Early childhood development

In the 30 years since the signing of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNICEF, supported by donors, has initiated and carried out numerous programmes and activities aimed at improving the wellbeing of children. Every kuna for children counts, and we handle donations with the highest level of responsibility. On average, 75 per cent of…, 1. A good start for children and parents, Since 2016, all maternity wards in Croatia are “Baby-Friendly Hospitals”, which has helped increase the percentage of breastfed children upon leaving the maternity ward. All neonatal intensive care units in Croatia have been provided with equipment that enables skin-to-skin contact and for the feeding of preterm babies with breast milk. There are…, 2. A stimulating environment for every child, The “Growing Up Together” and “Growing Up Together Plus” workshops, a special workshop for fathers entitled “Fathers’ Club”, and the “Growing Up Together, Count Us In” workshop for families at risk helped thousands of parents develop stimulating caregiving skills. The “Every Child Needs a Family” campaign has enabled hundreds of children to spend…, 3. Security and safety, During the Homeland War, UNICEF provided emergency relief – food, medicine, vaccines, firewood and other items. The “Stop the Violence among Children” programme was implemented in 300 schools across Croatia, and the rate of violence among children and young people decreased by 50%. Over HRK 1 million was invested in humanitarian aid and…, 4. Education, Through the “Assistive Communication” programme, children with developmental difficulties have been provided with IT equipment and special devices so they can express their thoughts, needs and feelings. UNICEF has provided training for experts and also equipment for assistive communication for 32 institutions in Croatia. Through the “Choose What…, 5. Together with children and youth, A total of 90,000 children and young people have taken part in the “Schools for Africa” programme where they have learned the importance of education and solidarity with peers growing up in dire conditions. Support has been given to the Children’s Rights Festival that promotes filmmaking among children and youth, as well as participation and…

Split, 24 January 2020 – The 2020 Agreement on Cooperation, signed on this day, means that the partnership between the City of Split and UNICEF that began in 2015 will continue. The Agreement was signed by the Head of the UNICEF Office for Croatia, Regina M. Castillo, the Deputy Mayor of the Town of Split, Jelena Hrgović Tomaš, Lukša Regjo,…

About 800,000 children under the age of 18 live in Croatia, accounting for about 20 percent of the total population. Almost every company affects their lives in some way. Corporate relationships with parents and the way they affect their work-life balance, placement of products and services intended for children, advertising aimed at children, the…, Principles on children's rights and business, In collaboration with UN Global Compact and Save the Children, UNICEF has developed 10 principles on children's rights and business that enable companies to view their business in the field of sustainable development from a children's rights perspective. The principles help companies identify the direct and indirect impacts of their business on…, UNICEF CSR Academy, In 2017, UNICEF, in collaboration with the Croatian Employers Association, launched the UNICEF CSR Academy, the first national business education program to integrate children's rights into day-to-day business and management. This unique training was developed as a response to the growing interest of the business sector in the areas of social…, Izvori, Djeca su naš najvažniji posao: vodič 2.0 Brochure - Djeca su naš najvažniji posao: vodič 2.0

Parents also have the right to help raise their children - this was one of the messages in UNICEF's “First 3 are the most important!” action which was presented to the public at the end of 2006. This action was the result of numerous discussions with parents and experts, as well as research into the views of the general public about the upbringing…

“When I grow up, I want to be a teacher,” six-year-old Lea from Slavonski Brod tells us a little shyly. When she enrolled in kindergarten, Lea did not speak Croatian well because at home they use the Roma language. Apart from his daughter having learned Croatian, her father Slaven has also noticed many other changes “There is huge progress. She is…

The first years of life greatly affect one’s achievements later on. In this period, the child’s brain develops at a speed that will not be replicated at any other time during their lifetime. It is a once-in-a-lifetime window of opportunity for every child. It is difficult to make up for any opportunities not taken during this period, so it is…

In a small village of Sikirevci in Brod-Posavina County, there is no kindergarten at the moment, just as in many other villages of that Slavonian county. This is why granny nannies in this village with many children are highly promoted. Every morning, Granny Janja takes her bike and goes to the house of her son and daughter-in-law. All her…

Babina Greda, a small village in Vukovar-Srijem County, still does not have a kindergarten. It didn't have one when Lucija gave birth to Marko either. “I used to drive him to a kindergarten in Cerna, which is 15 kilometres away, which means that I used to do 15 kilometres in both directions and then I had to do it again. Financially, it was a big…

Challenge, When children do not have access to kindergarten, we deny them the opportunity to develop their abilities, talents, and skills in the modern way. Research shows that children who go to kindergarten are healthier in the long term, are less likely to have behavioural problems, achieve better results in later education, and any developmental risks…, Resources, S one strane inkluzije djece rane i predškolske dobi Izvješće - S one strane inkluzije djece rane i predškolske dobi Vrtić za svako dijete Letak – Vrtić za svako dijete, Solution, The Solution In the last few years, the Republic of Croatia, with the support of the European Union, has made significant investments in the construction and renovation of kindergartens in Croatia because in many municipalities girls and boys simply do not have the opportunity to go. Through concerted, coordinated action, it is possible to reach…