United Nations Radio

The head of the UN children's agency -UNICEF, has announced $3 million of extra support for education, health and nutrition programmes in Togo during her first visit to the West African country.

UNICEF's Executive Director Anne Veneman unveiled the additional support at a meeting with Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe during which she also stressed the need to place Togo's children at the heart of national policy and planning.

Ms. Veneman says "education is critical for children and for their future," adding that "by working with traditional religious leaders, children and especially girls are being given the opportunity to go to school, some of them for the first time."

In Togo, girls as young as four enter convents for training and many do not continue their education after their initiation period.

But a recent joint initiative involving UNICEF, the Togolese Government and local organizations aims to encourage those girls to attend schools.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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