DAR ES SALAAM, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Monday reaffirmed its support to the government of Tanzania in empowering children and adolescent girls through access to education, health, and nutrition services.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell made the commitment when visiting the Songwe region to inspect UNICEF-supported education and health programs for children and adolescent girls, which aims to break cycles of poverty and improve the lives of children.

According to a statement issued by UNICEF, the UN agency is working with the Tanzanian government and partners to implement policies and investments that support children and adolescents, especially girls, to improve access to education, community-based health and nutrition services and reduce child marriage and early pregnancies.

Russell, who was on the second day of her three-day visit to Tanzania, said children make up 50 percent of Tanzania's population, while youth account for 72 percent. She noted that UNICEF's steadfast commitment to supporting the government's efforts to invest in them is yielding positive results.

"Tanzania has shown that investing in children and adolescents is not just about their future -- it is about Tanzania's future," said Russell. "Tanzania is setting an important example that prioritizing children is both the right thing to do and the smart thing to do."

On Sunday, Russell met with adolescent girls and young women innovators at a UNICEF-supported program in Dar es Salaam to equip youth with digital skills to address real-life challenges and empower lives.

"Nurturing their skills and creativity can unlock solutions and drive economic growth that will save and improve the lives of children today and for generations to come," said Russell. Enditem

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