Expert Consultation on the New UNICEF Country Programme

On 21 March, UNICEF in Belarus held an expert consultation with representatives of national ministries and agencies to discuss the preliminary draft of the new Country Programme for 2026–2030.

The Country Programme is a foundational document that defines the key areas of cooperation between UNICEF and the Republic of Belarus for the next five years. Its main goals are to support Belarus in implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals related to children, and improving the well-being of all children, especially the most vulnerable groups.

The Programme is developed based on the national priorities of the country and the inputs received by UNICEF from government stakeholders during preliminary consultations. It also aligns with the priorities of the new United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for Belarus for 2026–2030.

“The current Country Programme will conclude at the end of 2025. Throughout this period, we have faced numerous unexpected challenges, including COVID-19, the situation with irregular migrants at the border, and the influx of refugees from Ukraine. Yet, together, we managed to overcome these difficulties and continued to deliver results for children,” said Rustam Haydarov, UNICEF Representative in Belarus, addressing the participants of the consultation. He also emphasized that the experience gained during the current programme cycle, along with the lessons learned from emergency response efforts, will guide the development and implementation of the upcoming cycle.

During the consultation, participants were presented with the proposed priorities of the new Country Programme, including child and adolescent health, education, youth participation in decision-making, and child protection.

UNICEF representatives noted that this was the first time such a multi-stakeholder consultation had been held — previous discussions had taken place only in bilateral formats with ministries. They expressed confidence that this kind of effective engagement among all relevant actors would lay the foundation for comprehensive solutions aimed at improving the lives of children and adolescents in Belarus.