The Ministry of Health announced on March 18 that Jujuy held its first meeting of the “Mesa de los 1000 Días y Primera Infancia” to review progress and set new goals for improving the quality of life for families in the province. The event brought together representatives from health, education, human development, labor sectors, and the Office for Children’s Rights, along with technical teams experienced in maternal and child care.
The focus on early childhood and the first thousand days of life has been ongoing since 2021. Officials said these efforts have produced positive results so far and outlined plans to further strengthen public policies across Jujuy. Claudia Castro, provincial director of Maternity, Childhood, and Adolescence, said: “It is worth highlighting the permanent support from the Government of Jujuy and UNICEF, through whom we can learn about experiences from other provinces and adapt them to our own context.”
Marta Iriarte, secretary for Children, Adolescents, and Family, emphasized the importance of this collaborative space. “This Mesa allows the provincial government to work together and move towards a logic of shared responsibility, where each area contributes its perspective to provide more comprehensive responses to early childhood,” she said. Iriarte added: “One of the main achievements was building trust among technical teams and generating concrete tools that impact the lives of girls and boys throughout the province.”
Looking ahead, officials plan to institutionalize this working group as a public policy measure. They also aim to strengthen collaboration with municipalities and continue expanding actions at a local level.
During a separate dialogue session between health authorities and UNICEF Argentina specialist Javier Quesada, participants reviewed current projects in Jujuy related to mental health, maternal mortality, nutrition, and breastfeeding. The discussion included planning new lines of action for 2026 and 2027.
