Article

Major achievements of UNICEF for the children in Croatia

How UNICEF is investing the funds raised

UNICEF

Hrvatski
English

24 October 2022

INVESTMENTS IN CHILDREN IN THE 2017-2021*

Funds invested in programmes for children in Croatia: 13,473,655 USD

Funds invested in programmes for children in the World: 3,198,900 USD

More information about investments in programmes of UNICEF in Croatia: UNICEF's Aid Transparency portal

* Financial data for 2022 will be published in 2023.

From 2017 to 2022 UNICEF Croatia contributed to:

Improving the quality of health care for mothers and newborns.
Improving care of prematurely born infants.
Establishment of the first human milk bank in the country.
Improving accessibility and quality of services for children with disabilities and their families.
Improving the quality and accessibility of pre-school education for the most vulnerable children.
Building a stronger social welfare system to support the most vulnerable children and families at risk.
Improving the quality foster care for children, recruiting new foster families for children and supporting foster families.
Supporting thousands of parents and caregivers with parenting support programs.
Adaptation of the judicial system to the needs of children who are victims, witnesses or perpetrators of criminal offenses or whose parents are in prison.
Supporting children and families in COVID-19 and earthquake emergencies.
Protection of children in the digital environment.
Combating child poverty and social exclusion through piloting of the EU Child Guarantee in Međimurje County.
Education, development and skills building for tens of thousands of adolescent girls and boys.
Helping children in and from Ukraine, Syria, Burkina Faso, Yemen, Bangladesh and other countries faced by severe crises by providing life-saving support, protection, education, health care and nutrition.

Program cycle of UNICEF in Croatia 2017 - 2022

Health care:

UNICEF supported the establishment of the Human Milk Bank, which enabled improved care for prematurely born and seriously ill babies. For them breast milk is food and medicine.
13 intensive health care units for premature babies were equipped with professional refrigerators and freezers for storing breast milk and all the necessary equipment to enable skin-to-skin contact for all prematurely born girls and boys and their parents.
State-of-the-art equipment for the treatment of new-born jaundice is provided for 20 maternity hospitals.
16 maternity hospitals are equipped with devices for non-invasive measurement of bilirubin levels, baby resuscitation units, scales, birthing chairs, balls, mats, recliners for skin-to-skin contact, and changing tables.
All public maternity hospitals in Croatia have the status of Child Friendly Maternity Hospital.
Numerous health professionals are trained to provide babies with quality care.
UNICEF will invest HRK 1.1 million in supporting the PoMoZi Da program - for the training and improvement of the skills of more than 400 educational workers from all over Croatia, which will have a positive direct impact on more than 20,000 primary and secondary students' school.

Support for children with disabilities and their families:

UNICEF is equipping sensory cabinets and providing training of therapist for sensory integration at Caritas Zadarske nadbiskupije, Sanatorium Topusko, Center for early childhood intervention MURID in Čakovec, General Hospitals in Gospić and Sisak, County general hospital in Požega and Zlatni cekin rehabilitation centre in Slavonski Brod.
UNICEF supported the provision of Teleintervention services, important for families with no access ECI services (due to distance, costs, transportation, no services available), especially in COVID-19 circumstances. UNICEF supported education for more than 500 experts.
UNICEF helped improve the availability of assisted communication and strengthening of the national capacities for early identification and intervention for children with developmental difficulties and complex communication needs. Over four years, UNICEF provided trainings of 481 professionals - speech therapists, rehabilitation educators and therapists who work with children with speech, language, and communication-related difficulties.
Valuable equipment for assisted communication that enables children with disabilities to express their needs and feelings has been provided for 56 institutions that provide support to children with developmental disabilities.
UNICEF provided trainings for NICU staff to influence the prevention of some risks of developmental difficulties, social welfare experts who support CWDs and their families and experts in family centers.
UNICEF provided trainings for the Special Hospital for Chronic Childhood Diseases in Gornja Bistra for early intervention in childhood with the aim of improving the quality of health services and rehabilitation of patients

How quality support can change the lives of children with disabilities? Read story about Emanuel from Split!

