Europe and Central Asia

Through national, regional and global commitments, governments across Europe and Central Asia have committed to ensuring all children have access to quality, inclusive preschool to support their holistic development. Diversification is a transformative strategy to advance early learning. It has great potential to rapidly expand access to quality…

This report provides an overview of selected findings from the sixth round (2018–2020) of Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) conducted in Roma settlements in Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. It focuses on Roma children and women, aiming to track progress and highlight disparities within the Roma community compared to the…, Focusing on the well-being of Roma children and women within the Roma community is vital for promoting human rights and inclusive development. Empowering them and providing equal opportunities will lead to a more equitable and inclusive society for all. However, addressing the disparities and ensuring access to universal services will require…, Health and nutrition, Recommendation 1: UNICEF strongly advocates incorporation of Roma mediators into health-care (as well as social and educational) systems to enhance its effectiveness to provide health-care services, particularly for those without health insurance or personal documentation, including Roma mothers in need of antenatal and delivery care. Relevant…, Education, Recommendation 1: UNICEF recommends the adoption of a comprehensive strategy that engages community leaders, parents/caregivers, and positive role models to amplify awareness about the transformative potential of education in alleviating poverty and dependency. The proclamation of role models and the promotion of positive deviance within…, Child protection, Recommendation 1: Establishing a robust interagency synergy between child protection and other mechanisms such as health, educational and social protection mechanisms is imperative, at both national and subnational levels. Pre-eminently, by harmonizing the efforts of the child protection and social protection agencies, we can create a more…, Social protection and adequate standard of living, Recommendation 1: Stakeholders with a vested interest in promoting social justice should give due consideration to the necessity of enacting policy changes and reforms, as appropriate, to break down barriers and facilitate equitable access to social protection services, with a special focus on historically marginalized communities, such as the…, Roma participation, Recommendation 1: Governments should recognize and act upon the importance of including Roma youth voices in decision making processes by integrating them into youth councils and other platforms, ensuring a more diverse and representative governance.   Recommendation 2: Governments at all levels should ensure equitable and proportional…, APRIL 2024 Breaking barriers: An analytical report on Roma children and women in Kosovo (UNSCR 1244), Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia A summary of findings from four MICS surveys in Roma settlements U NIC EF / UN 0162 31 / Gilb erts on V II | (Lef t) Z oric a D imic , 42, a v isiti ng n urse , che cks up o n ch ildre n at a non -hyg ieni c…

The development of foster care in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region should be seen in the context of a global movement for child care system reform, framed by the key principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, 1989), the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD, 2006), the UN General…

Most governments of Europe and Central Asia (ECA) have come to recognise that institutional care is harmful to children and have put in place deinstitutionalisation strategies to replace large-scale residential care institutions with family and community-based care services. The main aim is to prevent unnecessary family separation and where this…

