UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, is a driving force behind a movement to build a world where the rights of every child are realized. We have the global authority to influence decision-makers, and the variety of partners at grassroots level to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. That makes us unique among world organizations, and unique among those working with children.

We believe that everyone has a responsibility to see that children are safe. We work with individuals, civic groups, governments and the private sector to help create protective environments for them.

Protection of children against violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation, trafficking and deprivation of parental care is essential for every aspect of their survival, growth and development. We support programmes to prevent such violations, and to identify and help their victims. But we go further, working with governments, civil society, individuals and the private sector to build a protective environment around every child.

UNICEF programmes across Europe and Central Asia aim to strengthen different aspects of the protective environment, helping Governments fulfil their obligations on child protection. We urge them to develop national child protection policies and have helped to bring national child protection legislation into line with international human rights standards in 11 countries in Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.

UNICEF/SWZK/00051/Pirozzi