Support to families:

“Growing up Together” workshops for parents, created in cooperation with experts, are held in kindergartens, family centers and other institutions in 95 cities in Croatia. The workshops are free and have been attended by almost 10.000 parents.
Special “Growing up Together” workshops have been developed that will respond to the needs of parents of children with disabilities, as well as special workshops for fathers and parents raising children in difficult circumstances.
Didactic equipment, toys, picture books and furniture were provided for areas for working with children in 14 organizations, mainly, county family centers that provide support to families in the local community, including families from the social welfare system.
UNICEF supported national coverage extensive training of social welfare professionals in case-management and effective crisis interventions in families at risk to provide child-focused support to an estimated 3000 parents, which will ensure coverage for an estimated 6000 children annually, thus contributing to an efficient response to violence against children in the family, as well as to prevention of separation from their families and consequent public care placement.

Education:

In addition to investing in the knowledge of university professors and inclusive curriculum development, UNICEF equipped five inclusive classrooms at universities in Zagreb, Split, Osijek, Pula and Rijeka. In these cabinets, 1.500 preschool teachers and 1.500 teachers will be educated annually, which is an important contribution for all future generations of children from vulnerable groups.
In collaboration with partners, UNICEF has modeled and achieved full preschool attendance of vulnerable children, mainly Roma, in Slavonski Brod for the first time in the town's history. 6 classrooms in the district school were equipped to meet the needs of preschool children, preschool teacher and Roma mediators were employed with the aim of strengthening cooperation between educational institutions and the Roma community for the benefit of children.

Support to children without adequate parental care (foster care):

The campaign "Every child needs a family" resulted in increased interest in foster care in 2018. With the support of UNICEF, 150 local events were held to promote foster care with the aim of reducing the number of children growing up in institutions.
UNICEF has developed a standardized education that all future foster parents in Croatia go through, provided support in the drafting of the Law on Foster Care, and foster families who care for the youngest children are provided with financial support for the purchase of the necessary equipment.

Support to children in the justice system:

UNICEF supported investments in education and video equipment for courts so that child witnesses and/or victims of violence do not have to repeatedly testify and be further traumatized.
UNICEF supported establishing a framework for lifelong learning targeting 1,300 judicial officials and non-legal professionals working with children involved in all legal proceedings with the aim of putting the child's needs and rights in focus
13 penitentiaries and prisons were equipped with the necessary equipment for video visits to parents in prison, and in 7 penitentiaries and prisons, visiting premises were renovated to adapt them to the needs of children. 12,500 children in Croatia have parents in prison.

Protection of children in the digital environment:

With support from UNICEF medijskapismenost.hr portal was launched as a national platform supporting educational professionals, parents, and children in understanding the media, tackling misinformation, online violence prevention, and learning about how new media content can affect our lives.
Media Literacy Days initiated in 2018 have gathered more than 72 thousand participants at numerous media literacy events across the country. Educational materials aimed at organizing workshops in kindergartens, primary and secondary schools have almost 800.000 downloads.

Tackling child poverty - EU Child Guarantee:

UNICEF is implementing the EU Child Guarantee initiative launched by the European Parliament and the European Commission aimed to end child poverty and social exclusion, by providing access to health care, education, services, adequate housing and quality nutrition for the most vulnerable children.
Construction of four centers for children and families in the municipalities of Nedelišće, Mala Subotica, Orehovica and Podturen will ensure access to quality support and protection services for children. Three Play Hubs and Toy Libraries are equipped to provide opportunities for non-formal pre-school education for children and learning through play.
Experts were provided with the necessary training. A support program for parents has been developed and adapted to Roma families.

See more video stories related to EU Child Guarantee - here.

Adolescent and Youth development:

Young people from from all over the country participate in UPSHIFT workshops where they acquired new knowledge, developed skills, and designed numerous projects with the aim of improving their local communities. Teams with the best ideas are provided with mentoring support and resources to help them realize their ideas.
The Innovation Academy summer school enables young people to learn about robotics, develop computer and entrepreneurial skills, and 21st century skills.

