Consultations held in Sarajevo

UNICEF BiH in Sarajevo held Stakeholders' Consutlations regarding the draft Situation Analysis on the Status of Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina and identify p the priorities of the UNICEF Bosnia and Herzegovina Program for the period 2021 - 2025.Government representatives, civil society organizations, academia, the private sector and international development partners were presented with the main findings and recommendations from the draft Situation Analysis. After the presentation, the partners had the opportunity to provide feedback on causal analysis of major deprivation in children, with particular attention to vulnerable groups of children, and to discuss the strategic program priorities of UNICEF in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the period 2021-2025 to help achieve2030 Sustainable Development Goals directly and indrectly related to children and youth.

"We are here because of a common reason - and that is children . I feel very fortunate to be working in an organization that works for children because this is one population relevant for everyone, no matter how economically developed the country is. Children are the future of every society and every country. If we invest in children, we can be sure that future generations will have productive citizens.“, said Dr Rownak Khan, UNICEF Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“UNICEF is part of the UN family and we support each other. The focus of UNICEF is on children and in this we are not alone, and we are also cooperating with authorities that have committed themselves to the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, many of which are directly or indirectly related to children. The broader framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, which is related to children, should also be considered, and in Bosnia and Herzegovina can also reach those goals by 2030, which is getting closer and we have only 11 years left. " added Dr. Khan

Presenting the Situation Analysis on the Situation of Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina Alwin Nijholt noted that this analysis is based on a wide range of data sources, including research, qualitative studies and systems for routine data collection of ministries and agencies at various levels. A human rights-based approach was adopted under the Convention on the Rights of the Child to assess the current state of the rights of the child in Bosnia and Herzegovina and implemented through the prism of equity, with particular attention to the most vulnerable children and key deprivations related to age, disability, and life, in rural and urban environments and other inequalities.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina faces a high rate of emigration: many educated young people are leaving the country in search of better opportunities. Since 2002, the total population has been decreasing every year, while the number of deaths has become higher than the number of newborns, especially in the last Commented [RK1]: Was there any private sector? two decades. All these changes have significant implications for economic growth, service delivery and overall standard of living, including the well-being of children. This situation calls for greater investment in children to strengthen „human capital.“, said Mr. Nijholt.

UNICEF called on partners for suggestions in which areas UNICEF could provide support in the period 2021-2025. In general, it is underlined that the promotion of children's rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina will take into account the obligations arising from the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), relevant strategic priorities for Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Nations Framework for Sustainable Development (UNSDCF) for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and UNICEF's global and regional priorities.