Shillong, May 14: A high-level delegation of UNICEF has praised Meghalaya’s community-driven approach to child and maternal health after holding a review meeting with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma in Shillong.
The meeting focused on ongoing collaborations in child health, nutrition, maternal care, immunisation, adolescent development, and community-led social interventions across the state.
Sharing observations from a two-day field visit across Meghalaya, the UNICEF delegation said it was encouraged by the state’s grassroots interventions and integrated governance model aimed at improving immunisation coverage, reducing maternal mortality, strengthening nutrition outcomes, and enhancing youth participation in policymaking.
A senior UNICEF official described Meghalaya as a state demonstrating “strong leadership in child-focused human development,” noting that its community-based governance structure, backed by institutional partnerships, was producing measurable impact at the grassroots level.
The delegation also highlighted Meghalaya’s “003 Agenda” — zero maternal deaths, zero unimmunised children, and ensuring healthy growth for every child during the first 1,000 days of life to prevent stunting and support overall development.
During the interaction, discussions centred on the state’s recently launched Mission 1000 Days programme, aimed at tackling child stunting and improving maternal and child health outcomes during the critical early stages of life.
UNICEF representatives further commended Meghalaya’s focus on adolescent development and youth engagement, particularly the formation of the Young People’s Action Group, which enables young people to directly participate in policy discussions and development planning.
Speaking at the meeting, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said Meghalaya’s development strategy is rooted in long-term human development and integrated institutional systems rather than isolated welfare schemes.
He said the state had made notable progress over the past eight years in reducing maternal and infant mortality, addressing malnutrition, bridging immunisation gaps, and promoting adolescent development through data-driven and community-led interventions.
Sangma also stressed the importance of evidence-based policymaking, digital monitoring systems, and documentation of best practices in ensuring measurable developmental outcomes.
The Chief Minister invited UNICEF to continue supporting Meghalaya through technical expertise, knowledge-sharing, documentation, and partnerships with development institutions and CSR stakeholders to further scale successful interventions.
UNICEF reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Meghalaya government in areas including maternal and child health, nutrition, adolescent empowerment, disability inclusion, and community-led development initiatives.
Senior government officials and members of the UNICEF delegation were present during the meeting.
Also Read: Centre discusses preservation of Meghalaya’s Kongthong Whistling Village heritage
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub
Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub
