The National Program for Convergence Municipalities (Programme National d’Appui aux Commudes de Convergence, PNACC) was launched in April 2018 as a joint effort between the Government of Guinea, the Economic and Social Council, National Association of Mayors, the National Council of Guinean civil society organizations, the Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry, the University of General Lansana Conte and the United Nations country team in Guinea (including UNICEF).

Currently, 40 municipalities (communes) in seven regions are participating in the pilot programme, reaching approximately 11% of children living in Guinea. The key objectives of the programme are to strengthen women and children’s access to basic social services and improve technical capacities in local governance. The programme is also linked to an ongoing decentralization process, whereby responsibilities are transferred from the central government to the local level.

Municipalities participating in the programme have established local action plans, budgets and monitoring and evaluation structures, focusing on activities in 14 key results areas for children linked to local governance, immunization, sanitation, community health services, nutrition, civil rights, education and participation. Each of the participating municipalities have established a local council for children and families, which focuses on the promotion of child rights. Moreover, many of the communities have active children’s clubs and youth leaders involved in increasing awareness of child rights.

Through the programme, total sanitation services have been set up in three municipalities, the birth registration process has been modernized in nine municipalities and early childhood education services have been set up in all participating municipalities. The national community health policy has been implemented through the deployment of 1,850 community outreach agents and 143 health agents. Live monitoring of pregnant women has also been improved.

The current programme is its pilot phase until 2022. The aim of the pilot is to develop a model that can be taken to scale throughout the country. Currently, the process does not contain a recognition element.