Knowing about the preferences, needs, and wishes of young people is an important precondition to successful career guidance policies and services. The European Training Foundation (ETF) and the UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO), in collaboration with young people, conducted polls and held focus groups to understand the needs…, Instead, young respondents painted a picture of a shockingly high level of limited to no access to guidance. Current services are focused on a traditional approach, consisting of interest, personality trait, and aptitude testing, providing information that aims to match learning and job opportunities. However, these services occur at specific…, ‘What I do not know, I cannot like’: Young people are seeking practical experience, Young people participating in polls and focus groups overwhelmingly showed a preference for practical experience, out-of-the classroom opportunities, and skills generated outside the traditional school curriculum. Such experiential learning increases the relevance of academic learning for their lives and their future, enabling them to better…, Traditional methods of career guidance are outpaced by preference for online tools, When asked where they get their information and support when choosing a future profession, more than half of the respondents chose “Internet searches, websites” (56.7 per cent), followed by “Social media, chat rooms/message boards, online tutorials” (38.7 per cent), and “Parents” (32.5 per cent) and “Friends” (32.0 per cent), with limited…, Young people want a profession that matches their skills and interests, Overwhelmingly, young people wish for a profession that matches their skills and interests; however, they are very concerned about skills mismatch and working conditions that do not allow for such alignment. Respondents stressed the importance of life and career management skills to support their emotional development and personal growth; they…, Career aspirations of young people remain limited to traditional careers, In line with other research, respondents showed a limited scope of career aspirations, with traditional careers such as teachers, doctors, or nurses being predominant. This finding is deeply concerning, as it highlights how the current state of career guidance does little to broaden the scope of career aspirations and how it has failed to showcase…, Educational aspirations of young people mirror parental and societal expectations, Over eight-in-ten respondents said that they intend to complete some level of tertiary education (81.9 per cent), showing extremely high expectations that may not necessarily align with either labor market or skill needs. Moreover, a preference for tertiary education tends to ignore the opportunities provided by vocational education and training (…, Many young Ukrainians lack access to career guidance services, Career guidance systems require a special focus on young Ukrainians. There are many young Ukrainians, both in Ukraine (including displaced persons) and abroad, that lack access to guidance services. More active outreach is needed, both face-to-face and online, as well as more holistic online services for self-help and self-learning. Personal…, Learning for Careers What kinds of career guidance and career education services do young people want in Europe and Central Asia? 2024 United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and European Training Foundation (ETF) Front Cover: @UNICEF/Romania/Adrian Ctu Design and Layout: Rec Design Editing: Formato Verde The contents of this report do not…

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the situation of children in alternative care and in adoption in Europe and Central Asia (ECA) based on available data from TransMonEE , as well as other sources such as MICS , DataCare and the Conference of European Statisticians (CES). It marks the first analysis of data on children in alternative…, Children in alternative care and adoption, According to UNICEF estimates based on data from national surveys and social service administrative records, there are still nearly half a million children (around 456,000) living in residential care in the Europe and Central Asia region. This is equivalent to a rate of 232 per 100,000 children aged 0-17 years and is the highest rate of all…, The rates of children in formal alternative care have reduced since 2010, but the rates have not changed substantially in many countries since 2015., The proportion of children in formal alternative care, including residential care and family-based care, has reduced considerably since the ‘At home or in a home’ report published in 2010 using data from TransMonEE 2007. Since 2015, the pace of reduction has decreased in most countries reporting data to TransMonEE, and the rate has not changed…, The composition of the types of care available in the formal alternative care system has changed substantially., There is a greater proportion of children in formal family-based care, especially foster care, than previously and a smaller proportion of children in residential care. In 2010, on average, an estimated 859 children per 100,000 population aged 0-17 years were in residential care across the region, according to the ‘At home or in a home’ report.…, Formal guardianship and kinship care account for around two-thirds of formal family-based care provision, while formal foster care represents around onethird across the countries reporting data to TransMonEE, for which there are data in 2021., In countries such as Romania and Georgia, formal foster care now represents around 50 per cent of formal family-based care provision, and the increasing use of this type of formal family-based care can also be noted in other countries that are implementing deinstitutionalisation reforms, including Armenia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the Republic of…, Children with disabilities are over-represented in formal alternative care, particularly in residential care., Comparisons between countries are difficult because of how children with disabilities are assessed and counted in national management information systems. It is clear, however, that the proportion of children with disabilities in formal residential care across 20 countries of the region has increased between 2015 and 2021 and that children with…, Young children appear to no longer be at greater risk of being in formal alternative care than older children and are more likely to be in family-based care than residential care., In most countries where data is available, the rate of children under 2 or 3 years of age in formal alternative care is about half or less than half of the rate of children aged 0-17 years, and the rate of children aged under 2 or 3 years of age in family-based care is substantially higher than the rate of children aged under 2 or 3 years in…, Young adults are being left behind in residential care., In many countries where data is available, more than a third of residents in formal residential care institutions intended for children are young adults aged 18-24 years, and this proportion has been increasing in certain countries. Many of these cases likely involve young adults with disabilities., Children in informal care and in boarding schools are technically in alternative care but are not monitored by the system of formal alternative care in many countries., Survey data suggest that there may be considerable numbers of children in informal family-based care in certain countries, particularly Kyrgyzstan. These children are generally not monitored as part of the system of formal alternative care. Given the limitations of both survey-based data and administrative data on children in alternative care and…, Data and indicators on children in alternative care, TransMonEE has shown that it can coordinate data collection and validate data using a common set of indicators across 27 countries., The efforts to improve TransMonEE data need to continue as issues of comparability, definitions, coverage, and quality persist in many countries. Nevertheless, as time series data continue to be amended and definitions are consistently applied, nuanced and informative data are being produced that can inform decision-making at all levels. The role…, Consistent application of agreed definitions and quality standards for data management for core indicators is required to enable cross-country comparability., The 2021 DataCare study, the 2022 CES review and the latest validation of TransMonEE data for 2021 have all confirmed that these are the main challenges for the development of global, comparable statistics on children in alternative care. TransMonEE nevertheless demonstrates that if resources are invested in validating data, and countries are…, Recommendations for improved data comparability, Continue efforts to develop and adopt a global set of core indicators and standard disaggregation variables and improve data comparability., While DataCare and CES guidelines represent a good foundation for a core set of indicators that are already included in the TransMonEE indicators, solutions need to be found to the challenges of comparability relating to defining disability so that disability disaggregation can also be added., UNICEF can develop an annual report card system for all countries in the ECA region using the three core indicators recommended by CES and disaggregation by sex, age, and disability., The report card can provide rapid reporting on the current situation and a comparative analysis of the previous year, extending the insights available through the TransMonEE dashboard ., A more comprehensive and in-depth analysis should be conducted every 3-5 years using the full set of 26 TransMonEE alternative care and four child disability indicators., This analysis should focus on systemic changes and emerging strategic issues while incorporating greater disaggregation., Continue to invest in the TransMonEE approach., Continue to invest in the TransMonEE approach to revising historical data, ensuring consistent definitions with current data and increase investment in improving data quality by strengthening data management systems for alternative care and integrating them with other relevant management information systems, including health, education, social…, Further work is needed to define indicators and address monitoring children in boarding schools and in informal care., Following the definitions outlined in the Guidelines on Alternative Care of Children, especially in relation to children outside of parental care and in alternative care. January 2024, TRANSMONEE ANALYTICAL SERIES PATHWAYS TO BETTER PROTECTIONTaking stock of the situation of children in alternative care in Europe and Central Asia 2 United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (ECARO), January 2024www.unicef.org/eca/ www.transmonee.org transmonee@unicef.org 2023 UNICEF. All rights reserved…