Support to children and families in the COVID-19 pandemic:

UNICEF provided support to all key systems that take care of health, education, and protection of children.
A system was provided to upgrade CARNET's server to enable distance learning for more than 450,000 students at the same time, we provided the most vulnerable families with tablets and unlimited Internet so that the children could continue to follow the lessons.
E-courses for pregnant women, mothers and fathers and e-courses on parenting have been launched.
Online support to professionals was provided as well as peer support for 244 foster parents through the info-phone line.
Within the initial response to COVID-19 pandemic, the CO procured medical equipment, 7.3 tons of personal protective equipment for health professionals and social service workforce as well as hygiene kits for 1.800 most vulnerable persons.

Read more on how UNICEF supported families during COVID-19 pandemic here.

Support to children and families after the earthquakes in 2020:

13.5 tons of protective tarps for family homes and institutions that take care of children
Medical equipment for Sisak hospital and 29.000 packages of hygiene products to the earthquake-affected areas
Providing funds for the continuation of therapy for children of preschool age with developmental disabilities in the Small House, Association of Persons with Disabilities in Sisak-Moslavina County. As a result, more than 4300 various therapy sessions were provided to children with disabilities.
Furnishing a sensory room for children with disabilities within the elementary school "22. June" in Sisak, we enabled children with disabilities, who lost the possibility of any sensory work in their city after the earthquake, to continue with activities that are important for their development.
Psychosocial support for families supported by the social welfare center and for experts and foster parents who take care of children.
Mobile teams deployed by UNICEF provided mental health and direct psychosocial support to 332 children and 180 caregivers/parents from the most vulnerable families
Psychosocial support program for students, teachers, and professional services from 29 primary and secondary schools in Sisak-Moslavina County. Interventions reached more than 8,400 pupils in Sisak-Moslavina County.
Office containers for the work of pediatric surgeries and patronage services, hygiene supplies and protective equipment.

Read more on how UNICEF supported children in stories!

Reports for donors by year (in Croatian):

A glance at the last 20 years in Croatia

After the end of the Homeland War, our focus has been on other topics. Baby Friendly Maternity Wards, education about children's rights, support for foster care, support for parents in the first years of a child’s life, support for families of children with developmental disabilities and many others. Actions and campaigns were launched with the aim of putting the needs of the child first in society.

The UNICEF campaign "The first three are the most important" helped to develop the awareness of society, especially parents, decision-makers and experts who work with children, about the importance of the first years of a child's life and the creation of an environment that will encourage the proper growth and development of a child.
The program "Stop violence among children" was successfully implemented in numerous schools throughout Croatia from 2003 to 2012. The program covered more than 150 thousand children and 15 thousand teachers in 300 schools. In the schools where it was implemented, the rate of violence among children and young people was reduced by 50 percent. According to these results, the "Stop violence among children" program is one of the most successful programs in the world. It is now a successful export product that helps children and teachers in other countries.
The UNICEF campaign "Every child needs a family" in 2005 promoted foster care and called on citizens to open the doors of their homes and hearts to children without proper parental care. Thanks to this, many new foster families entered the system and helped hundreds of children grow up in the warmth of a family home instead of in institutions.

The first when it is most needed

With the new challenges, UNICEF did not neglect its original task - emergency humanitarian aid in crisis situations.

Floods in eastern Croatia

Delivery of emergency supplies for children and families.
Through the playhouse in Gunja, we provided psychosocial support to children for two years.

Refugees and migrants crisis

Professional teams took care of mothers and children 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the medical teams made sure that every child received basic health care at reception centers
Recreational activities for children are organized through "Places for Children".
"Places for Children" in center for asylum seekers and support to inclusion/integration of children in regular education system in Zagreb and Kutina in 6 primary schools and 3 kindergartens attended by refugee and migrant children.

Help during and after the Homeland war

In 1991, UNICEF opened its Office for Crisis Situations. We were the first international organization in Croatia, even before the official recognition of our country.

There was no time to wait, the children and their families needed immediate help through the provision of medicines, psychosocial support, assistance to exiles and refugees, education on the prevention of injury from mines and explosive devices.
During the Homeland War, UNICEF provided psychosocial support to children and provided hygiene and other necessities.
After the war, we actively educated children in schools about protection against mines and explosive devices left over from the war.