[{"bbox": [85, 129, 708, 163], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# 4 IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS"}, {"bbox": [85, 195, 383, 226], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 4.1 Financing Agreement"}, {"bbox": [98, 242, 1088, 270], "category": "Text", "text": "In order to implement this action, it is envisaged to conclude a financing agreement with the partner country."}, {"bbox": [85, 309, 512, 341], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 4.2 Indicative Implementation Period"}, {"bbox": [98, 356, 1134, 437], "category": "Text", "text": "The indicative operational implementation period of this action, during which the activities described in section 3 will be carried out and the corresponding contracts and agreements implemented, is 72 months from the date of entry into force of the financing agreement."}, {"bbox": [98, 462, 1122, 515], "category": "Text", "text": "Extensions of the implementation period may be agreed by the Commission's responsible authorising officer by amending this Financing Decision and the relevant contracts and agreements."}, {"bbox": [85, 555, 442, 586], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 4.3 Implementation Modalities"}, {"bbox": [98, 613, 1132, 691], "category": "Text", "text": "The Commission will ensure that the EU appropriate rules and procedures for providing financing to third parties are respected, including review procedures, where appropriate, and compliance of the action with EU restrictive measures."}, {"bbox": [85, 719, 616, 747], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### 4.3.1 Indirect Management with a pillar assessed entity"}, {"bbox": [98, 774, 1134, 826], "category": "Text", "text": "A part of this action may be implemented in indirect management with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)."}, {"bbox": [98, 839, 1134, 894], "category": "Text", "text": "This implementation entails a contribution to Specific Objective 1 and 2 of the action: \"Child well-being and development has improved for children under 5\" and \"Enhanced effectiveness of social assistance\"."}, {"bbox": [98, 906, 714, 933], "category": "Text", "text": "The envisaged entity has been selected using the following criteria:"}, {"bbox": [98, 944, 1134, 1022], "category": "Text", "text": "The selected entity to carry out part of this action has to have extensive experience in Social Protection interventions in Lesotho. Its operational capacity has to be sufficient to successfully implement a component of this action."}, {"bbox": [98, 1036, 1134, 1249], "category": "Text", "text": "Since 2005, and in collaboration with the EU Delegation, UNICEF has been providing the government of Lesotho with technical support to strengthen social protection, including system building starting in 2010, the definition, design and roll-out of the Child Grant Programme (CGP), and the creation and capacity development of the Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) in 2012. As a result, MoSD is today at the forefront of social assistance programmes implementation in Lesotho. The Ministry currently manages the Child Grant Programme (CGP), Public Assistance Programme (PA), and the Orphans and Vulnerable Children-Bursary. The National Information Systems on Social Assistance (NISSA) is at the foundation of the management of all social assistance programmes. NISSA currently contains information on 477,563 households in rural and urban areas in Lesotho."}, {"bbox": [98, 1275, 1134, 1409], "category": "Text", "text": "In the last seventeen years, UNICEF's support has ranged from the hands-on creation, implementation, and updating of the national MIS system, the NISSA, to technical support in developing the Social Protection Strategy and action plan. Furthermore, UNICEF has the advantage of tapping into the vast experience of its country offices across sub-Saharan Africa countries that have developed cash-plus programmes linked to cash transfer programmes."}, {"bbox": [98, 1434, 1134, 1515], "category": "Text", "text": "After 15-years of partnership with the EU and support for social protection, UNICEF has gained the unique trust of the government. UNICEF is therefore well placed to consolidate the results achieved and link the programme to essential services that will benefit children and improve their outcomes."}, {"bbox": [1027, 1680, 1144, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 19 of 23"}]