Nearly 11 million children with disabilities live in Europe and Central Asia. Each of them – like every child in the world – has the right to be nurtured and supported through responsive care and education, to receive adequate nutrition and social protection, and to enjoy play and leisure time. Too often, however, such rights are denied. The…

Children are uniquely vulnerable to air pollution, with devastating effects on their health and development. Scientific evidence shows air pollution contributes to adverse birth outcomes including preterm births and low birth weights, infant mortality,  damaged lung function, illness and diseases including asthma, cardiovascular disease and cancer…, PM10 is roughly one-seventh the diameter of a human hair. It consists of sulfate, nitrates, ammonia, sodium chloride, and black carbon; it may also include concentrations of natural windblown dust. PM10 is harmful to health because it can block and inflame nasal and bronchial passages, causing a variety of respiratory-related conditions that lead…, Case Study: UNICEF’s work on cleaner air for children in Kyrgyzstan, In Kyrgyzstan, air pollution is the single biggest environmental risk factor for premature death and ill-health, with young children among the most affected. In Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan a UNICEF study found that residents are exposed to annual average concentrations that range from moderately elevated to far more than concentrations known to cause…, Recommendations to governments across Europe and Central Asia , UNICEF calls on governments and institutions in countries across the region to devote greater attention and resources to prevent worsening air pollution, support energy efficiency and access to clean energy, support cleaner air measures and protect children from exposure. Particular attention must be paid to addressing the magnified health risks…, Walk the talk, Ensure air quality standards are in line with WHO guidelines. Support access to clean energy and the use of cleaner fuels and reduce the dependency on the use of fossil fuels. Promote energy efficiency including expanding district heating, revision of existing building standards for public facilities (schools, kindergarten and hospitals) for…, Focus on child-sensitive interventions, Ensure pollution free zones near schools, kindergartens, and health facilities. Set up and maintain air quality monitoring systems nearby kindergartens and schools, and report information to the public and noting levels of air pollution that are dangerous to children and pregnant women. Train health providers and professionals to assess child…, Raise awareness and advocate, Raise awareness of air pollution and its impact on child health Collect disaggregated data on the effects and sources of air pollution, with a specific focus on research and recognition for pregnant women, infants and children.  Advocate for air pollution and its impacts on children to be considered in national climate and environmental policies,…, Breathless beginnings: the alarming impact of air pollution on children in Europe and Central Asia Breathless beginnings: the alarming impact of air pollution on children in Europe and Central Asia P O L I C Y B R I E F 05.09.23 Air pollution is a major environmental health risk for children. In 2019, 5,801 children and teenagers in 52 countries…

