tostudythemmorethoroughly. However, itwasnotedthatthe issuance ofsomedocuments, particularly inFrench, suffered somedelay. 49.Therecommendations concerning country programmes wereveryhelpful, butthe documents couldbeimproved bytheselective useoftables, diagrams andgraphics. Onedelegation felt,however, thattherespective rolesofUNICEF andother co-operating agencies insectors whereactivities overlapped werenotdefined. 50.Itwasfeltthatneither thereports oftheregional directors northatofthe Executive Director adequately illustrated therespective proportion ofUNICEF and governmental inputinprogramme implementation. Theviewwasexpressed thatthere hadbeensomediscrepancy between theanalysis giveninUNICEFreports andthe mannerinwhichprogrammes hadbeencarried outinsomecountries. 51.Some delegation~ expressed surprise thatdocuments, notably theExecutive Director's reportsubmitted atthecurrent session, didnotdevotegreater attention totheroleofwomenindevelopment. Othersfeltthatonlyonethirdof thenewprojects andprogrammes beforetheBoardwerepresented inastructured and detailed manner(additional operations, emergency programmes andspecial projects suchasEPI). Toooften,documentation didnotgivetheBoardaclearideaofthe content ofprogrammes orhowtheyrelated tocountry programmes orotherspecial projects. 52.Itwassuggested thatthegxecutive Director shouldinclude inhisfuture reports moreinformation onprogramme execution andpriority selection inthe various partsoftheworld.Itwasalsorequested thattheuseofacronyms be curtailed andthatalistoftheacronyms usedandtheirmeaning should beprovided attheendofeachdocument. 53.Somedelegations expressed dissatisfaction withsomeofthespecific examples ofexploitation giveninthepolicy documents onchildren inespecially difficult circumstances. Certain delegations declared thattheentireproblem of"children inespecially difficult circumstances" was"asensitive matter", sincetherewasa lackofreliable statistical dataandtheinformation wassometimes distorted. 54.Afewdelegations expressed concern thattherewasanimbalance inthe documents submitted forthepolicy review andurgedtheUNICEFsecretariat to ensurethatsuchdocuments wereunbiased andfreeofvaluejUdgements. Another delegate explained that,although thedocuments prepared bythesecretariat on children inespecially difficult circumstances werequitecomplete, someparagraphs wereabstract anddidnotexplain thecausesofcertain relevant negative trends. Itwasalsofeltthattherewasconsiderable repetition inthedocuments relating tochildren inespecially difficult circumstances (seeparas. 130,145, 155, l63~164 and166below). Financial andadministrative matters 55.Inaddition togeneral comments onfinancial andadministrative matters, delegations wereinvited tocomment ontheprogramme object1ves andtheresou~ces neededtoachieve them,ascontained inthemedium-term planfortheperiod -9-
analysis: The text appears to be discussing the operations and planning of UNICEF, a United Nations agency focused on improving the lives of children and mothers worldwide. The content revolves around the exchange of information and data between countries, country programs, documentation, and financial and administrative matters. The text also touches on specific issues such as maternal and child care, vaccine production, and the role of women in development.