Ekaterina Zaharieva: We Value Highly Our Active Cooperation With UNICEF
02 October 2018 News
“We have an excellent cooperation with UNICEF that should be continued not only within Bulgaria but also on a regional and global scale,” Minister Zaharieva said during her first meeting with UNICEF’s new Representative for Bulgaria, Dr. Jane Muita. “Protection and promotion of the rights of the child are a priority for Bulgaria and is incorporated in all of our country’s actions and policies in the area of human rights,” she added.
Minister Zaharieva told her guest that the Government is working actively in the sphere of legislation concerning the reform of justice for children. She highlighted the fact that an improvement of the public’s awareness of the protection of the rights of the child is needed if the respective laws are to be adopted. Bulgaria, she pointed out, already has experience in the training of judges, prosecutors, and police officers for working with children.
Dr. Muita on her part noted that she has learned a lot about our country thanks to the joint initiatives, and expressed appreciation for Bulgaria’s support for other countries. “You placed Bulgaria on the world map regarding children’s rights. I congratulate you for your efforts not only within your own country but also on a global scale,” Dr. Muita added and went on to note the successful Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU. She assessed as very useful the sharing of our experience in the protection of children’s rights with Armenia and Georgia.
The UNICEF Representative explained the objectives of the new Cooperation Programme with Bulgaria (2018-2022) which is expected to focus on several areas such as early childhood development, new services for families with children at risk, working to prevent children from dropping out of school at an early age, reform of the justice for children, prevention of violence against children, and monitoring children’s rights. UNICEF is planning to focus its efforts on countering violence in schools during the current and the next year. An awareness campaign will be organised to make it easier for everybody to differentiate between the various kinds of violence.
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