New data from UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) offers a snapshot of children's immunization coverage across the Europe and Central Asia region. Across the region, more than 200,000 are still not fully vaccinated. In 2022, 229,000 out of nearly 4.1 million surviving infants in the region did not receive the three recommended doses of…

Across the European Union (EU), hundreds of thousands of children live in residential institutions. Children with disabilities are among the groups of children over-represented in the still existing large institutions in Europe. The impact of institutionalisation is severe and can last a lifetime. The EU and its Member States are commited to…, Eurochild Eurochild Display caption Show Original Caption Display caption Show Original Caption On 23 February Eurochild, in partnership with UNICEF ECARO, organised an expert online roundtable as part of our DataCare initiative on "Measuring progress in deinstitutionalisation and improving data availability, quality and comparability on children…, Children in alternative care: Comparable statistics to monitor progress on deinstitutionalisation across the European UnionPOLICY BRIEF ON FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE DATACARE PROJECT This publication has been produced with the financial support of the European Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) 2014-2020. The…

In the Europe and Central Asia Region (ECA), in collaboration with other organizations and networks, UNICEF has promoted national policy and programme development for early childhood development (ECD). Within the ECD framework, UNICEF promotes regional and country initiatives for early childhood intervention (ECI) to support families whose…

Following eight years of armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, at dawn on 24 February 2022, the Russian Federation launched a military incursion across the country. The event displaced millions in search of safety, protection, and humanitarian assistance, creating the fastest growing refugee emergency since World War II. By the end of March 2022,…, Meeting the needs and priorities of beneficiaries and stakeholders 1. UNICEF adopted a twin-track approach to expanding its country presence, undertaking strategic advocacy and negotiation at national level in parallel with programmatic activity on the ground. Its strategic narrative of the Child Protection dimensions of the crisis was…, Conclusions , Overall, the evaluation finds that UNICEF’s response to the regional refugee crisis was swiftly executed, effective and appropriate for context. Prioritising response delivery through national systems and placing the ‘best interests of [every] child’ at the heart of the response, helped built its reputation as a principled and impartial actor.…, Recommendations, Corporate, Extend links to political and security intelligence systems. Review UNICEF’s emergency response model for middle- and high-income settings/protracted crises. (in line with findings from the Humanitarian Review and COVID-19 evaluation) Build emergency capacity across UNICEF, including for national staff in contexts with low emergency propensity.…, Regional, At regional level, interpret the CCCs for this context. Generate a clear corporate statement and position on gender in the response. (in line with the Humanitarian Review) Centralise lesson learning in the response, building on the coordination meetings now being held. Build emergency preparedness, geared to an ethos of systems-strengthening into…, Evaluation of UNICEFs Response to Support the Influx of Refugees from Ukraine Final Report | March 2023 ii Evaluation of UNICEFs Response to Support the Influx of Refugees from Ukraine | Final Report, 2023 The statements in this publication are the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the policies or the views of UNICEF. The…