The Government of Romania and UNICEF Romania Office - A Strategic Partnership in Support of Romanian and World Children

The Government of Romania, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Labour and Social Justice, and the UNICEF in Romania Office signed today a new partnership for the benefit of Romanian and world children.

The document lays down the cooperation objectives that the two parties will pursue until 2022. Among others, one objective is to jointly promote children’s rights in Europe and in the world, through the exchange of best practices and expertise that Romania has developed over the past 30 years. A relevant example to this effect is the recent International Conference “Children's participation in EU decision and policy making”, held in Bucharest on the 6th and 7th of May, under Romania’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

“Romania is firmly committed to advancing and protecting children's rights and, over the years, has made significant progress in this direction. The Romanian laws, but also the Governmental policies on children’s rights, comply with the international agreements, primarily with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (in 2019, we celebrate 30 years from its adoption), and with the standards of the European Union and Council of Europe.

In this context, I wish to emphasize the excellent cooperation that the Government and UNICEF started in 1991 and continued on multiple levels to date. UNICEF has significantly contributed to Romania’s progress in the matter of children's rights”, said Teodor Mele?canu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, with the occasion of signing the new partnership agreement.

UNICEF will continue to support the Government of Romania to implement education, health and social protection policies, with a view to ensuring fair access to quality services for all Romanian children, in particular to the vulnerable ones. To achieve this objective, UNICEF and its partners - central and local government, NGOs and children - are developing and testing models focused on reducing vulnerabilities and promoting social inclusion of the most disadvantaged groups of children.

“Children’s well-being and respecting their rights are among our most important objectives and we shall continue to work together with our partners, national and international organisations, to achieve them. Continuing our partnership with UNICEF can contribute to both improving the social inclusion of all children, with a special focus on those from vulnerable groups and on the conditions that support the realization of children's rights, and to promoting world-wide Romania’s experience in protecting and promoting children's rights”, stated Marius Budai, Minister of Labour and Social Justice.

Also, through public awareness and information campaigns, the efforts will continue to prevent discrimination and violence against children and to improve the care provided to them by parents or guardians, such as to ensure a protective and motivating environment for each child.

“Over the past thirty years, Romania has made significant progress in promoting and upholding children’s rights, which creates the opportunity to identify Romania’s positive experience and success models and share them with other countries. At the same time, there are still many children who need support to grow in a family and develop healthily and harmoniously. For this reason, the Romania - UNICEF Partnership will involve all the key stakeholders (Government, Parliament, local authorities, private and NGO partners, mass-media and UNICEF) in developing and implementing the best programmes and models in Romania, such as to ensure access to quality early, primary and secondary education, healthcare and protection for all children”, said Pieter Bult, UNICEF Representative to Romania.

Also, UNICEF will continue to work together with national and local authorities to develop studies and analyses on the condition of children in Romania, such that the implementation and monitoring of public policies addressed to children and their families, in particular to the most vulnerable ones, be informed by sound data.

To support children from Romania and other countries, UNICEF mobilizes resources from individuals, private companies and foundations. The total value of UNICEF’s contribution in the new country programme for 2018-2022 is more than 20 million dollars.

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