lower prevalence (of 2 per cent). On the positive side, in respect of birth registration, three countries (South Africa, Uganda and Nigeria) account for three-quarters of the improvement. Heads of State and government should ensure wide political visibility to the Agenda, and the issues raised therein. International partnerships should implementation of the Agenda be cultivated to support the International partners should co-ordinate among themselves where appropriate and align their support and programmes with the strategic objectives, programmes and identified needs of stakeholders of the AU organs and institutions, regional economic communities and member States. International partners should provide quality and timely technical and financial support to the activities of States, the African Children’s Committee and civil society organisations. International partners should provide technical and financial support towards continent-wide ratification and reporting processes. International partners should invest in community-based mechanisms and local structures to champion the implementation of social protection programmes at the local level. Interventions by development organisations and donors’ projects should be designed holistically and collectively to deliver comprehensive services beyond the limits of individual projects’ life cycles and the capacity limits of institutions. The visibility and implementation of the African Children’s Charter and the effective functioning of the African Children’s Committee greatly rely on a wide array of national non-State actors. These actors include national human rights institutions; traditional and religious leaders; civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations; academic institutions; research centres; think-tanks; the media; and children themselves. Their partnership is, therefore, crucial. Civil society also assists in monitoring States’ compliance with their obligations, and contributes to the implementation of the decisions of AU organs. 30